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The trouble in negotiating contracts

1st March 2018

Article written by:

Chris from iContract

Contracting, despite its many wonderful benefits to people’s work lives and life outside of work, has one important responsibility that comes part and parcel with the life of being a contractor. And that responsibility is of course negotiating.

We all know how tough negotiations can be with the ongoing, complex Brexit negotiations currently taking place between the UK and the EU. Some people have a natural knack for it, whereas others not so much, but it is something contractors will have to deal with on a regular basis.

Where you may raise a triumphant fist in the air to celebrate a great deal. However positively you’ve embraced the negotiation process, there is always trouble and difficulty in this process that many would prefer to avoid…

It’s a British thing

The British are known of course for things such as the weather, fish and chips and their stiff upper lip. One thing in particular that they are not always proud to boast about is the embarrassment they can experience when talking about money.

This attitude to discussing money can seep into negotiating and it’s something British people would prefer to avoid. But of course when negotiating a contract, not discussing money is quite simply impossible and a hang-up that contractors have to overcome.

Miles apart from what we both want

For negotiation to proceed and move forward, there needs to be a clear outlining of what both parties want. If both parties’ expectations are miles apart from what they want then negotiation is a non starter. Although not seen as a clever tactic to deal your hand so publicly, there needs to be some level of transparency from both sides to give an indication to where negotiations can possibly head or both sides will find themselves bashing their heads together and dragging the process out and ultimately wasting time.

Let’s not drag this out

The most enjoyable type of negotiation is one that is quick and seamless and gets to the point quickly. Rather than going back and forth, both parties can reach a quick compromise and ensure a deal is done sooner rather than later.

This allows the contractor in this case to get on with the work at hand and prepare for the contract, leaving the recruiter time to focus on other tasks and urgent roles to fill.

In an ideal world, no one really wants any negotiation period to be dragged out and the quicker a deal is made the better.


With iContract, negotiation needn’t be a chore! Simply specify your contract requirements including your day rate, and iContract will generate automatic recommendations tailored to what you’re looking for.

This way, you know where you stand with contract negotiations. iContract’s interactivity also allows you to chat directly with recruiters and exchange counter-offers for contract via the platform, making the whole process quicker and seamless.

Join the growing contractor community today at www.icontract.co.uk