I do a lot of consulting, so I'm always looking for short contracts, especially if they are mostly remote. I respond to almost every recruiter (even the generi

I do a lot of consulting, so I'm always looking for short contracts, especially if they are mostly remote. I respond to almost every recruiter (even the generic emails) with something like: "Hey _____, I would like to discuss this project further. A little about myself: I own a small consulting firm with 2 employees and depending on the work load 1-10 contractors. When you hire me, you are actually hiring my firm. We bill at $100 per hour plus T&E. If you would like to discuss this possibility further, you can schedule an appointment with my assistant (her email). Shoot over a few times, and she will get back with you if it works." It gets rid of most of the riffraff and I don't have to put much thought into proposals. I've only gotten 3 gigs this way, but I have grown my network of contacts a bit. BTW - My "assistant" is my sister-in-law who edits books and stories for a side business of mine, and the only other W-2 employee beside myself (2 employees).