Agree with pretty much everything. Recruiters are annoying but some companies will only hire contractors through recruiters so it's worth spending a little tim

Agree with pretty much everything. Recruiters are annoying but some companies will only hire contractors through recruiters so it's worth spending a little time dealing with them (but don't hesitate to stop talking to any that isn't professional, there are plenty others). For the rate it depends on the language and the industry as well, java in finance is always going to be higher than python in a startup but if it's below 300/350 you can walk away. I stopped being a contractor last year, i'll have to check those dividend tax changes