Agencies – STR

[Christopher Tyson]

I recently had STR contact me and it seems they have some ’Urgent’ jobs on.

All they were interested in was my min day rate,………… without supplying any further info what so ever.

Ridiculous, the market rate is varied between regions (taxes etc) and without this and other info including work-scope, a min rate cannot be quoted.

I swiftly came to the conclusion they want the cheapest and most desperate, not necessarily most suitable candidate?

Do some of you ROVers have similar experiences? And is this the norm now when contacted by unfamiliar Agencies?

[rov_er]

hi redherring,

yes I have been contacted too but did not reply as I have little consideration of them…I share your feeling they are just looking for desperate guys.

rov_er

[subman]

Yes the first thing a company will ask you is how much ? But its impossible to give them a rate without knowing were is the job ? How long is the job , What Type of job , What System and what postion Supervisor rates are more than a Pilot / Tec .

But STR is not the only one you have to understand the amount of agencys all chasing the same work and in the Uk thats well over 300 .
More jobs are coming on line now but nothing like 2008 but if you dont get in now your going to be sitting on your bum until August .

Good Luck

Subman

[Scott Beveridge]

Subman,

you said, " But its impossible to give them a rate without knowing were is the job ? How long is the job , What Type of job , What System and what postion Supervisor rates are more than a Pilot / Tec . "

Why is it impossible to give a rate? You go by your last rate (which is never down-going, or shouldn’t be…) and try to add 3 – 5 % to it. Simple business formula….

[andy]

called str after receiving same email not a bit of info might be jobs dont know who when where rates… really urgent then!! very strange thought they usually post on here

[subman]

Scott ,

You said , Why is it impossible to give a rate? You go by your last rate (which is never down-going, or shouldn’t be…) and try to add 3 – 5 % to it. Simple business formula….

I wish it was like that but its not ! A few years ago it may have been but not any more if it was the rates would be 800 – 1000 USD a day .
Rates for Supvisors and P/T have now dropped as low as 400 USD .

But many companys the first thing they ask is " Whats your Rate " Your last job may have been in Vietnam on work class doing 4 and 4 .

The the nest may be in Nigeria with a eyeball doing platform inspection for 2 months . Like I said its impossible without knowing the full facts .

Cheers

Subman

[James McLauchlan]

…..
Rates for Supvisors and P/T have now dropped as low as 400 USD .
…..

Only because people are accepting those rates.

[subman]

That was quick of the mark James well some guys have a family to support with a mortgage so they have to accept it ! What can they do sit on there Bums the whole year waiting for a megger size day rate it not going to happen .

Then to top it off many of the clients are asking for things like HV certs and
a Petronas Smart PCSB card " These take about 6 to 12 months to get .

Rates are not going to get any better over night and I am sure you know how long I have been in this game I dont think I have every seen it as bad as this .

Then dont forget all the trainees looking for work after being told by the training schools all about the good life of being a rov op and the big money .

The only good point is the drilling is going into deeper waters and that means more Rov work .

Well only time will tell .

Cheers Subman

[Scott Beveridge]

That was quick of the mark James well some guys have a family to support with a mortgage so they have to accept it ! What can they do sit on there Bums the whole year waiting for a megger size day rate it not going to happen .

Then to top it off many of the clients are asking for things like HV certs and
a Petronas Smart PCSB card " These take about 6 to 12 months to get .

Rates are not going to get any better over night and I am sure you know how long I have been in this game I dont think I have every seen it as bad as this .

Then dont forget all the trainees looking for work after being told by the training schools all about the good life of being a rov op and the big money .

The only good point is the drilling is going into deeper waters and that means more Rov work .

Well only time will tell .

Cheers Subman

One or 2 days for each : PCSB card, and HV cert.

Worst ever was 1991 89 days of work. 1986 130 (something), last year over 200, this year already 95 days.

Economics? We’ve all been through it but not as bad as the younger guys these days – IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE CASH TO BUY SOMETHING (OR A GOOD CONTRACT – TO PAY OFF A HOUSE) DON’T BUY IT!!!

[subman]

scotbeve wrote

One or 2 days for each : PCSB card, and HV cert.

Worst ever was 1991 89 days of work. 1986 130 (something), last year over 200, this year already 95 days.

Economics? We’ve all been through it but not as bad as the younger guys these days – IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE CASH TO BUY SOMETHING (OR A GOOD CONTRACT – TO PAY OFF A HOUSE) DON’T BUY IT!!!

Sorry Scott

But getting a PCSB does take longer than one to 2 days and the same goes with your HV Cert , Yes I am fully aware that you have returned from AME on the Tiger job however if you ask Alam Subsea and Sonsub they both have people still waiting and they applied last year and there still waiting same goes for there HV cert .

However in the end its down to Petronas !

As for buying a house HOW ON EARTH DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS ? Fully understand dont buy something if your not working but there are some things you cannot plan ahead on .

Most of us are free lancers and income does go up and down YES 1986 was a bad year I think I worked 42 days the whole year .
But we are getting off the subject regarding rates I think its best to ask the people who are reading this right now " HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE BUMS FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS ! So do you work for 1 peanut or NO PEANUTS Now I know why they call Rov Guys in the States Tether Monkeys .

So best we wait for the feed back from the other guys !

Cheers

Subman

[Scott Beveridge]

Subman,

Fair enough….

Re: future… don’t place all your eggs in one basket…. Never trusted this industry (except when I was a young pup / newbie) after 5 years being in it. That’s how I knew about my future.

GUYS, DON’T TRUST THIS INDUSTRY AND THE PEOPLE WHO OWN / RUN IT!!!

[subman]

Yes thats right dont trust any body ! But no body knows the the future holds but I can see many guys leaving the industry .In 86 people just went into the local estate agent and gave in the house keys I know one guy who killed him self .

As for the amount of agencys I think they will just fade away like 1986 but its funny back in the early 70s there was no agencys but then again there was internet but there was more work in those days on 225s and Darts .

I wonder what the price of oil was in 1972 ? Well thats my lot oh yes Scott give my regards to Mr G .

Cheers

Subman

[Andy Falconer]

Guys,

Let me explain…

Over the past couple of days, we have received a couple of roles, including one PT position, which has still yet to be confirmed.

There has been a massive response to these roles so far, over 1100 emails and phone messages.

I hope that you can appreciate that I dont have 10 mins to spend on the phone to everyone, and I only need the key details, rates, availability etc.

Apologies if I’ve not been in touch regarding your emails, phone messages etc.

Andy

[Christopher Tyson]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your response on this forum.

Wouldn’t you agree that publishing what details you have of client requirements would actually lessen your workload, and stop time wasters and general enquiries?

Details may include; survivals (BOSIET, OLF, STCW95), medicals, location / region, works-cope, system & vessel type, duration of project, uplift / hardship / taxation allowances (if any) etc. could have been published in the email or even on this website.

I believe and it seems some others also agree that this has a major role in determining min day rate as well as prospective suitable candidates. Unsuitable candidates don’t want to waste their 10 mins of time as well.

If some of this advice was followed,…………… just maybe those 1100 emails would then actually be 110?

[Andy Falconer]

Hi Redherring,

I totally agree, but at the moment, for the ROV PT job, I wasn’t even given details of the ROV, let alone start date, location etc. as this contract is yet to be awarded, the hiring company are being tight-lipped about this.

You’ll probably notice that the email didn’t come direct from me, and I would have preferred it if the email had been sent regarding the Supervisor roles, for which I did have details on.

As you well know jobs have been scarce this year, and this email seems to have opened the floodgates so to speak.

Andy

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