A good consulting firm may have placed several contractors with a single company, and therefore becomes a trusted and reliable source for additional staffing needs. In addition, many companies now require consultants to be represented by a consulting firm. The consulting firm is your employer. Even though you may not be working at their offices, you are the employee of the consulting firm. Since this is the case, you may use the firm to negotiate any needs that you may have for the work site.
Most firms pay their consultants on an hourly basis.
Know your bottom line so that you can be available for any position or assignment that may come up within your skill range. A good consulting firm will know the prevailing market rates and know how to make you competitive, as well as compensate you according to your abilities. Once you have created a relationship with a firm, you can expect them to look for new positions for you as you near the end of your current assignment. Maintaining this relationship allows you to minimize your downtime. You will most likely have some downtime, but it will depend on your hourly rate, your skill set and your experience.