For Candidates

You have built the expertise.
The question is whether
the market knows it.

Honte Consulting offers Statistical Programmers an honest, peer-level conversation about where they stand in the European market. Not a registration drive. Not a sales pitch.

What this is about

Most recruiters want to place you as quickly as possible. The person running Honte Consulting has spent years as a Senior Statistical Programmer in European pharma and CRO environments — which means the conversation you get here is a different one.

Before any discussion of roles, we talk about the market: what it pays, what it values, and where you sit in it. If a role is the right next step, we can help with that too. But the market conversation comes first — and it is available to you regardless of whether you are actively looking.

What we can talk about

These are the conversations Statistical Programmers
rarely get to have with someone who actually knows the answer.

Is contracting right for you?

Permanent versus contract — the honest numbers

The gross rate difference is only part of the picture. We can walk through what the comparison actually looks like once you account for gaps, tax structure, and the costs most people forget to factor in.

When the move makes sense — and when it does not

Contracting is not the right answer for everyone at every point. We can talk through what readiness actually looks like — technically, financially, and in terms of your network.

How to evaluate a role before you accept it

What questions to ask, what the rate should look like for the therapeutic area and submission timeline involved, and what warning signs experienced contractors learn to read.

How does the market see you?

What your rate should be right now

Not a published table — an honest read on what the European market is paying at your level, in your geography, with your profile.

How your SAS and R split affects your marketability

Where R adoption genuinely is in Europe in 2026 versus where it is being talked about, and what that means for how you position yourself.

Whether a long single-employer CV helps or hurts you

A question many long-tenure SPs quietly carry. The answer depends on more than years — and it is worth discussing before you start a search.

Where you sit relative to what you think you are worth

An honest, technically grounded read on how your profile compares to what clients are actively looking for. No flattery.

When things get complicated

Handling gaps between contracts

Financially and on paper. What a gap looks like to a client, how to frame it, and how experienced contractors plan around them.

What a technical screen actually tests

Many Statistical Programmers have not been interviewed in years. Knowing what to expect — from someone who has been on both sides — is a practical advantage.

How to present your experience so it lands

Particularly your regulatory submission work. A strong profile is not always a well-presented one.

"I have spent years on the inside of this industry — building submissions, running TLF programmes, working across pharma and CRO environments. I know what clients test for, what the rate table actually looks like, and where the market is moving. If you want a straight conversation about where you stand, I am happy to have it. There is no agenda beyond giving you accurate information."
Dr. Lajos Katona — Founder, Honte Consulting
How this works

No pressure. No commitment.

Getting in touch is not a commitment

If you are actively looking, we can talk about what is in the market. If you are simply curious about your positioning, that is a valid reason to reach out too.

Your details stay with us

Your information is never passed to any client without your explicit prior consent. We do not make speculative approaches on your behalf.

Every level, every stage

Whether you are Mid-level exploring your options or a Principal with years of submission experience, the conversation is open to you.

Ready for an honest conversation?

Get in touch and we will respond within one business day.

Start the conversation →