Starting Contracting

Starting Contracting – Best advice for new IT Contractors on Finding a Contract, Contractor Mortgages, Umbrella Companies, Limited Companies, Contract Market, Insurance

Guide for New Contractors on how to be a Successful Contractor

Making the Jump from Employee to Successful IT Contractor – advice for those starting contracting

Getting started as a new contractor can be confusing so we have created and published a number of guides for the new contractor to help them. Starting Contracting can be a minefield. Take the following advice, therefore, and you will avoid the pitfalls when starting contracting.

Sections.

1. Becoming a New Contractor or Staying Permie
2. Doing Your CV
3. Finding a Contract
4. Doing Great Interviews
5. Dealing with Agencies
6. How to be a Successful Contractor
7. Umbrella Company or Limited Company
8. Getting a Contractor Mortgage
9. The Insurance you will need as a New Contractor.

1. Becoming a Contractor or Staying Permie

Most permanent workers will ask themselves the question, once hey have a few years of experience Should I become a Contractor?

First you have to take the decision as to whether you should quit your permanent job to become a contractor.

The as a first time contractor you’ve got to decide How Much Money Should I ask for as a Contractor?

it is crucial to do your research and to fnd out what you are worth as an IT Contractor before quoting a rate to an agency.

Then you’ve got decide Am I Really Better Off Being and IT Contractor?

After all, you will lose any of the perks of being a permanent employee. These will include, sick pay, holiday pay, maternity pay, pension contributions etc. You would also have to pay both the employee and employer National Insurance contributions.

You can, of course, buy insurance and buy your own pension scheme. However, these will cost you.

Here’s one contractor’s experience of My First Contract.

2. Doing Your CV

It’s crucial you get your CV right. THis will lead to yoru being selecte dto be sent more often to potential client companies. The more it gets sent the more interviews you will get and the more contract opportunities you will have.

So, it’s crucial to know How Agencies and Clients now want to see CVs.

Agencies have a lot of experience of knowing which CVs are more likley to interest clients. So ask their advice and get CV Tips from an Experienced IT Recruiter.

It’s important to know what kind of CVs that potential client companies will like. So listen carefully to a A Client – How I selected Candidates to see.

As the client will probably get many CVs, you don’t get long to make an impression. So, take this client’s advice – A Client – Your CV has just 30 seconds to impress me.

Don’t make the mistakes that many contractors make on their resumes. Here are Seven Reasons a CV Will get Binned.

We don’t recommend the following but here is an explanation of How to Lie on your CV and get away with it.

3. Finding a Contract

After deciding to become a contractor and creating the perfect CV, the next step is contractor Job Hunting.

For a start here are 14 Job Hunting Tips and How to Impress an Agency.

You are competing with quite a lot of other contractors. Anything that can give you an edge in yoor job search should be used.

Search for Contractor Jobs here from multiple job boards.

So, here is some advice on How to Get a Contract – 10 Steps to give you a Better Chance.

To give you an even bigger advantage on your competitors here are Eight Alternative Ways of Getting an IT Contract (that are not often used).

4. Doing Great Interviews

There are some contractors who pass most interviews that they go to and some who have to go to a lot of them before they get a contract. There may not be much difference in their knowledge, skills and abilities.

Doing great interviews is a skill in itself.

Preparation is everything os here are Ten Preparations to make before attending an Interview.

So, what kind of contractors do potential clients want? Find out here in The IT Contractors at Interview I want – by a Client.

Sometimes they want to interview you by telephone and telephone interviews are a skills in themselves. Prepare properly for it by reading How to Prepare for a Telephone Interview.

Watch your body language though. Don’t try and pull the wool over interviewers eyes because here are 7 Signs that tell an Interviewer you are lying through your teeth.

There are some common mistakes that contractors make at interview. Avoid those by reading Ten Ways to fail an Interview.