How to get your First Contract

Your First Contract

To be a successful contractor you'll need to have access to those companies who are recruiting. You can start cold calling but most find that a rather unpleasant task and a draining experience.

By far the most efficient way to ensure you are never without work is to find a specialist recruitment agent who operates in the contract market and has an established list of clients who regularly require the services of a contractor(s).

Strong Relationships

• The relationship you develop with your recruitment agent will be vital to ensure your contracting career is rewarding in both financial terms & job satisfaction. There are many specialist recruitment agents in the UK, because not only can you earn a decent income but so can your recruitment agent who will earn typically between a 10% and 30% margin on your income.
• For example, if you accept a role at £25 per hour your recruitment agent will be charging the client around £30 per hour for your services. This margin is how recruitment agents earn a living and is perfectly fair; after all it's the recruitment agent's established contacts that enabled you to secure work in the first place.

Make sure your CV is tailored to the advertised contract role.

Contract Vacancies

In the first instance a recruitment agent will look for even the smallest reason to dismiss your CV and move onto the next candidate. These specialist recruitment agents can receive hundreds of CVs every week and are only looking for the best.

So the initial step in getting your first contract is to have a killer CV. Don't forget, your CV is there, not to get you a contract, but to get you an interview with the recruitment agent.

CV

Having sent off your reworked CV to a dozen or so specialist recruitment agencies you should expect to receive at least a couple of calls. If you don't hear back from the recruitment agent within a couple of days contact them directly.

• If you were unsuccessful ask them why.
• See if they have any constructive comments on how you can improve your CV and increase your interview chances.

If your CV has been carefully crafted and if you've targeted the right recruitment agencies in your particular field of expertise it won't be long before the interview process starts. Interviews are another area which you may need coaching with, especially if it's your first time or you haven't been interviewed for a number of years.

You are showcasing yourself and you want to make sure you don't let yourself down.

Interview Techniques

The interview process will usually follow the same pattern:

• Submit your CV
• Interview with recruitment agent
• Interview(s) with client
• Complete negotiations
• Contract commences

Securing your first contract is always the most stressful. Once you have been through the process once, and understand firsthand what is required, subsequent interviews will be less fraught and you will feel more relaxed. See our helpful guide to Contractor Interview Tips.

• Always stay focused on your objective, tell the truth about your abilities, expect to have some set-backs but don't let your determination waver. Welcome to the world of contracting!