So You Want to be a Freelance Contractor

So You Want to be a Freelance Contractor

Any individual can go about becoming a contractor. You may be in full time employment or just starting out and wondering how your skills can earn you a decent income.

Either way you want to explore what life as a contractor means and how best to go about it.

Start By...

First off, being a freelance contractor is quite different from a permanent member of staff at a company. A contractor will have a series of temporary jobs rather than one full time permanent position. Each of the jobs will be for a

1. Specific period (eg six months)
2. Specified amount (usually defined in terms of an hourly or daily rate)
3. Specific task or role to complete

The contractor is in effect selling their skills, knowledge and aptitude on a per job basis. The more unique your skills are the higher the rate you can command. The better you perform the more likely it is that you can increase your rate on future jobs.

Yes?

A ‘good' contractor is hard to define. A contractor is, after all, a person and we all know each one of us is unique! But certain traits are identifiable and the more of these qualities you have the more likely it is you will succeed at contracting.

Can you say ‘Yes' to one or more of these characteristics:

• You get on with strangers and like meeting new people.
• You understand and can fulfil specific functions within a wider corporate strategy.
• You can cope with working at different sites on a regular basis.
• You can adapt to different cultures and work ethics.
• You can impart your knowledge to other people and businesses in a manner which others can understand.
• You have the maturity to know when to contribute and when to stay silent.
• You can perform your job without constant supervision from the client.
• You can identify and recommend further work which the client may have overlooked resulting in a win-win solution for you both.
• You can ensure your client will always know what you have done so far, and what work is still outstanding.
• You complete your job on time, satisfactorily and within any specified budgets.
• You can report back to the client, at any stage of the job, in clear simple terms.

The more items you can tick the sooner you will build your reputation and the more in demand you will become. Once a good contractor is identified a client will do their best to retain their services. You may find your contract is extended or at the very least you will be kept on record for any new jobs that arise in the future.

What to do Next

If contracting is still something you'd like to do and you think you can succeed your next step should be to identify and contact two or three specialist recruitment agencies who cover your skills.

Ask the recruitment agent(s) how in demand your skills are, and get an idea of the demand from clients you can expect. Ask them if they have any current assignments that would suit you and, in general terms, how much you could earn.

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 5. Umbrella company FAQs
 6. Umbrella company paperwork
 7. Umbrella company expenses
 8. Calling an umbrella company
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11. Paying Employer's National Insurance
12. Choosing an umbrella company
13. Umbrella company alternatives