In today’s world of work, many employers are prioritising flexibility in their recruitment, especially when it comes to tech. As a result, these organisations are turning to contractors that they can work with on a project basis.

 

Naturally, there are countries, such as here in Australia, where the market is mature in working with non-permanent professionals. Other countries that have a sophistication in using contingent workforces includes the UK, US, Germany, Netherlands and Japan.

 

While at the same time, we’re seeing parts of Europe, including France, Spain, Italy, and Poland where traditionally permanent employment has been the gold standard, starting to open their eyes to the benefits of contract work.

 

With this in mind, skilled professionals entering the world of contracting need to be prepared. Follow this advice for setting yourself up for success before you find your first role.

 

A career in IT contracting begins when you’ve already developed skills that are in demand and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. While it’s vital that you continue to develop your skillset (either during or between projects), you’ll need to be ready before you find your first contract job.

 

A good place to start assessing the market right now is by searching existing opportunities through recruitment agencies such as Hays. We’d also highly recommend another blog, where we lay out the things to ask yourself before committing to a contractor career.

 

As Adam Shapley outlined in his blog on the advantages of becoming an IT contractor, you can expect to charge a daily or hourly rate that would be higher than that of a permanent employee.

 

So, how do you determine which rate reflects your skills and experiences, without pricing yourself out of the right opportunities? You can start by checking our local Tech Contractor Day Rate Guides, which we release annually to inform skilled professionals of what they should expect to earn. For more information on typical rates where you are, get in touch with your local Hays office today.

 

There are different ways to set up your business as a contractor, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Many of these are around income and expenditure.

 

For example, a UK-based contractor can position themselves as an employee of an umbrella company, while someone in US might consider a sole proprietorship. In Australia contractors tend to be a sole trader with an ABN number. This is easiest and generally reduces administration. Alternatively, founding a limited company can offer tax and expenses advantages. It’s a similar situation in many countries, so do thorough research before you begin. It’s worth bringing in an accountant to help you keep on top this, particularly regarding tax.

 

As mentioned above, it’s best to step into contracting once you’re experienced in your field and can demonstrate to potential clients that you’ve got the skills they need to bring on board. Doing this right means standing out from the crowd.

 

However, if this is the start of your contractor career, you won’t have the experience that others do yet. You should have a strong CV by this stage in your career, as well as a LinkedIn profile that aligns with this as a further promotional tool. In each case, highlight your skills with the latest technology or processes that some contractors may not have been exposed to or trained on yet. On top of this, it’s often worth directing clients to a website to show them what you can bring to their organisation.

 

Now that you’ve done your research, understand how to form your company and got your profile ready, it’s time to start your search. Besides remuneration, things to consider are:

 

In many countries, it’s easier for contractors to work with a recruitment agency that sources non-permanent staff for clients, so this is often a good place to start. In addition to finding opportunities on your behalf, companies like Hays can offer you advice and help prepare you for applications and interviews.