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Kick start your contracting career

Deciding to go contracting is one of the most popular options many permanent Employees (‘Permie’s’) consider when thinking of career change, provided you have enough determination to turn your professional life upside down. Everyone has different motivations to justify such a change, from the opportunity to work on your own, to the lifestyle associated with contracting. Before you make such a potentially life changing decision, have a read through the following advice, which could help you make the switch far smoother.

Define a strategy
Probably the biggest mistake you can make is not drafting a proper strategy. You can decide to go contracting overnight but it takes far longer than 24 hours to actually do it. By preparing a detailed action plan, you can make sure that you make the right decisions and make the most of contracting from day one. Preparing your action plan, including items such as market and financial research is essential to your success. For example without a good plan, you might take the first contract that comes up without even knowing that there is a more lucrative one around the corner.

Develop a likeable factor
People feel drawn to individuals who are likeable, enthusiastic and polite, even though it may take longer gain your colleagues trust. The more people want to work with you and be around you, the quicker they will learn to trust you and the more positive comment they will give about you, which will benefit you when your contract is due for renewal. It doesn’t cost anything to be likeable, just treat people with respect, always wear a smile and above all always be helpful.

Save up for rainy days
A Contractors’ life can have a lot of uncertainties. You may experience that one day you will have difficulty landing yourself a new contract, or due to sudden illness you will be out of work for a while. In these and similar circumstances, you need to be prepared. For Contractors money management goes beyond making sure you have enough money to pay the bills. Even though you may be earning far more as a Contractor, you should always bear in mind that should you not be able to work for any reason the money will dry up so always put funds aside when the times are good, to see you through the lean times.

Do not let emotions play in your decisions
Don’t make the mistake of switching to contracting just because you are fed up with ‘permie’ world and all the factors that make it uninteresting. Take the time to analyse whether it’s just the job you do not like or is it for example your boss or colleagues that are making you unhappy? Maybe it is just a state of overall boredom you are currently in? No matter what you determine, do not leave your job, especially in the current market situation, until you have fully analysed what the problems are and what is the best thing for your future. An then make sure that you are fully prepared with your first contract in hand before you move.

Money is not everything
Going contracting is considered to be very attractive because of the money you can earn, but be very careful of switching careers because of that. Remember that even though you will make more money if you are not happy with your new contract you’ll probably be spending lots of time on thinking how easy it was to be a ‘permie’. If you decide to switch to contracting, from now on you will be your own boss and it means accepting all the responsibilities that come with it, along with the fact that if don’t do a good job you may not get paid.

You are under pressure
Don’t let anyone influence your career choices. If you love what you do and earn a reasonable living is it your business not anyone else’s. If you switch careers because of outside pressure to have a “better career”, and then hate your new client, you’ll end up resenting the person(s) who pressured you to make the switch, and worst of all being unhappy in your work.

Moving to contracting without refreshing your network
Don’t ever attempt a career change alone. As soon as you have identified the career field you want to be an expert in, begin developing new network contacts. There are many things you can do e.g. conduct informational interviews, join industry associations. People in your network can provide inside information about new contract possibilities and can even put you in touch with hiring managers. Networking is essential for both permies and contractors, but even more so for those considering to switch to a career as a Freelance Contractor.

Not examining all the possibilities
Don’t jump career fields without first conducting thorough research into all the possibilities, including career fields you may never have considered. By conducting research into careers you have never considered or been exposed to, you may find the career of your dreams. Talk to people in your network, read career and job profiles; meet with a career management professional. The more information you have about various career choices, the more successful you’ll be in making a career change.

Making a career change without assessment
Self-assessment of your skills, strengths, experiences is a critical component to contracting success. Make a list of your expertise and the types of projects you do not fancy working on again. Thanks to honest assessment, you will understand yourself and the quality of service you provide better, so that you can find the best contract for you and sell yourself to potential clients.

You base your decision on the success of others
Sometimes we cannot help comparing ourselves to others. Just because your best friend is a successful contractor does not mean that you will be happy doing the same thing. If you are considering a career switch make sure you do the comprehensive research before jumping into it.

Making a switch without necessary experience
As a career-changer, you must find a way to bridge the (experience, skills, and education) gap between your old career and your new one. While transferable skills (skills that are applicable in multiple career fields, such as communications skills) are an important part of career change, it is often necessary to gain additional training and experience before you can find a good job in a new career field. Research whether you need additional training, education, or certificates. Try to find time to volunteer, temp, or consult in your new career field (what some experts refer to as developing a parallel career) before quitting your current job and searching for a full-time position in your new career field.

Moving to contracting without updating job-search skills
Yes, even contractors have job interviews and go through similar recruitment process to ‘permies’. If it’s been a while since your last face to face contact with a potential client, take the time to polish your job-search skills and techniques. First of all, review your CV and remember to tailor it to a specific contract advertised. It will also benefit you if you practice your interviewing skills.

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