goals 2019

Could 2020 be the year you make your decision to move from being a permanent employer to becoming your own boss as a freelancer or contractor?

The decision seems to have been endlessly dramatised. In fact, it’s not that big a decision at all and choosing to go down that route ranks well below decisions like getting married or deciding on which career to choose. And today some 2 million people are part of the flexible workforce so you won’t be on your own.

Most opt to take the plunge for three reasons – to do the things they really want to do, and this includes taking more time off, to avoid the things that they really don’t want to do and thirdly, for the money.

It is the second reason that drives many wannabe freelancers and contractors into the sector. Many of us get to the stage in our careers when we become as experienced, skilled and technically proficient as we are likely to get in our chosen skills set whether it’s in programming, engineering, medicine, marketing or many other disciplines.

So, if you are thinking of becoming a contractor or freelancer in the UK Dave Chaplin, author of The Contractors’ Handbook – Third Edition, which provides all the advice freelancers and contractors need to know whether they are new to contracting or experienced old-hands, offers some tips to help kick start your new year and secure a contract:

Your CV

Create a CV that is short, tailored, focused and targeted. Customise the CV to highlight skills and achievements relevant to the contract or project being applied for.

Marketing

Market yourself on jobs boards, using agencies and via networks. An estimated 80 per cent of contracts are sourced via agencies, so get yourself on agency CV databases and apply for specific roles. Upload a CV to contractor job boards and CV libraries, and start working professional networks online, face to face, by phone and by email.

Applications

Find specific contracts and projects and send a targeted application. Apply for contracts via email then diarise follow-up and chasing in person by telephone.

Securing interviews

Experienced contractors know that once in front of a client at an interview the contract is often in the bag. Initial negotiations should focus on securing an interview rather than bargaining over rates.

Preparation

Preparation, preparation, preparation. Turning up to job interviews poorly prepared is unlikely to progress an application for contract or freelance work. Find out the basics like the interview location, transport links and parking and be sure to research the client, the company, what it does, its needs and its latest news. Be prepared.

Interview

Be proactive. Contract work interviews are different from interview for permanent employment; they are sales pitches. So those contractors and freelancers who are proactive and apply sales techniques to control the interview have a greater chance of securing the outcome they want.

Fact Find

During the interview explore and understand the issues, and explain how you can solve them. By the end of the interview it is important that you let the client knows that these issues have been understood and that you have the skills to tackle them.

Close the deal

Ask for the work and close the deal. This is a sales pitch for yourself where you are offering your skills on a business-to-business basis. Ensure you ask for the business and close the deal, emerging from the interview with an offer for the contract or project.

Follow up

Follow up with the client or agency as appropriate. This is a chance to get in touch again to agree next steps and timings.

Be tenacious

With the first contract bagged be sure to continue your search but in a targeted way. A scattergun approach will not yield results. Invest in following a carefully crafted process so that a steady stream of freelance work will ensue.

About the author

Dave Chaplin is author of The Contractors’ Handbook – Third Edition (Nov 2017), which provides all the advice freelancers and contractors need to know whether they are new to freelancing or experienced old-hands.

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