• Visitors can check out the Forum FAQ by clicking this link. You have to register before you can post: click the REGISTER link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. View our Forum Privacy Policy.
  • Want to receive the latest contracting news and advice straight to your inbox? Sign up to the ContractorUK newsletter here. Every sign up will also be entered into a draw to WIN £100 Amazon vouchers!

Venturing into contracting*Advice appreciated*

Collapse
X
  •  
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #11
    Go Gorilla Accounting and use FreeAgent. Much cheaper/easier. The spreadsheet for SJD was decent but I needed to get out of the 90s.

    qh
    Last edited by quackhandle; 11 April 2018, 14:47.
    He had a negative bluety on a quackhandle and was quadraspazzed on a lifeglug.

    I look forward to your all knowing and likely sarcastic and unhelpful reply.

    Comment


      #12
      Thanks for the thoughts.

      My experience was predominantly in managing small projects < £1m but back then was more customer facing so doesn’t stack up as you say to the seasoned PMs in the contracting world so I'm clear to not be banking on those skills in a contractor market.

      My real experience has been accumulated over the last six years through the development and rolling out of project lifecycles within various roles and Divisions within a corporate banking environment and one other institution which was not so mature in its project methodologies so I had to develop them and roll them out from scratch.

      I label myself as a PMO Manager at the moment with ownership for the methodologies used to manage and govern projects but understand that there are opportunities at below the level I’m currently doing which are paying a good premium. Such examples of these currently are (I would not go for a PM specific role as that’s not my expertise):

      - https://www.indeed.co.uk/viewjob?jk=...rom=serp&vjs=3 (have been a consolidation point in my roles for Reporting previous)
      - https://www.indeed.co.uk/viewjob?jk=...rom=serp&vjs=3 (pretty bread and butter reporting, PMO assistance type role. I have wades more experience than is required here)
      - https://www.indeed.co.uk/viewjob?jk=...from=web&vjs=3 (5+ years experience seems to be a standard so that’s how I conduct my searches and advertise myself)

      I hold various PM qualifications APMP, P3O namely and am fully versed in setting up something from scratch in a project environment and have proven success of it.

      I take the point on going a bit lower on the first contract just to get something under the belt, however I would like to think I’d still be worth £350-375 at the very minimum. I feel that the skillset I have, together with looking at the jobs I’m going for that £425 is reasonable with a top end being £450. In the time between leaving my last job and starting my current, I did get several calls from agencies asking me if I wanted to start a contract role and I had pushed back on them explaining what the guys in this thread have been saying (i.e. no honed skills, experience in roles etc.) however the more I’m in and around my area together with the PMO Analyst “skillset”, the more I see it’s not really the skillset that gets you the job.

      There’s an element of it which will get someone to pick up your CV, however the way you chat to agencies and the personality with the ability (more the willingness) to hit the floor running is the real winner and it’s that, barring the external barriers that will get you a contract. Again I speak as someone who has recruited contractors in my current / previous role so am not totally detached from this and I’ve seen the types / quality of contractor that are worth “£400”+ and I can certainly back myself in the market for PMO Analysts in the nicest possible way.

      I’d firmly place myself as someone who is able to walk into an organisation and build a framework or methodology for projects to enable appropriate governance all the way up to CEO level in terms of coverage.

      By regular contributors on the Board for Accountants, do you guys have any specific reccomendations?

      Originally posted by quackhandle View Post
      Go Gorilla Accounting and use FreeAgent. Much cheaper/easier. The spreadsheet for SJD was decent but I needed to get out of the 90s.

      qh
      I will give them a look and see if the maths adds up, I'm really wanting to include IPSE membership as a standard. I'm not too bothered with the spreadsheets per se and SJD look to be market leading in the whole package thing which is why I'm leaning towards them...
      Last edited by Dhrucku; 11 April 2018, 15:24.

      Comment


        #13
        however the more I’m in and around my area together with the PMO Analyst “skillset”, the more I see it’s not really the skillset that gets you the job.
        Nonsense. That may be how you decide which contractor to go for at interview. It's not how those contractors get to meet you in the first place. That is all about a proven history of doing what the given job needs in the same skillset with the same tools and (usually) in the same vertical. That's how you get past the agencies and the average low level drone who does the initial sift of the many CVs they get in response to any job advert (especially generic skills like yours).

        My last accountants were SJD. After 15 years of good service they cost me a lot of money, were making mistakes and were giving bad advice that I had enough experience to notice. They are dying, look elsewhere.

        Contracting is not anything like permie work. You really need to understand that.
        Blog? What blog...?

        Comment


          #14
          Is this the right time to start contracting? No more public sector contracts outside IR35 and new rules coming into the private sector

          Is it worth it?

          Comment


            #15
            Originally posted by TOSH1 View Post
            No more public sector contracts outside IR35
            Not true



            Originally posted by TOSH1 View Post
            new rules coming into the private sector
            Speculation
            See You Next Tuesday

            Comment


              #16
              Originally posted by TOSH1 View Post
              Is this the right time to start contracting? No more public sector contracts outside IR35 and new rules coming into the private sector

              Is it worth it?
              You chose your username well.

              Comment


                #17
                Originally posted by Lance View Post
                Not true




                Speculation
                People need to wake up and smell them onions. The Government have tightened the Public Sector use of IR35. Many have managed to get the outside determination. For now.

                If people think the government will be happy with anything less than 80% of contracts not being caught by IR35, they are being very naive.

                It is not speculation that the Government will not introduce similar measures into the Private Sector.

                Comment


                  #18
                  It is FACT, not speculation that IR35 is coming into the Private Sector.

                  Public Sector is failing in implementing projects (I read somewhere that it is an 80% failure rate) due to contractors walking away after IR35. Public Sector would rather fail contracts projects then be liable.

                  Comment


                    #19
                    Originally posted by TOSH1 View Post
                    It is FACT, not speculation that IR35 is coming into the Private Sector.

                    Public Sector is failing in implementing projects (I read somewhere that it is an 80% failure rate) due to contractors walking away after IR35. Public Sector would rather fail contracts projects then be liable.

                    Where is it fact ? Link?

                    Comment


                      #20
                      Originally posted by TOSH1 View Post
                      It is FACT, not speculation that IR35 is coming into the Private Sector.
                      No it's not, it is merely a suspicion. Private companies are not going to roll over and face a (to them) significant increase in risk and admin costs, they will seek viable alternatives such as B2B contracts (and you don't wonder why the S3 group are working on a major shift in their contract offerings?)

                      Public Sector is failing in implementing projects (I read somewhere that it is an 80% failure rate) due to contractors walking away after IR35. Public Sector would rather fail contracts projects then be liable.
                      Possibly true, but since PS project failures hit at least 50% anyway... There has been a far greater impact in healthcare and social services.

                      There will be changes to taxation rules, but IR35 and the totally discredited CEST tool are not looking like the best options for HMG. And the people at risk will be the contractors who label themselves as such but do nothing about acting like or proving they are actually independent businesses.
                      Blog? What blog...?

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X