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Tips on going direct?

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    Tips on going direct?

    Hey,
    Trying to find a way to stop paying % of my income to doing sod all pimps, and therefore boost my companies turnover by good margin.
    I know good percentage of peeps here are working direct, looking at polls on linkedin and such.

    How do you find direct work?

    I was applying to Jobserve for years but that seems dominated by pimps so I am obviously missing the trick here?
    Last edited by GitMaster69; 17 May 2022, 15:49.

    #2
    The obvious one is to keep in touch with people from previous gigs and simply find a way to ask them if they need you, or have them chasing you to come back. Repeat stints with my current client have worked both ways; I've had them contact me out of the blue and I've asked them before "got any work".

    I believe some companies prefer to go through an agency though as it keeps things simpler?

    The other thing is I've nearly always worked at smaller companies and they tend to have less in the way of hiring departments... you just need the MD or someone to sign and they seem more open to direct hiring because they might only be using 1 or 2 contractors rather than a constant stream of them.
    Originally posted by MaryPoppins
    I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
    Originally posted by vetran
    Urine is quite nourishing

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      #3
      It is almost impossible. Most companies have preferred suppliers. If there is only one agent between you and the client you are doing very well. I can't remember the last time there was less than two for me.

      EDIT - this is all for large corporate gigs mind.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by GitMaster69 View Post
        Hey,
        Trying to find a way to stop paying % of my income to doing sod all pimps, and therefore boost my companies turnover by good margin.
        I know good percentage of peeps here are working direct, looking at polls on linkedin and such.

        How do you find direct work?

        I was applying to Jobserve for years but that seems dominated by pimps so I am obviously missing the trick here?
        Here we go again.
        • It's not your income.
        • If you don't know how to find clients directly then how can you say the pimp does sod all? They know how to get work for you that you otherwise cannot.
        • Build a network of people you've worked with. I takes a long time to do that and get direct work reliably. And even then, a lot of companies will still put you through an agency as it reduces their risk (and yours).
        • Also ask yourself if you're happy with 30 or 90 day payment terms? And the problems of chasing late payments? And writing your own SOWs?
        The fact you have to ask suggests you aren't ready to go direct.
        See You Next Tuesday

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Lance View Post
          The fact you have to ask suggests you aren't ready to go direct.
          Whats the point of this forum then? The fact he asks is he wants to gather more information.

          This seems a canned response here. "If you need to ask, it shows you are not ready for X... "

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Lance View Post

            Here we go again.
            • It's not your income. No tulip sherlock
            • If you don't know how to find clients directly then how can you say the pimp does sod all? They know how to get work for you that you otherwise cannot. It's a goal I'm setting myself now to increase turnover by 10-15% so asking to organise the ideas.
            • Build a network of people you've worked with. I takes a long time to do that and get direct work reliably. And even then, a lot of companies will still put you through an agency as it reduces their risk (and yours). I have HUGE network, and yet the only party advertising projects are pimps and not client's themselves almost universally.
            • Also ask yourself if you're happy with 30 or 90 day payment terms? And the problems of chasing late payments? And writing your own SOWs? Don't care
            The fact you have to ask suggests you aren't ready to go direct. The fact I'm querying it suggest I'm ready.
            What surprises me is no one is mentioning tendering.
            Last edited by GitMaster69; 17 May 2022, 16:37.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by GitMaster69 View Post

              What surprises me is no one is mentioning tendering.
              Because it's a waste of time 99% of the time.
              merely at clientco for the entertainment

              Comment


                #8
                I'd not waste my time tendering.
                I would spend my time building relationships with clients and other contractors. Know your industry (IT...xxx), know your competitors (other contractors), build a good reputation, keep in contact. Getting work through a recommendation is the best way to go.

                It is also possible to get work then go through an approved agent for a minimal fee. Best one I had was where a client I had done work for in the past had contacted me to do another project, but their business model had changed to APL. Client manager and I sat down with his preferred supplier, we discussed what I would charge and how much they were allowed to make. I got the rate I wanted, and they got £25 a day on top to process the paperwork etc.
                …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by jf2010 View Post

                  Whats the point of this forum then? The fact he asks is he wants to gather more information.

                  This seems a canned response here. "If you need to ask, it shows you are not ready for X... "
                  And in the many cases it's true. There has to be some base understanding or ability for a lot of things. Even as simple as the ability to research the situation. The OP has ;GitMaster69 reputation0; from a long history of daft questions. If he can't even search the forums as sa start it's going to be impossible trying to give him all the information and knowledge he needs to go direct. He needs a business head for a start and you can't get that from asking a simple question. Not just the OP, many people. It's very easy question to ask but incredibly difficult to answer so if they can't even begin to help themselves then they aren't ready and little point asking here.

                  We've had plenty of people asked a better question off the back of research etc and we've been more than accomodating in these situations.
                  'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by eek View Post

                    Because it's a waste of time 99% of the time.
                    But the other 1% of the time it can be very lucrative. While I wouldn't say it's for everyone, I've found getting on various frameworks and bidding on tenders can work out well. Last and current projects were through tendered bids (not G-Cloud or DoS) and I'm crossing my fingers that I'm about to get the next project the same way.
                    Still got to pay the framework %age, but I always add it on to my quote so the client ends up covering it.

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