How do you get started contracting yourself out to professional employers?

**ladymuck** · 25 August 2021, 07:53

I can't comment on the market for your skill set.

However, it is an uphill battle to get clients to understand what it is they want from a contractor. It's been a bugbear of mine for a long time that if only clients were HONEST about their resourcing requirements, IR35 would not be an issue. There is space for all types of resources but they focus on hiding headcount and reducing their tax liability.

Getting started does require putting up and shutting up in the beginning. It's by building a portfolio of work and a network of contacts that you can ultimately be taken seriously as a consulting / professional business partner.

Some people do manage to find a niche early on or have the skill set to develop and sell a product but for the majority of contractor it will take some time.

There are good clients out there, sadly they're just in the minority.

**Paralytic** · 25 August 2021, 07:57

The simple fact is that a significant percentage of clients using contractors want an employee, not a supplier. These often come from separate budget lines and is easier to get approved than a new permanent member of staff. The client just wants someone to turn up.

To understand this, make sure you're putting yourself forward as a supplier providing services. ie. have some sort of sales and marketing function. Engaging on that basis, you'll soon find out if the client wants a supplier or a disguised employee.

However, it sounds like you've already found out the answer, so need to make a decision on whether you'll accept such gigs.

**WTFH** · 25 August 2021, 08:00

Originally posted by sidestepping View Post

Trying to go contract, but most employers I speak to seem .. dare I say it, immature and unprofessional. Most want to avoid conversations around IR35 or don't know about it at all.How do you get started contracting yourself out to professional employers?

I'm a dev/data scientist with 10+ years of experience.

How many of those years have been employed at the same company?
How are you finding the customers you are speaking to? Are they customers of your current employer?
Have you spoken to agents?

**TwoWolves** · 25 August 2021, 08:27

Originally posted by sidestepping View Post

I'm a dev/data scientist with 10+ years of experience.

There's a massive demand for people with your skills at the moment. I get calls almost every day.

Need to get in contact with the big agencies.

Make it clear you contract only on your LinkedIn profile (you do have a profile?) and mark your profile as "looking for opportunities", they will call you.

Find an accountant.

**vetran** · 25 August 2021, 09:06

Again loads of demand for your skills, multiple calls a week, you might want to wait until September when it will be busy again.

Have a look at indeed for what people are looking for, make sure you have it.

**northernladuk** · 25 August 2021, 09:18

Trying to go contract, but most employers I speak to seem .. dare I say it, immature and unprofessional

Says the guy that doesn't know the difference between and employer and a client

I'm an entrepreneur at heart

Most entrepreneurs have the nouse to understand what is needed and what is to be done. That's their skill. They generally don't make fundamental mistakes like thinking your client is your employer.

employee on the cheap. For example, one employer

That's what employers do, look for employees. The clue is is the name.

How do you get started contracting yourself out to professional employers?

Learning how to be a professional contractor is a good start.

**NotAllThere** · 25 August 2021, 10:03

Originally posted by sidestepping View Post

,,,but most employers I speak to seem .. dare I say it, immature and unprofessional.

That's because they're permies.

NLUK - when you see "employers" read it as "those who use contractors", using the general sense of "employ". Only thinking of your blood pressure.

**northernladuk** · 25 August 2021, 10:39

Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post

That's because they're permies.

NLUK - when you see "employers" read it as "those who use contractors", using the general sense of "employ". Only thinking of your blood pressure.

Well yes but it's a very fundamental point which is key to everything else going forward. If the OP stays in this mindset he's going to make other mistakes of the back of that going forward. Surely the one of the most important parts of being a business person is to understand your customer and what they need. If he can't do the former then the latter is going to be complicated. He's clearly struggling so maybe pointing out his mistakes may help no?

I do think that if you have to ask this type of question of your peers then you aren't really an entrepreneur, just a contractor with the same pipe dream that every contractor has at some point so just thinking pointing out the difference between an employer and a customer might clarify his situation a little.

Normally when they use the word once I'm being a cheeky pedant pointing it out and yes, it's just the OP using a term mistakenly. I do think in this case the OP has got it fundamentally wrong.

Also OP has been daft enough to post in General so Christ knows what else they are capable of.

**DoctorStrangelove** · 26 August 2021, 08:42

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

Also OP has been daft enough to post in General

There's an increasing incidence of that.

Maybe it's the weather?

How do you get started contracting yourself out to professional employers?