Starting Contracting... Now?

[Jeebo72]

Take a look at the job websites and see if there’s work out there for you. But be warned agents have a nasty habit of advertising jobs that don’t exist. All part of the learning process.
You’ll need to resign your current position without a job to go to, as it’s unlikely you’ll find a contract until you are in your last week of your notice period. This gets scary for permies, I can still remember, but that’s generally how the contract market works, you need to be available now!
It’s always easier with money behind you, but we all can’t save up … though if you are in anyway unsure, this is not the time to do it. But if you give it a go, good luck, and like the others said, enjoy the woman, fast cars, pool, and recreational activities ;-)

[lukemg]

Presuming this is not another windup....
Get the contract first then walk, save up hols, tell agencies you are able to leave quickly due to e.g. company downsizing (also puts them off trying to backfill your role before you go !)
When you have the contract, talk to your current co, tell them you have been approached if it makes you feel better, any half decent place will let you go after an initial panic about cover etc. Anywhere that plays hardball, just walk they won't care. Good luck in this market.
Then you can start worrying about how to pay your bills if the contract only lasts 13 weeks....

[thunderlizard]

If you're as good as you claim then you won't need to worry about the wider job market. The advantage of front-end web development is you can quickly build up a portfolio of publicly recognisable work to show to future clients.

[apipo]

Scary Stuff

Okay so my plan is to put my name out their with Agencies directly to see if they want me even with a months notice. It has to be worth trying and I already have an interview to see if I'm suitable when they get work in.

You guys do scare me a lot though :-D Thanks for the input because it sounds as though there are a lot of problems for people contracting at the moment which will weight on my mind before making the move.

I don't really believe contracting is glamorous but it may well be better than my current situation. I still really want to try it but as you say there does not seem to be a lot out there currently even though I have had some initial success with responses/interviews.

I do not think I'll go for it quite yet but that depends largely on my interview and if they think they can give me regular work for 3-6 months.

If it all goes wrong I guess I'll just have to start sleeping on the streets and become a hobo ;-) Or of course there may still be some permanent roles out there should things go wrong.

Thanks for your help everyone.

Andy.

[BlasterBates]

Don't resign, but have a dry run that is ring a few agents with short term availability, and see if you can angle an interview or two....if you can then think seriously, or even bulldoze your way out your current job to get it. You don't need to go for the interviews. But in the current climate it is worth finding out whether for your skill set it is dead or not first.

[Support Monkey]

If your waiting for the right day to go contracting you may as well forget it now, that day will never arrive, there will always be something stopping you, Mortgage, kids, wife, notice period, economic climate, other peoples opinions.

If your a person who fears change and needs to know that his coffee mug will still be on his desk in the morning and what will be in his wage packet at the end of the month don't do it.

If you want a challange are prepared for the risks and can change your way of thinkling to just going in and doing the job and can live on a yearly earning rather than from one month to the next then go for it

If you definately want to go contracting Firstly spend a month checking to see how many jobs come up for your skill, if there are jobs then just start applying, when the agent says when can you start you say tomorrow (no agency is going to accept a months notice unless your very Niche skillset or your very lucky), if you get the contract and your still employed be prepared to walk away and start, go to an umbrella first off just to get started then as soon as you can setup a limited co.

Be prepared to either sink or swim

[The Lone Gunman]

You guys do scare me a lot though :-D Thanks for the input because it sounds as though there are a lot of problems for people contracting at the moment which will weight on my mind before making the move.

Then we have done our bit and you sound like you may be ready to give it a go. If we frightened you off then you would never be ready. If you dismissed us then you would be delusional. If you can weigh up our advice and make an informed decision then you are capable of doing the same with business decisions.

Good luck.

[chris79]

So, I'm pretty tired of my current workplace (a very large bureaucratic Internet company which shall remain nameless). I like the idea of being able to move from place to place and interact with a vast range of people/clients. I think I'm more than capable of doing the job (largely Frontend Web Development) for anyone to an extremely high standard in a contract setting.

My only question is how is the job market for (IT) contractors these days. I do not have a lot of savings at the moment and that is part of the idea behind changing my current situation.

I've read many of the guides on this site already and I'm thinking contracting could be an amazing lifestyle, I just want to make sure that I don't end up in a bad situation - I guess that is the risk I have to suffer for the rewards but I don't wish to go into doing this blindly!

Any advice about making the switch (particularly with relation to the current economy) is most welcome!

Thanks,

A.

Lets translate this:-

1. Background of feeling discontent in a permie job.
2. Selling yourself as the 'ideal' personality for contracting.
3. Oblivious to the current market conditions.
4. No backup/savings, but a cover story for why this should be ignored.
5. A distraction statement to ensure nobody suggests researching the situation.
6. Encouraging a discussion about the current economic climate.

Verdict: Sockpuppet.

[singhr]

Go for it! I dithered for 2 years before it became a no brainer and haven't looked back. It's certainly not for everyone though and market is tough right now. So long as you put money away for time on the bench and don't spend as if you are on 200K salary, you'll be in good shape. Good luck

[kaiser78]

Go for it! I dithered for 2 years before it became a no brainer and haven't looked back. It's certainly not for everyone though and market is tough right now. So long as you put money away for time on the bench and don't spend as if you are on 200K salary, you'll be in good shape. Good luck

WHS

Go for it but be prepared to not find anything straight away. Make sure your CV stacks up and has professional and personal usps.

Good luck