Is there a difference between a Freelancer and a Contractor?

[minestrone]

I generally use the word freelancer when describing what I do to people outside the industry.

[PAH]

Talking of freelancers. The fittest I ever 'met' was Sydney Bristow (call sign 'Freelancer'). Hmmm Hmmm.

[PAH]

I generally use the word freelancer when describing what I do to people outside the industry.

Yeah, good point. Many people who aren't familiar with the contracting world can understand it easier when you say you work freelance. Probably a more established/common term historically due to freelance journalists etc.

[Sysman]

A number of people seem to draw the distinction on the basis that a freelancer finds their own clients and contracts directly with them, rather than working through agencies.

In other words, a freelancer is running a real business, whereas a contractor is just a glorified temp. There, that should ruffle a few feathers

I started out as a Freelancer. Contracts didn't come into the equation; it was all done with purchase orders or verbal quotes. It all tended to be piecework rather than x months work. And you are correct on the agent front. This was all direct with clients or their customers.

This was handy when permies tried to sneer at me for being a contractor. I could honestly say I wasn't.

[Sysman]

Maybe you're right. I did start of finding my own contracts, before I got lazy after that work dried up and fell into trawling jobserve etc, so maybe that's why in the early days I remember the term 'freelance contractor' being common.

In the early days there were always customers looking out for help. Remember active User Groups? It was relatively easy to make contacts in your field, and get your name known by writing articles or doing presentations.

Damn this web thing

[singhr]

Any room for us Consultants?

[Durbs]

Any room for us Consultants?

Not unless you are highly regarded within the medical profession.

Not keen on contractor either, to me a contractor is still someone who wears a hard hat and builds buildings and digs holes.

I used to have a proper job and remember being turned away from many hotels and B&B's when I turned up mucky in my rigger boots and the response was 'sorry, no contractors'. Sure they'd have accepted IT geeks.

[DodgyAgent]

Is there a difference? I think Freelancer sounds better (IMHO), but most Agencies use Contractor.
I've spoken to two Agents last week and one of them wanted to know if i was interested in Freelance work or Contract work!!

Yep - One's a "cont" and the other's a "free"loader.

[d000hg]

In my experience freelancer refers to those who tend to work from home at their own schedule, bid on small projects, etc; contractor is more typically someone engaged to work on site or at least on a more typical working week.

But it's all rather woolly.

[PAH]

In my experience freelancer refers to those who tend to work from home at their own schedule, bid on small projects, etc; contractor is more typically someone engaged to work on site or at least on a more typical working week.

Interesting. I'll bear that in mind if the IR35 mob come knocking.

"Me a contractor disguised as an employee? Nooooo, I'm a freelancer. {slams door}"