Reply to: Part time contracts how to find

[GJABS]

And he answered your call: head over to see it

https://forums.contractoruk.com/busi...-networks.html

Thanks for the heads-up. I've watched the video and commented on that thread.

[SussexSeagull]

Only time I ever did a part time contract was in the dark days of lockdown when I was looking for a full time one but it wasn't happening.

[cojak]

And he answered your call: head over to see it

https://forums.contractoruk.com/busi...-networks.html

[hobnob]

Not really. Professional courtesy to work clients times at best but if I was working for a 4 day a week client I'd be expecting to bill 5 or it's a no from me. Clients mandating their 4 day working week on contractors is bad thing not a good thing. I don't agree with that statement at all. Interesting to see what will happen for sure but the outcome you suggest is very bad for us.

I was thinking of that in terms of GJABS' situation (i.e. the contractor wants to do 4 days and the client wouldn't complain), but you make an interesting point about the opposite way round (client mandating it for contractors).

To some extent, it will depend on the role, e.g. if you work on a service desk then nobody's going to log any requests when the office is closed, or at least there would be too few to justify you sitting around all day. Most of my work is done solo (which is probably the case for a lot of contractors), and I've worked evenings/weekends before on a flexi-time basis. So, by that logic it would be ok for me to do a 5 day week while everyone else does 4 days. However, if everyone else does 5 days and I asked to work 6 days a week then I wouldn't expect the client to sign off on those timesheets (because it would mess up their budget approval).

Realistically, I think this will depend on how widespread it is. While the 4 day week is still at a pilot stage, I think you've got a pretty good bargaining position to say "I want to work 5 days a week, and if you won't pay that then I'll go to a client who will". However, if this becomes standard across most companies then it might be a choice between a 4 day week and bench time.

Personally, I wouldn't mind doing a 4 day week for a while, so that I could use the 5th day as study time. However, I'd prefer that to be my choice rather than chosen for me.

[northernladuk]

There are some companies trialling a 4-day week for all staff. In that situation, it would make sense for contractors to work the same days as permies.

Not really. Professional courtesy to work clients times at best but if I was working for a 4 day a week client I'd be expecting to bill 5 or it's a no from me. Clients mandating their 4 day working week on contractors is bad thing not a good thing. I don't agree with that statement at all. Interesting to see what will happen for sure but the outcome you suggest is very bad for us.

[GJABS]

Late to the party on this one. To get business like this, the best way is existing contacts and referrals. LEt me know if you want me to teach you quickly how to set up a referral network - its not difficult and would take about an hour of your time. I can even do the teaching of it on this thread if you need it.
Secondly if you want lots of smaller projects, contracts and pieces do some marketing and learn a bit about selling.
Think about where you position yourself and why. You will probably need to invest in some marketing, especially your website and what google says about you (I don't know about your skill set, but think logos, web stuff, seo, brochure/copy writing).

Thanks for that - it has got me thinking this afternoon. Mulling it over.
I have tried being in business fully on my own account before, but had a lack of confidence and conviction that it could work for me, so haven't properly pursued the idea. I have built a couple of websites that worked OK technically but where I was unable to get enough users (e.g. an online bookmarks website that I spent £500 advertising on Google Adwords, resulting in just one regular user).

In regard to your suggestions, it is the "existing contacts and referrals" bit that is the problem for me. Yes I have worked with a lot of IT professionals over the years, in several contracts, but I haven't kept in touch with them and don't have their contact details. I've been informally diagnosed as autistic, and one of the characteristics of this condition is a lack of an automatic ability to socialise with people. Autistic people can socialise, but it requires a small amount of effort and is mechanistic in nature. It is not something they do for fun. They need self discipline to do it.

Fortunately I do have self discipline. 30 years ago when I graduated from university I could not find a "proper" graduate job. So I took a temp job canvassing for double glazing. This actually proved fairly successful and I ended up making £20/hour commission only canvassing door to door. But it was not real sales, it was following a script, following a disciplined rather than a natural approach. Subsequently I tried to get proper sales jobs with the likes of BT but was rejected at interview - they could tell I did not have the required "bonhomie" and sales patter vital for that endeavour.

If I could re-invigorate my old contacts, then in theory I could pursue the path you suggest - doing lots of small jobs for companies would be a good plan because I could control my hours. Secondly it would tend to be recession-proof in the sense that the coming recession will stop some of my clients giving me work, but would be less likely to stop all of them. By keeping in work I'll be able to keep my CV up to date with recent experience and not suffer from a problem of an extended gap on the CV that might put off hirers of more conventional contractor clients from hiring me.

[hobnob]

OK I'm now deciding to back-pedal on this idea, and suggest to clients not a 3-day week, but a 4-day week. I wonder whether this might bring more contracts into scope?

There are some companies trialling a 4-day week for all staff. In that situation, it would make sense for contractors to work the same days as permies.

[courtg9000]

@courtg9000 maybe you need to schedule a webinar - if you think you will be well enough

Or just pre-record as and when you feel up to it and share a link, fielding questions afterwards?

If there's a genuine want for me to do something on this then yes I will try and get something sorted that is better than a forum thread.

[ladymuck]

courtg9000 maybe you need to schedule a webinar - if you think you will be well enough

Or just pre-record as and when you feel up to it and share a link, fielding questions afterwards?

[SueEllen]

courtg9000 maybe you need to schedule a webinar - if you think you will be well enough

[courtg9000]

Late to the party on this one. To get business like this, the best way is existing contacts and referrals. LEt me know if you want me to teach you quickly how to set up a referral network - its not difficult and would take about an hour of your time. I can even do the teaching of it on this thread if you need it.
Secondly if you want lots of smaller projects, contracts and pieces do some marketing and learn a bit about selling.
Think about where you position yourself and why. You will probably need to invest in some marketing, especially your website and what google says about you (I don't know about your skill set, but think logos, web stuff, seo, brochure/copy writing).

[quackhandle]

Remember to market yourself correctly you are not a SQL Dev but a DevOps Techy or Data Engineer or a Site Reliability Engineer or other crap like that.

qh

[northernladuk]

OK I'm now deciding to back-pedal on this idea, and suggest to clients not a 3-day week, but a 4-day week. I wonder whether this might bring more contracts into scope?

Not really. I can't remember ever seeing a part time contract in all my years. The clients expectation is for a day rate contractor to do a weeks work. All that adding a day is that if a client that is desperate for you 'might' be more flexible for just one day. If you are up against similar skilled people that will do 5 days then you'll go to the bottom of the pile.

Best way to achieve 4 days is start off on 5, prove yourself and then drop it on the client later down the line and hope they will play ball because you've been valuable. Getting one through a cold application is going to be very difficult.

[ladymuck]

OK I'm now deciding to back-pedal on this idea, and suggest to clients not a 3-day week, but a 4-day week. I wonder whether this might bring more contracts into scope?

Four days a week is an easier sell, that's for sure.

[GJABS]

OK I'm now deciding to back-pedal on this idea, and suggest to clients not a 3-day week, but a 4-day week. I wonder whether this might bring more contracts into scope?