Reply to: First time contractor - advice needed.

[kanulondon]

In same boat as you KeithR

In perm looking for contracting though even though market conditions are bad.

However I am also looking for new perm roles as well as contract. I deffo need a change of scenary.

I would definitely use annual leave entitlment to make your availability more attractive to new employers.

I am not handing in my notice yet

KL

[pmeswani]

I left a permie role in october to go contracting and I am struggling to find a good role (in IT security). I have the luxury of being able to pay my bills till the new year where I hope it will pick up, but if I had the time again I would have probably waited another month or two. Just get xmas out of the way at least.

It will also give you more time to read up on the ins and outs of contracting, which is a far deeper topic than I imagined.

I'm in the same field as you. Regardless of your financial situation, you shouldn't have left until you had found a contract role.... Unless you were made redundant. What has been done has been done. Check your CV. Look at http://www.contractoruk.com/news/00383.html for advice on how to review your CV. Keep on applying for jobs.

Regardless of what some agents may say, not all jobs on agencies books are advertised on job boards. So keep on applying for jobs, even if they are slightly junior to your level (you may be surprised at how effective this may be). I know this may wind up some agents, but some agents may match your CV to a job they haven't advertised yet.

[Ravello]

This is just the response I was looking for. I will of course heed the advice. I guess it's a case of putting my CV out there and seeing what response I get.

Isn't there the dilemma though that contracts require you to be immediately available? I would have to work out a month's notice in my current job. At some point, surely you'd have to bite the bullet and take a risk?

Depends a bit on your current employer and the contract that you find, don't forget that annual leave can be used to bring forward your leaving date and if you really push for it, most employers won't enforce the notice period unless you have business-critical responsibilities.

Obviously if you desperately wanted to get out you could always hand your notice in and call in sick for any remaining notice that you were supposed to be working. I'd caution that burning bridges isn't the best way to start a contracting business though!

[Advocate]

I left a permie role in october to go contracting and I am struggling to find a good role (in IT security). I have the luxury of being able to pay my bills till the new year where I hope it will pick up, but if I had the time again I would have probably waited another month or two. Just get xmas out of the way at least.

It will also give you more time to read up on the ins and outs of contracting, which is a far deeper topic than I imagined.

More bloody competition...feck off will ya!

[KeithR]

Thanks very much, everybody! This has been very helpful!

Suffice it to say, I won't be handing my notice in just yet, but like everyone else, hope that the market picks up during the first half of next year.

[max]

I left a permie role in october to go contracting and I am struggling to find a good role (in IT security). I have the luxury of being able to pay my bills till the new year where I hope it will pick up, but if I had the time again I would have probably waited another month or two. Just get xmas out of the way at least.

It will also give you more time to read up on the ins and outs of contracting, which is a far deeper topic than I imagined.

what gave you the idea there would be contracts to get? From what I can see 2009 is going to be a wipeout. Maybe in 2010 things could improve.

[kula]

I left a permie role in october to go contracting and I am struggling to find a good role (in IT security). I have the luxury of being able to pay my bills till the new year where I hope it will pick up, but if I had the time again I would have probably waited another month or two. Just get xmas out of the way at least.

It will also give you more time to read up on the ins and outs of contracting, which is a far deeper topic than I imagined.

[KeithR]

The general consensus is to wait. I would agree. If you have a contract to go to, then fair enough. Keep an eye out on the job boards and appl for as many jobs as possible, but don't leave your current job until you have secured a contract.

This is just the response I was looking for. I will of course heed the advice. I guess it's a case of putting my CV out there and seeing what response I get.

Isn't there the dilemma though that contracts require you to be immediately available? I would have to work out a month's notice in my current job. At some point, surely you'd have to bite the bullet and take a risk?

[Another Dodgy Agent]

The general consensus is to wait. I would agree. If you have a contract to go to, then fair enough. Keep an eye out on the job boards and appl for as many jobs as possible, but don't leave your current job until you have secured a contract.

WHS

Now is not a good time to be not working. However nothing wrong with scouring the market whilst maintaining your current role.

[KeithR]

Don't do it - wait a while. Since SEptember 16th Market has dropped off a cliff - especially in London.

Agree, it would be foolish to hand my notice in. Guess I should be thankful I've got something reasonably secure, which is more than a lot of people at the moment. Still sucks though!

I suppose it won't hurt to still put my CV out there.

[pmeswani]

I've never been contracting before, but I am considering doing so in the new year. Aside from the obvious dilemma of Ltd Co vs Umbrella and all the pros and cons thereto, what concerns me above all else is being able to get a contract at all in the current climate.

I feel I will be taking a considerable risk in leaving the relative security of my permanent job to become immediately available for a contract. I know this is probably like asking how long is a piece of string, but are there any long-timers out there that have experience of contracting in conditions such as this, who can perhaps offer a little reassurance?

My skill sets are Excel/Access VBA, C# .Net, SQL Server, looking to secure a contract in London (looking most likely to bear the brunt of the employment slowdown )

Many thanks for any help/advice!

Keith

The general consensus is to wait. I would agree. If you have a contract to go to, then fair enough. Keep an eye out on the job boards and appl for as many jobs as possible, but don't leave your current job until you have secured a contract.

[norrahe]

WHS - the market is flooded with people with your skillset.

leave it till Feb next year

[BrilloPad]

I've never been contracting before, but I am considering doing so in the new year. Aside from the obvious dilemma of Ltd Co vs Umbrella and all the pros and cons thereto, what concerns me above all else is being able to get a contract at all in the current climate.

I feel I will be taking a considerable risk in leaving the relative security of my permanent job to become immediately available for a contract. I know this is probably like asking how long is a piece of string, but are there any long-timers out there that have experience of contracting in conditions such as this, who can perhaps offer a little reassurance?

My skill sets are Excel/Access VBA, C# .Net, SQL Server, looking to secure a contract in London (looking most likely to bear the brunt of the employment slowdown )

Many thanks for any help/advice!

Keith

Don't do it - wait a while. Since SEptember 16th Market has dropped off a cliff - especially in London.

[KeithR]

Now really isn't a good time to start contracting unless you have been laid off!!

Myself and probably quite a few others on this board have had to resort to permie roles recently. Mates who are still contracting are having a bitch of a time getting renewals and even when they do start dates are being delayed, contracts hortened early contract endings etc.

I was afraid of that. A mate of mine is a BizTalk consultant, and his contract has just been extended another 6 months, and he doesn't exactly come cheap! I guess it depends what field you're in.

Cheers!

[KeithR]

Keef, you've got a job, playing guitar, or have you forgotten?

Thanks for that, but I have my reasons, which I don't care to go into here.