Reply to: tips on going contracting

[kal]

I had a 4-week notice period from permie~dom, and started looking with this being made clear up front. Many potential gigs were (understandably) put off by the notice period, but others were seemingly not. For me, however, I was happy to wait for the right one to come along.....and it did.
Client was happy to wait for my specific experience, and thus I gave notice and then started with Client 4-weeks +1 day later.....no warchest, really, but the 6-month gig I am in will comortably see me through a further 6 months on the bench if necessary (hope not!).
Got myself good accoutants, InTouch, who set up Company for me and are brilliant at hand-holding me through the odd diverse question/scenario I have come up against, and now a month or so in and really happy with it all.

That said, as others will point out, everything hinges on the current gig lasting term, and so each week of invoicing makes me feel a little more secure.....

I was on a three month notice period with no chance of them letting me out any sooner, bit the bullet and just resigned, then started looking 2 weeks before my end date, landed my first contract a mile down the road from my old place, this was 12 months ago and the market is a lot more tulip now but to quote Del Boy - 'he who dares wins' :-) At the end of the day there is no right or wrong time to take the plunge. Oh and I would do Ltd for def, Umbrella are a short term solution only and why in the world you would want another link in the chain making money off your sweat and tears for doing very little while working in the least tax efficient manner is anyone's guess.

[Ifank]

Do you think it's worth chasing up recruiters/agencies to know the status or it's just better to wait?

I would say that it's good practice to chase up the agencies. If nothing else it will remind them that you exist so they will keep you in mind when other jobs come up.

[manubbo]

so - I've had my CV forwarded for 3 roles - they gave me Job Description and company name (plus one I'm still waiting the interview at the customer, it's for a consultancy company). Did also one short online tech test for one of the roles.

Do you think it's worth chasing up recruiters/agencies to know the status or it's just better to wait? My notice period will be extended from a week (although I'm saying I can start in 2 weeks time to companies) to a month at the end of July - I'd definitely like to get a contract before that day... (still having a week off beginning of july and a week off mid-august)

Seems the market is not great, but from what I've been told I thought it was worse... still seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

[manubbo]

Interview with agency or customer?? If agency I wouldn't bother.

No - that's the customer itself. I wouldn't be bothered of the agency either anyway, getting some contacts so things start to be moving. Thank you all guys for the tips!

[Sausage Surprise]

Yeah - still searching. But it's so weird when you apply for a contract role, they call you saying that "they received your CV and they want to give you the roles they have", but also that "we have no contract roles at the moment"...

Got a call this morning though, plus I am waiting for an interview with a customer for an agency an ex colleague of mine recommended. Fingers crossed!

Interview with agency or customer?? If agency I wouldn't bother.

[nomadd]

Yeah - still searching. But it's so weird when you apply for a contract role, they call you saying that "they received your CV and they want to give you the roles they have", but also that "we have no contract roles at the moment"...

Got a call this morning though, plus I am waiting for an interview with a customer for an agency an ex colleague of mine recommended. Fingers crossed!

You were right the first time when you said, "and lots on jobs on JobServe are obviously fake."

As a seasoned (probably over-seasoned) contractor, I'd estimate 50% of what I see on Jobserve is nothing more than generic c.v.-gathering fodder.

Anyway, fingers crossed with the two leads you are pursuing.

[manubbo]

How do you know ? Don't jump to conclusions - just keep applying. If you don't you may miss out on that killer contract...Best of luck.

Yeah - still searching. But it's so weird when you apply for a contract role, they call you saying that "they received your CV and they want to give you the roles they have", but also that "we have no contract roles at the moment"...

Got a call this morning though, plus I am waiting for an interview with a customer for an agency an ex colleague of mine recommended. Fingers crossed!

[kaiser78]

Well - so far I've been in touch with a few recruiters, very few positions opened for contracts, lots of them wanted to propose me permie jobs and lots on jobs on JobServe are obviously fake. And - of course - still guys try to call me and get references for other people I worked with...

it's going to be tough but it's not impossible. At the end of the day, I just actively started applying today

How do you know ? Don't jump to conclusions - just keep applying. If you don't you may miss out on that killer contract...Best of luck.

[manubbo]

Well - so far I've been in touch with a few recruiters, very few positions opened for contracts, lots of them wanted to propose me permie jobs and lots on jobs on JobServe are obviously fake. And - of course - still guys try to call me and get references for other people I worked with...

it's going to be tough but it's not impossible. At the end of the day, I just actively started applying today

[Project Monkey]

Don't go contracting!

(The Others will be along to depress you even more in a moment...)

chuckle...very good.

[malvolio]

Also be very clear in your head about what a major change you are facing. You will be out of work for a period, you will have to stand by yourself and be totally accountable for both work and finances, you will have no training, career progression or employment protection. Or holiday pay, sick pay or bank holidays.

Not saying don't do it, but it is a step change: you will be horrified at how much you don't know.

Incidentally, standard advice from me is to read the Guide to Freelancing on the PCG's website, and joining them as a Plus member is a no brainer.

[kevpuk]

I had a 4-week notice period from permie~dom, and started looking with this being made clear up front. Many potential gigs were (understandably) put off by the notice period, but others were seemingly not. For me, however, I was happy to wait for the right one to come along.....and it did.
Client was happy to wait for my specific experience, and thus I gave notice and then started with Client 4-weeks +1 day later.....no warchest, really, but the 6-month gig I am in will comortably see me through a further 6 months on the bench if necessary (hope not!).
Got myself good accoutants, InTouch, who set up Company for me and are brilliant at hand-holding me through the odd diverse question/scenario I have come up against, and now a month or so in and really happy with it all.

That said, as others will point out, everything hinges on the current gig lasting term, and so each week of invoicing makes me feel a little more secure.....

[ThomserveBAS]

Whatever you do don´t resign before you have a contract.

The market is totally sh**te.

Good luck.

Although in general this is good advice, I wouldn't necessarily agree - only because I was in this position in August last year - I had been in my last role for 5 years so had a 3 month notice period so once I'd committed to going contracting I shoved my notice in and hit the job boards like nobody's business.

If your notice period is extensive (as mine was) then you will be lucky (read: it's nigh on impossible) to find a client that will wait so long for a newbie - so you might be in the position where you HAVE to hand your notice in to give yourself a fighting chance.

The market was against me when I got my first gig (newbie, applying in August when nobody is hiring) but I had 3 offers on the table - I can't say how the market has changed since August but I wish you all the luck.

EDIT: Oh and I went LTD straight away, registered my company via Company's House and pay an accountant - they save my company significantly more each year than I pay them to do so.

[manubbo]

Whatever you do don´t resign before you have a contract.

The market is totally sh**te.

Good luck.

That's why I'm trying to take advantage of being on 1 week notice

[BlasterBates]

Whatever you do don´t resign before you have a contract.

The market is totally sh**te.

Good luck.