Reply to: Home-based contracting possible/What to specialise in?

[rurallife]

If you want to WFH more the first thing to do is research and network companies that are moving or establishing new offices. So a company like BT for instance who have had a long running policy to hot desk and have numerous locations around the country.

That's a great idea, thanks.

WFH isn't necessarily the easy option.

It definitely has its challenges, but I think I would like most of them. For example, I think it is a good think to learn how to discipline myself. I don't need a boss to tell me when to work and when to stop working. It's more difficult, yes, but you can learn a lot about yourself and how you work best.

If relatives and friends are a problem then blocking time in your calendar and having two separate numbers could be a solution.

Also, I think that WFH doesn't need to mean "work from home", but could also mean "work from a co-working space" or similar places. Or work from a remote place with a co-working space, like here: Hubud [Hub-in-Ubud] Bali's first co-working space! (They even cook for the co-workers). Doesn't that look like an amazing place to work?

Well, we'll see what the future will bring, I'm definitely not where I would like to be yet, but working on getting there.

Thanks everyone for your help and your very interesting insights. Love it!

[TykeMerc]

This is very true.
I also found it difficult to persuade retired family members that I was "at work FFS!", as they kept calling in to see how I was, when I actually had to be on a conf call.
It's also difficult for your client's employees to understand that you are really busy, when they don't see you in the office. You get called non-stop because they can't SEE you're really busy. When you're in the office, people can see the steam coming off the keyboard or hear you smacking the display in a rage.

True all of the comments.

I did 2 years working from home, but a lot of the clients staff worked remotely and most of the tech resources on my projects were a lot closer to me than their Bracknell office.
If the client is comfortable and is OK with dealing with results not a bum on a seat it's great, but you need to be capable of working remotely and having the necessary discipline.

[darrylmg]

Damn right. As someone who only WFH, there are some pretty big downsides, all predictable, but nonetheless. No matter how disciplined you might be, there's a tendency to let that flexibility blur any distinction you might previously have enjoyed between work and life. I tend to put in hours at odd times, depending on how I feel, work weekends fairly often, work for 30 mins while something is burning in the oven etc. Drawing a clear distinction may work for a few months, but you need to be undistractible to maintain that. Also, without deadlines, it's tough to keep the motivation, so you need to have those. And if you need regular human interaction, it isn't for you. The upsides are predictable too, though. On balance, I'd prefer to have a mixture of onsite and offsite work (not weekly, but separated but a few months), whereas a few years ago my preference might have been to WFH only. If you have young kids (I don't), the pull may be stronger, but I don't think that would make things any easier, and possibly the reverse.

This is very true.
I also found it difficult to persuade retired family members that I was "at work FFS!", as they kept calling in to see how I was, when I actually had to be on a conf call.
It's also difficult for your client's employees to understand that you are really busy, when they don't see you in the office. You get called non-stop because they can't SEE you're really busy. When you're in the office, people can see the steam coming off the keyboard or hear you smacking the display in a rage.

[jamesbrown]

WFH isn't necessarily the easy option.

Damn right. As someone who only WFH, there are some pretty big downsides, all predictable, but nonetheless. No matter how disciplined you might be, there's a tendency to let that flexibility blur any distinction you might previously have enjoyed between work and life. I tend to put in hours at odd times, depending on how I feel, work weekends fairly often, work for 30 mins while something is burning in the oven etc. Drawing a clear distinction may work for a few months, but you need to be undistractible to maintain that. Also, without deadlines, it's tough to keep the motivation, so you need to have those. And if you need regular human interaction, it isn't for you. The upsides are predictable too, though. On balance, I'd prefer to have a mixture of onsite and offsite work (not weekly, but separated but a few months), whereas a few years ago my preference might have been to WFH only. If you have young kids (I don't), the pull may be stronger, but I don't think that would make things any easier, and possibly the reverse.

[SueEllen]

Haha, no I'm not a sockpuppet! But thanks for clarifying.

Just a tip if you are going to start networking remember to "reconnect" with people regularly.

[rurallife]

Haha, no I'm not a sockpuppet! But thanks for clarifying.

[NotAllThere]

A sockie is a sockpuppet. If you don't know what this is, try here.

[rurallife]

thanks!

Hello everybody

thank you very much for your helpful replies. I think I see much clearer now, working from home IS possible, but you've got be good at hustling, networking, building trusted relationships etc.

The thing is that I haven't really networked much so far and will have to learn it. I'm a bit unsure as to where to start, it's all a but fuzzy. Maybe by going to networking events in London?

Anyway, thank you very much again! I might post again once I've done my homework and know what exactly I'd like to know.

cheerio

PS: What's a "Sockie"?

[speling bee]

I work at home 3 to 5 days per week at the moment. Relevant factors are:

I had a personal recommendation to the client.
The client is a small consultancy.
The end clients done need me on site much.
It is not a technical role.

[nomadd]

...do I get a badge?

No.

But you do get a wink:

[MojoDog]

Correct. And we've all been there (me several times over in the last near three decades of contracting.)

But as others have pointed out, it's the exception rather than the rule. Most clients expect bums on seats in the office, unfortunately.

The OP seemed to be of the belief that there was some magic fairy-dust combination of skills that would allow him to endlessly: "..work as a contractor from home AND get decent rates?" and "...I would love to work from home for various personal reasons (no commute, kids, I like the countryside..." My reply was "no", as that kind of contracting career doesn't exist (unless you are exceptionally lucky - and if you were in that position, you'd already know it.)

And with a post count of just 1, the OP did have a Ring of Sockie(tm) about him/her. EDIT: And his low post-count friend deemed my reply absolutely contemptuous and then "winked" at me. You've no idea how hurt and insulted I feel. (wink: )

Next.

Well, my post-count has just increased by 1. Am I nearly as important as you and do I get a badge?

[d000hg]

As others have said you need to have a reputation for delivering and have the client's confidence.

Otherwise, if it can be done from home, it can be done from India. i.e. paying buttons.

Not quite the same thing though if they're looking for only one contractor rather than a team of people.

[nomadd]

Want to tell me more about where I do my contracts from ?

Kindergarten?

As I clearly stated: "unless you are exceptionally lucky - and if you were in that position, you'd already know it." You seem to be, and therefore you know it. But that still doesn't make it the norm.

Sockie

Next

Wink. Wink.

[TestMangler]

Correct. And we've all been there (me several times over in the last near three decades of contracting.)

But as others have pointed out, it's the exception rather than the rule. Most clients expect bums on seats in the office, unfortunately.

The OP seemed to be of the belief that there was some magic fairy-dust combination of skills that would allow him to endlessly: "..work as a contractor from home AND get decent rates?" and "...I would love to work from home for various personal reasons (no commute, kids, I like the countryside..." My reply was "no", that kind of contracting career doesn't exist (unless you are exceptionally lucky - and if you were in that position, you'd already know it. )

And with a post count of 1, the OP did have a Ring of Sockie(tm) about him/her (wink: )

Not for me it's not. OK ? Happy now ? Want to tell me more about where I do my contracts from ?

Sockie

Next

Wink

[nomadd]

Yes, it's possible.

I do a 'traditional' in the office type job (test management) from home 95% of this contract.

Same rate as in the office.

Correct. And we've all been there (me several times over in the last near three decades of contracting.)

But as others have pointed out, it's the exception rather than the rule. Most clients expect bums on seats in the office, unfortunately.

The OP seemed to be of the belief that there was some magic fairy-dust combination of skills that would allow him to endlessly: "..work as a contractor from home AND get decent rates?" and "...I would love to work from home for various personal reasons (no commute, kids, I like the countryside..." My reply was "no", as that kind of contracting career doesn't exist (unless you are exceptionally lucky - and if you were in that position, you'd already know it.)

And with a post count of just 1, the OP did have a Ring of Sockie(tm) about him/her. EDIT: And his low post-count friend deemed my reply absolutely contemptuous and then "winked" at me. You've no idea how hurt and insulted I feel. (wink: )

Next.