5 Tips to Make More Money as a Contractor
Securing constant work as a contractor is no easy task, especially when the market you work in is constantly evolving. In this blog post, Gorilla Accounting will take a provide some tips on how to make more money as a contractor.
Gorilla Accounting have a vast amount of experience of working with contractors and understanding the current contractor market is key to our success.
Should I think about certification?
Becoming a contractor shows that you are confident in a certain skill. Earlier this month Gorilla pushed out a blog post related to certifications that contractors need to succeed.
If you’re looking to get into contracting you will have already developed a certain skill set to perform the task at hand, but having certain qualifications may put you above some of your competition.
Employers appreciate qualifications, surveys conducted by the government have shown that employer’srequirements for candidates are very high and as a result, candidates must do everything they can to stand out.
How should I present myself?
First impressions are key, and regardless of what you may think, a CV is very important. As cliché as it may sound, a CV is the only way you can give a positive first impression prior to meeting in person.
In your CV you should focus on the previous experience you have had in other roles which will make you a perfect fit for the role.
If you are completely new to contracting, you will need to ensure your previous work experience shines through.
This shouldn’t be a problem; all you would need to do is outline all previous experiences you have had, whilst giving strong emphasis on your qualifications. By presenting all key facts in a professional manner will make you perfect for the role.
Think about your approach
Securing initial work can be a tricky task, there’s no easy way to go about finding work as a contractor, but these tips will definitely help you out.
You may want to go about finding work in a few different ways, such as; contacting clients directly. You may not get much more money from a job than if you’d gone through an agency, but establishing a strong connection from the start can give you a better chance of doing more work with a company in the future.
Alternatively; you could go through an agency and develop a strong relationship with your recruiter. This could secure you a better pay in the future but it’s all down to personal preference.
Consider becoming a consultant
After finishing your contract, you may have left a very strong positive impression on the company you’ve worked for.
Following this you could offer a consultancy service to the company relating to some of the tasks you carried out as a contractor.
If you’ve managed to gain good technical or business knowledge of a certain project whilst at the company, suggest the idea of supporting the company on a consultancy basis. There are pitfalls of doing this such as IR35, for more information please refer to our IR35 Guide for Contractors.
Keep learning
If you’re already a contractor or looking to become one, never assume that you know too much in your current role.
Constantly look to keep expand and learn something new every day. There are plenty of resources online which can expand your knowledge on a subject which you thought you knew a lot about.
Gorilla Accounting also offer a complete contractor accounting service, be sure to give us a call or drop us an email to find out more about the service we offer to contractors.
