When you take the plunge in to contracting or freelancing you also become a business, to successfully promote yourself you have to think like you’re running your own small business. You are fully self-reliant on finding work for yourself, so selling yourself to potential clients and recruiters is key.
One of the issues many independent contractors struggle with is self-promotion, however it needn’t be! There are many ways in which you can promote yourself, and you don’t have to have been an obnoxious sales man in a past life.
The team here at Gorilla Accounting have put together 4 tips to get you started with finding the right work for you!
1. It starts with your CV
Finding contracting or freelance work is similar in many ways to a normal job search. The first point of contact for many potential clients will be your CV, so it’s vitally important it stands out. Your CV represents you, think of it as your own personal brochure, it should look good, be easy to read and understand, and contain honest and relevant information.
2. Have an online presence
It’s imperative for you to utilise the power of the internet, Linked In alone has over 350 million active users. Linked In and other social media sites are a great way to promote yourself for little or no cost. Connect with other contractors, old colleagues and potential clients, you could even start a blog. Use this as a platform to be known as an expert in your field.
3. Team up with the right people
Contractors often feel completely alone, but this shouldn’t be the case. There are thousands of people out there that can help, whether it’s teaming up with the right umbrella company, or finding a trustworthy accountancy firm to work alongside. There’s a lot of help out there if you’re looking in the right places.
4. Be the best you can be
Finally, you need to make sure you’re walking the walk. You’ve now got a brilliant CV, you’re fully online and you’re teaming up alongside some great people, it’s now down to you! Work on improving your skills, take a course, read a book, do anything you can that makes you the go to contractor in your field.
We’re sure that if you follow these 4 steps then you’ll be on the road to steady income in no time.
If you’re contractor or freelancer looking for a simple, specialist accountancy package, with no hidden fees, then here at Gorilla Accounting we can help! We have listened to feedback from contractors to understand our client’s needs and create a specifically designed to assist our clients where they need it most.
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