There’s no doubt that making the move from permanent employee to independent tech contractor can offer plenty of attractive benefits. Whether it’s the chance to experience working at a variety of organisations, the opportunity to learn an array of new skills, or simply to boost your earning power, becoming a contractor in the tech industry can be a very smart move. But how do you go about making the first step from a regular, permanent role, to becoming a fully-fledged freelancer?
Reach Out To Your Network
As a professional working in the tech industry, there’s a very high chance that you’ve got a great network of potential leads available to you already. Think about all the people you will have encountered over your career, from employers and colleagues, to clients and those with whom you may have taken training courses. Each of these people could end up being a valuable resource in your search for the ideal contracting opportunity. Reach out to those who may work at a company or organisation that appeals to you, or in a field that matches your skill set keep nurturing these connections over time, too, in order to ensure that they think of you when a contracting role opens up.
Using dedicated professional social media platforms can be a great aid in building new connections, too. LinkedIn, as well as many niche tech forums, can provide a useful space to promote yourself to others in the industry. Include links to your CV to demonstrate everything you have to offer.
Get Your Name Out There
If you want to really succeed as a contractor, you need to make sure that the greatest volume of people know that you’re available to work. To achieve this, it makes sense to carry out a bit of marketing on your own behalf. Take care to develop a strong presence on LinkedIn (post relevant content such as blog posts or shared articles), or create a dedicated website to showcase your skills and experience. Don’t forget to highlight your “soft skills”, too, such as being a great communicator, an effective problem solver, or a motivated self-starter, and include quantifiable results that you’ve delivered in previous roles.
Another highly effective way to get your name in front of companies looking to hire tech contractors is to partner with a recruitment consultant. It makes sense to choose an agency that specialises in tech, who will have a network of relevant organisations already on their books. This is a good time to think about your specialism, too- decide exactly what area you want to focus on, and advise your recruitment consultant so that they can match your contracting opportunities accordingly.
Take Care Of The Admin
Of course, working for yourself will mean that you need to take responsibility for things such as tax and other legal requirements, so be sure to get informed on the aspects such as IR35 status and registering with HRMC. It’s also important to get a separate work bank account arranged to keep things absolutely clear and upfront when it comes to your financial situation.
If you are ready to take the next step and become a tech contractor, then make it easy by partnering with RMG Digital. We are the specialists in matching tech talent with their ideal contractor roles, using our extensive network of companies to ensure our candidates achieve all of their career development ambitions.
Why not get in touch today, and learn more about how RMG Digital can get you off to a flying start as a tech contractor.
