Please advice. Struggling

[tajch]

Hi Guys,

I'm 36, have been in Travel and Tourism business for more than 16 years.

Since last few years things have gone horribly wrong, lost major clients and suppliers also organic SEO ranking on Google went down. Don’t have any funds for marketing and advertise.

I have no source of income at the moment. I'm in debt of approx. £35K (Bank OD, Credit Cards, Friends/Family). Tried everything possible but don’t see any hope in this business unless I bring in some new investment. Which I don’t want to at the moment, had too much stress in last few year to make sure business repay back all the bank loans. Don’t want to liquidate the company neither do I want to go bankrupt.

I'm thinking of taking a break from business and getting into contracting for a year or so, payback my debt and have some survival funds for few months to get back into some other business.

I'm from NON IT/ Non tech background. I can see contracting opportunity are mostly in IT and fintech related. I have experience mostly into management and day to day operations, I have managed IT service providers and teams of approx. 20 staff (contractors and permanents).

What would you advice to someone from NON IT background

Q- What skill I should have which are in demand or can be learned quickly to get into contracting to get paid £200-£500 PD ?

I can see there are lot of courses on Udemy and other websites. Will be happy to work voluntary for a month or so to get bit of experience if needed also happy to work anywhere in country.

Q- How easy do you think it will be to get into contracting ?

Thanks

Dev

[northernladuk]

It's not going to happen. Period.

You've not understood what contracting is. It's another way of getting paid for the skills you already have. With no skills or demonstrable experience you've nothing to sell.

Courses won't cut it. You need to be an expert in your field as you are competing against many other that are and have many years experience.

You've clearly gotten blinded by the rates and completely missed the fundamental understand of how you earn that rate.

[MyUserName]

If you needed a plumber for a difficult job how likely are you to hire someone who has no experience as a plumber?

[Lance]

stick to what you know.

Try this...
Find jobs in travel with TUI Jobs UK, No 1 global travel business

or this
Careers at Thomas Cook

HTH

[simes]

You say you've experience in management. Is project management an option for you?

If so, many opportunities in travel PM-ing exist. I was called about one such gig only last week in Devon area (probably Saga) and my last travel experience was from 2001.

Perhaps a rejigging of the CV to cover PM experience may allow you a way in.

Good luck.

[northernladuk]

You say you've experience in management. Is project management an option for you?

If so, many opportunities in travel PM-ing exist. I was called about one such gig only last week in Devon area (probably Saga) and my last travel experience was from 2001.

Perhaps a rejigging of the CV to cover PM experience may allow you a way in.

Good luck.

You've got apply a dose of reality to some of your advice sometimes you know. He has experience in people management and all of a sudden he can re-jig his CV and go for project management? Honestly? Worst advice from you for a long time.. which is quite an achievement bearing in mind how bad it usually is.

Whatever you are smoking can you pass it round?

[Hobosapien]

Have a look on the contract and permanent job sites for what management positions you may be able to do. You must have some transferable skills that you can work with and supplement with qualifications if necessary, rather than try to start from scratch.

While not as attractive as contacting on face value, a permanent job for a few years may be the best fit and likely the least stressful while you get back on your feet.

[Contractor101101]

Have a look on the contract and permanent job sites for what management positions you may be able to do. You must have some transferable skills that you can work with and supplement with qualifications if necessary, rather than try to start from scratch.

While not as attractive as contacting on face value, a permanent job for a few years may be the best fit and likely the least stressful while you get back on your feet.

This.

I worked in travel years ago in the UK, mostly for Airlines. I don't really see contracting working out for people with such an old school skill set. Travel is still pretty old school.

Being a contractor is also a business. You have to understand the business model, how agents operate, what you are signing, you have to be able to protect yourself against liabilities, etc. If you are tired because of the stress, I don't see you dealing with yet another business well.

A permanent job and dealing with your debt situation are the way forward.

[simes]

Might depend on what it is that is causing the stress... If it is the debt, then should he be lucky enough to get into contracting, it would be the quickest route towards being stress free.

And in terms of contracting being a business model because contracts have to be signed and one has to deal with agents, I am presuming one must do the same to land a permanent job...?

For most of us, I would submit an accountant and some IPSE membership should cover most of the unknowns and once he's earned his way out of debt, everyone is smiling.

[Contractor101101]

Might depend on what it is that is causing the stress... If it is the debt, then should he be lucky enough to get into contracting, it would be the quickest route towards being stress free.

And in terms of contracting being a business model because contracts have to be signed and one has to deal with agents, I am presuming one must do the same to land a permanent job...?

For most of us, I would submit an accountant and some IPSE membership should cover most of the unknowns and once he's earned his way out of debt, everyone is smiling.

Are you a contractor? It doesn't really sound like you know what it's like to be responsible for running your own business.

as for the stress: the OP would be lucky to earn around 300 a day if that, and contracts that don't require highly specialised skills often fall inside IR35 (Direction & Control). Which would mean earning power of roughly that of a permie.