Hi everyone, After 10+ years in Digital, I've had various roles as a Digital Project Manager, Digital Marketing Manager and more recently eCommerce website Manager. So my main experience is project managing web builds and digital marketing. I'm Prince2 Practitioner (not really practiced it much!), familiar with Agile. Just decided to move from perm to contracting. A bit nervous about finding my first contract. What was it like you when you started looking the first time?
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Welcome
Mine was after redundancy and I was taking a break so not too much pressure and it was back in the days where there were 5 or 6+ opportunities per day so not too stressful.
The first contract might not be your biggest worry at the moment though...
The Future of Contracting'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!
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from my experience you can consider it and consider it till the cows come home.
Just on the wagon and say bye bye to permie land.Comment
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Thanks
Thanks for the welcome. So what should be my biggest worry? :-)
Originally posted by northernladuk View PostWelcome
Mine was after redundancy and I was taking a break so not too much pressure and it was back in the days where there were 5 or 6+ opportunities per day so not too stressful.
The first contract might not be your biggest worry at the moment though...
The Future of ContractingComment
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Thanks
Thanks :-) I wonder if there are any DPM out there. Are you ltd or under the brollie?
Originally posted by eddie1507 View PostComment
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Hi digitalnomad, welcome to the forum. My personal experience was not too bad. After a total of 20 years in permanent posts (14 of them in the last one), the politics of permieland finally got to me and I made the jump. It took me 4 months in getting my first contract. The gig was only 10 miles from my house so I dropped £60 a day off the going market rate for infrastructure PM's. I reckoned that as it was on my doorstep I could pitch it lower as it was better than hotels and fuel costs coming home at weekends. My approach worked and I was given a 6 month contract 2 months ago. They are already taking about extending it.
What I found was that at first I was not getting much of a response to my CV. After following the excellent advice from this forum which quite rightly points out that CV's are different in the contracting world than ones that we would present for a permanent post. Once my CV was suitably redone I found I was getting a much better response and eventually was offered 2 roles in the one week from which I chose the one close to home.
My advice would be get your CV right. Highlight projects that fit exactly what the role requires. Cut out all irrelevant stuff from your CV about hobbies or old jobs from 30 years ago. Show in a few sentences how you delivered successful projects similar to the role they are looking to fill. And most important once you get a contract don't be a prima donna, be flexible and accommodating as you are no longer dealing with an employer, they are your customers so treat them like customers.
Just check the forum you will get all the advice that you need for all aspects of contracting as these guys have been there, seen it, done it and keep going back for more of it. Just stick in, it's always a bit worrying till you get the first contract and good luck
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Problem with this is in a large number of cases it's highly likely the only person to benefit from this is the agent. Clients want to someone to do a set job and have a rate card to do it. Dropping the price doesn't often reach the client and even if they did they will be looking for someone that can do the gig, not someone that is 60 quid cheaper.Originally posted by Yampy View Post
Be careful about dropping your rates thinking its helping the client.'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!Comment
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You're probably right NLUK. Now that I am in the role what transpires is that the previous PM basically made a mess of the 3 projects he was managing and the clientco lost a fair amount of money and time. I had successfully delivered those 3 technologies in my previous job and knew exactly what was required to successfully finish these projects off and that was the reason I was given the contract. Being new to all this I suppose I was getting a bit desperate after the 4 months of no bites. What's the view here, would it be bad to ask for more money if I am offered an extension or should be happy that I'm in a contract and stick with the current rate ?Originally posted by northernladuk View PostComment
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Any rate rise will come from the agents cut, not the clients. In most cases you can't ask a client for a rise just because you get an extension. You've got to make a call as to how much you think there agent is taking, which is expect is a lot and then call his bluff. Asking politely for a rate rise won't work. They know this game and will roll you over. You have to make it clear if you are not happy then you are walking. He won't like that at all but he has to believe you.Originally posted by Yampy View Post'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!Comment
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Thanks Yamp for the excellent advice, looks like you and me decided to go contracting for the same reasons. I appreciate the tip about the CV, did you get it redone by a pro?
Originally posted by Yampy View PostHi digitalnomad, welcome to the forum. My personal experience was not too bad. After a total of 20 years in permanent posts (14 of them in the last one), the politics of permieland finally got to me and I made the jump. It took me 4 months in getting my first contract. The gig was only 10 miles from my house so I dropped £60 a day off the going market rate for infrastructure PM's. I reckoned that as it was on my doorstep I could pitch it lower as it was better than hotels and fuel costs coming home at weekends. My approach worked and I was given a 6 month contract 2 months ago. They are already taking about extending it.
What I found was that at first I was not getting much of a response to my CV. After following the excellent advice from this forum which quite rightly points out that CV's are different in the contracting world than ones that we would present for a permanent post. Once my CV was suitably redone I found I was getting a much better response and eventually was offered 2 roles in the one week from which I chose the one close to home.
My advice would be get your CV right. Highlight projects that fit exactly what the role requires. Cut out all irrelevant stuff from your CV about hobbies or old jobs from 30 years ago. Show in a few sentences how you delivered successful projects similar to the role they are looking to fill. And most important once you get a contract don't be a prima donna, be flexible and accommodating as you are no longer dealing with an employer, they are your customers so treat them like customers.
Just check the forum you will get all the advice that you need for all aspects of contracting as these guys have been there, seen it, done it and keep going back for more of it. Just stick in, it's always a bit worrying till you get the first contract and good luckComment
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