Advice for contractors and freelancers

Contracting is an excellent way to enhance your professional skills and experience, in addition to giving yourself more control and flexibility in your career. However contracting is quite a competitive industry and finding contracts can be tedious. This information on this webpage will help you make the process of finding contract roles easier.

On this page, we will go into detail on the two ways by which successful contractors find roles – recruitment agencies and end-clients. At the end of this guide we will also show you a few useful online tools to get you started in finding your next role.

We trust this information will help ease your mind in your search for a role, and lead you down the path of successfully securing your first, or next, contract role.

If you have any questions about sourcing temporary assignments and your best payroll options, whether you are a first-time contractor or have been contracting for a while, you can contact the Churchill Knight Team on 01707 871622.

Sourcing new work through recruitment agencies

There are thousands of recruitment agencies in the UK that specialise in placing temporary works in assignments.

If you have ever done a job search, you probably have experience working with recruiters. If not, they are one of the best helping hands you could have to get you a contract. They will work tirelessly on your behalf to find you a role that meets your requirements, and will even liaise with end-clients and set up interviews on your behalf.

Here are some key things to remember in order to maximise your chances of obtaining a contract role through a recruitment agency:

  • Register with multiple agencies (around 3 to 5) and specify you are open to or are specifically looking for a contract role.
  • Choose agencies that specialise in recruitment for your field, i.e. IT recruiters, finance recruiters, etc.
  • Establish your desired rate of pay early on. This will prevent you settling for less pay than you are worth.
  • Be proactive – chase up your applications by either calling your recruiters or, if you have interviewed with a potential client, sending a polite thank-you email.
  • Speak with your friends and previous colleagues and ask if they have any recruitment agency recommendations, or helpful points of contact.
  • REC, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, has an easy to follow guide for jobseekers looking for a recruitment agency. You can see their guide here, and also search their database of agencies to find one that works for you.

Finding contracts directly with the end-client (the hirer)

Finding contracts directly through end clients can be daunting, but it allows you to be more selective with the roles you choose. Networking is a key part of applying for a role directly through an end-client, and as you gain more experience in the contracting industry, you will naturally build up a professional network of clients and colleagues that you can potentially find contract opportunities from in the future.

  • Recruiters and end clients usually hire for quick or immediate starts. Contracting is fast-paced, so it’s best to be available as quickly as possible to start a contract role.
  • You should be competitive and make an effort to stand out with an exceptional CV. Contact us to get our guide on how to write a winning contractor CV.
  • LinkedIn is an extremely valuable resource when searching for temporary work – especially when seeking a role directly with the client. Make sure your profile is up to date and features your most recent work experience. You can then connect with recruitment representatives employed by businesses you’re interested in working for. You can also see if a company has any open positions by visiting company pages.

Finding contracts directly with the end-client (the hirer)

JobServe

JobServe is a diverse jobsite which offers something for contractors in every industry and sector. Most roles are advertised by recruitment agencies, so this site is a great way to connect with recruiters as well as find a job opportunites.

https://jobserve.com/gb/en/Job-Search/

CW Jobs

CWJobs specialises in IT recruitment, but also posts roles in other tech-related fields such as digital marketing, animation, media, mobile, social media, telecoms, etc.

https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/

CV Library

CV Library is not just for permanent roles – the site, which is one of the most used jobsites in the UK – advertises around 20,000 contract based roles. Whether you are an IT worker or a marketer, or looking for a private or public sector role, CV Library has options for you.

https://www.cv-library.co.uk/

Understanding your payroll options

There are two popular methods of payroll when working on temporary assignments – being paid as the director of a limited company (personal service company) or becoming an employee of an umbrella company.

One of the main factors that will sway your payroll choice is IR35 legislation. If you take an assignment that’s inside IR35, you will be working like a permanent employee. As a result, there are no financial benefits of working through a limited company and you will be required to receive PAYE to a personal bank account. However, if you work outside IR35, you are genuinely self-employed in the eyes of HMRC and can work through a personal service company – if that is your preferred method.

Churchill Knight Umbrella is a leading umbrella payroll provider. We’re accredited by the FCSA and we are one of the first SafeRec certified umbrellas. Every month, we process payroll for thousands of contractors and freelancers. If you are interested in using our service, please send us a message here or call 01707 871622. You can request a free, tailored take-home pay calculation here.

Our sister company, Churchill Knight & Associates Ltd, is an FCSA accredited contractor accountant with over 25 years of industry experience. To learn more about their service, please click here.

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