New to Contracting? First Timers Guide

Confused? Don't be

Here's a quick guide for first time IT contractors. It can be difficult to leave a permanent job to start contracting even more so if your relocating to the UK or coming on a working holiday, but once you start you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner! Fantastic pay opportunities, career development and altogether more fun!

• What is IT Contracting?
• Am I good enough to be a contractor?
• Why should I contract? Advantages / Disadvantages
• I want to go contracting, how to I get started?
• How does BITE help?

What is IT Contracting?

When contracting you are in affect self employed or a freelancer and are offering your services to someone else for a fixed period of time. When this period of time or “contract” is over, you are obliged to leave the company, unless they wish to renew the contract with you for a further stipulated period of time. You do not have to take the extension to the contract on offer and can leave the place of work, for a holiday or to the next contract with a different company.

Am I good enough to be a contractor?

Anyone can contract in the UK. Most contractors that join BITE don't have any previous contracting experience. To successfully become an IT contractor in the UK you should have at least 2-3 years full time commercial experience in your area of expertise. You need to have solid work experience because contracting is unlike permanent employment, you don't have the luxury of time for settling into your new workplace. If your skills, experience and CV are sound you will be able to secure contracts much more quickly. Without enough experience employers are less likely to risk taking you on for a contract role. Remember that things you've done at university won't count as experience.

On average contracting positions pay 30% more then their equivalent permanent jobs, to get these contracts you should be competent with proven experience with your skills set, showing potential employers you can get to work straight away. View Statistics

Why should I contract?

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Contracting?

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

I want to go contracting, how to I get started?

The first step is to send in you CV, we will check it over to see if you're suitable for IT Contracting in the UK. If you are, you'll be invited to an interview at our London offices in Covent Garden. There you will have the chance to talk to a specialist who will advise you on how best to contract in the UK.

There are 6 main steps to getting your first contract:

• Polish up and streamline your CV for the UK IT Contracting market
• Job search technique & guidance (how and where to look for contract jobs)
• Rate assessments and skill valuation (what you should be earning)
• Interview tips and coaching from a BITE careers advisor
• How to work with key agents and agencies across the UK
• Choosing the right financial path (Umbrella company or limited company)

You also need to be aware of financial, legal and visa requirements that may be applicable to you. These vary vastly for every individual person and you need to discuss your circumstances to be sure.

How does BITE help?

BITE offer a full job search service, where amongst other things, includes CV marketing, where your availability is advertised directly to over a 1000 agencies on the Get IT Staff website. Our long term relationship with top agencies helps our contractors secure positions quickly and easily, they trust the quality and integrity of our contractors. This also allows our contractors to tap into the unadvertised, fast paced and dynamic IT Contracting market.

There are more “rules and regulations” when contracting, as opposed to taking a permanent job. BITE's Contract support and administration service takes care of all these bits and pieces for you. We want you to be operating legally, changes in legislation effect contractors all the time and there are many contractor service providers out there that might not ensure YOU are operating properly, the last thing you want is to be doing something illegally without knowing. If you are on a visa there may be different regulations affecting you. Read more here

We also offer contract support, umbrella companies and CV services. Remember that you don't pay any fees until you have a job, the fees will depend on the services you require and you can discuss these with us in person or via email. When you're new to IT Contracting its difficult to get started, especially if you're new to the country too! At BITE we specialise in launching the careers of new arrival into the UK Market (visa services). The specially designed Relocation Umbrella, for example, allows new arrivals to claim back the cost of their flight over to the UK. An upbeat motivational environment at the BITE Contractor Resource Centre in Covent Garden, London, proves to be a successful location where you can meet like minded contractors working hard to find their next contract.

Launch your IT Contracting career with BITE. Send in your CV today and see if you're suitable for IT Contracting. Free consultation from expert IT career advisors.

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