Chasing contract work in IT
Discussion
After the best part of 40 years in gainful employment in IT, I chose to 'semi-retire' at the end of last year with a view to doing some contract work with some breaks/holidays in-between. I was the Product Director of one of the UKs largest ERP solution partners on a Microsoft platform, and excluding the 'management' side of the role, I was effectively a senior (most senior) applications consultant/architect; plus the senior pre-sales resource. And having done it for so long I am a bit of a generalist, and can work with Finance solutions, Production, Master Planing, Warehousing etc...
I've been lucky so far inasmuch as I've found work to keep me busy; but virtually all of my contacts are through my previous employer and I'm under a restrictive clause for some months yet where I can't solicit business. So the typical 'speak to who you know' advice isn't going to fly for a while yet.
So I'm starting down the route of engaging with agencies and looking at the contract job adverts; which is fine...but it doesn't seem a very pro-active method of getting your name about. I do not have access to user lists of businesses using the ERP solution I work with, otherwise I'd start cold-calling. I have a web site, but I'm guessing not too many partners or customers google for independent consultants.
Then there's Linkedin - obviously I'm on there but apart from recruiters coming across me I'm not sure what else to do there. I had thought of putting a sort of "I'm available now" message out, but it strikes me of desperation slightly, and of course it will only go to folks in my network, so mostly either businesses I'm not allowed to engage with in the short term, or the usual suspect recruiters. But does this sort of self-promotion of 'free in the market' work?
I'm slightly green about the best way to secure work - although years of experience in delivering it! I thought about getting on to some of the message boards and starting to answer some of the queries to get known as an 'expert'; but virtually all of the queries come from other consultants and not customers or partners, so I don't see my target audience there. I think I could spend a lot of time getting known as a useful resource to other consultants, but do nothing to promote myself to anyone who might hire me. I also thought about putting together some articles or YouTube training videos to get the name about; but I'm not sure that's ideal either as again these aren't the sort of things my potential customers are going to be looking at.
I am sure it will get a whole lot easier once I'm past the restrictive period and I can contact customers/partners/suppliers I've dealt with in the past. But as it is now, I'm just looking through job adverts and phoning recruiters...but is there something else I'm missing?
I've been lucky so far inasmuch as I've found work to keep me busy; but virtually all of my contacts are through my previous employer and I'm under a restrictive clause for some months yet where I can't solicit business. So the typical 'speak to who you know' advice isn't going to fly for a while yet.
So I'm starting down the route of engaging with agencies and looking at the contract job adverts; which is fine...but it doesn't seem a very pro-active method of getting your name about. I do not have access to user lists of businesses using the ERP solution I work with, otherwise I'd start cold-calling. I have a web site, but I'm guessing not too many partners or customers google for independent consultants.
Then there's Linkedin - obviously I'm on there but apart from recruiters coming across me I'm not sure what else to do there. I had thought of putting a sort of "I'm available now" message out, but it strikes me of desperation slightly, and of course it will only go to folks in my network, so mostly either businesses I'm not allowed to engage with in the short term, or the usual suspect recruiters. But does this sort of self-promotion of 'free in the market' work?
I'm slightly green about the best way to secure work - although years of experience in delivering it! I thought about getting on to some of the message boards and starting to answer some of the queries to get known as an 'expert'; but virtually all of the queries come from other consultants and not customers or partners, so I don't see my target audience there. I think I could spend a lot of time getting known as a useful resource to other consultants, but do nothing to promote myself to anyone who might hire me. I also thought about putting together some articles or YouTube training videos to get the name about; but I'm not sure that's ideal either as again these aren't the sort of things my potential customers are going to be looking at.
I am sure it will get a whole lot easier once I'm past the restrictive period and I can contact customers/partners/suppliers I've dealt with in the past. But as it is now, I'm just looking through job adverts and phoning recruiters...but is there something else I'm missing?
Try posting thought leadership, commentary or hints'n'tips articles on LinkedIn focused on your areas of expertise. Also contribute to discussion and answering questions in the relevant LinkedIn Groups.
If you manage to include the correct mix of buzzwords you may start to generate a following and become known as an expert in the field. You may then find people proactively contact you for advice.
If you manage to include the correct mix of buzzwords you may start to generate a following and become known as an expert in the field. You may then find people proactively contact you for advice.
I'm now a NED at an insurance recruitment firm, so if you need a hand I can get one of our guys to help you.
however this little project is going live soon www.giggle.work
it matches hirers with contractors without the recruiter
however this little project is going live soon www.giggle.work
it matches hirers with contractors without the recruiter
jeremyc said:
Try posting thought leadership, commentary or hints'n'tips articles on LinkedIn focused on your areas of expertise. Also contribute to discussion and answering questions in the relevant LinkedIn Groups.
If you manage to include the correct mix of buzzwords you may start to generate a following and become known as an expert in the field. You may then find people proactively contact you for advice.
I pick up quite a bit of work via LinkedIn.If you manage to include the correct mix of buzzwords you may start to generate a following and become known as an expert in the field. You may then find people proactively contact you for advice.
Building on jeremyc's good advice, it can be more effective to identify where your clients are looking and direct your efforts there, rather than waste time with your competitors.
In my world (financial modeller) rather than arguing with a million excel gurus about how to write the best formulae in the excel forums, I seek out the groups that Finance Directors are likely to use to discuss procurement of financial modelling, risk management using outsourced help, etc etc.
Back to the OP, who is your client likely to be an what matters to them? Find those groups and get busy. It is unlikely to get you hired tomorrow, but can be a worthwhile return on an occasional hour surfing LinkedIn.
Also, as a contractor, saying you're available is common sense, not desperation! Change your strapline to "contractor - available 15 May" or similar and wait for your phone to ring.
tvrolet said:
After the best part of 40 years in gainful employment in IT, I chose to 'semi-retire' at the end of last year with a view to doing some contract work with some breaks/holidays in-between. I was the Product Director of one of the UKs largest ERP solution partners on a Microsoft platform, and excluding the 'management' side of the role, I was effectively a senior (most senior) applications consultant/architect; plus the senior pre-sales resource. And having done it for so long I am a bit of a generalist, and can work with Finance solutions, Production, Master Planing, Warehousing etc...
I've been lucky so far inasmuch as I've found work to keep me busy; but virtually all of my contacts are through my previous employer and I'm under a restrictive clause for some months yet where I can't solicit business. So the typical 'speak to who you know' advice isn't going to fly for a while yet.
So I'm starting down the route of engaging with agencies and looking at the contract job adverts; which is fine...but it doesn't seem a very pro-active method of getting your name about. I do not have access to user lists of businesses using the ERP solution I work with, otherwise I'd start cold-calling. I have a web site, but I'm guessing not too many partners or customers google for independent consultants.
Then there's Linkedin - obviously I'm on there but apart from recruiters coming across me I'm not sure what else to do there. I had thought of putting a sort of "I'm available now" message out, but it strikes me of desperation slightly, and of course it will only go to folks in my network, so mostly either businesses I'm not allowed to engage with in the short term, or the usual suspect recruiters. But does this sort of self-promotion of 'free in the market' work?
I'm slightly green about the best way to secure work - although years of experience in delivering it! I thought about getting on to some of the message boards and starting to answer some of the queries to get known as an 'expert'; but virtually all of the queries come from other consultants and not customers or partners, so I don't see my target audience there. I think I could spend a lot of time getting known as a useful resource to other consultants, but do nothing to promote myself to anyone who might hire me. I also thought about putting together some articles or YouTube training videos to get the name about; but I'm not sure that's ideal either as again these aren't the sort of things my potential customers are going to be looking at.
I am sure it will get a whole lot easier once I'm past the restrictive period and I can contact customers/partners/suppliers I've dealt with in the past. But as it is now, I'm just looking through job adverts and phoning recruiters...but is there something else I'm missing?
Start with your network and get some recommendations/referrals from them. I've been lucky so far inasmuch as I've found work to keep me busy; but virtually all of my contacts are through my previous employer and I'm under a restrictive clause for some months yet where I can't solicit business. So the typical 'speak to who you know' advice isn't going to fly for a while yet.
So I'm starting down the route of engaging with agencies and looking at the contract job adverts; which is fine...but it doesn't seem a very pro-active method of getting your name about. I do not have access to user lists of businesses using the ERP solution I work with, otherwise I'd start cold-calling. I have a web site, but I'm guessing not too many partners or customers google for independent consultants.
Then there's Linkedin - obviously I'm on there but apart from recruiters coming across me I'm not sure what else to do there. I had thought of putting a sort of "I'm available now" message out, but it strikes me of desperation slightly, and of course it will only go to folks in my network, so mostly either businesses I'm not allowed to engage with in the short term, or the usual suspect recruiters. But does this sort of self-promotion of 'free in the market' work?
I'm slightly green about the best way to secure work - although years of experience in delivering it! I thought about getting on to some of the message boards and starting to answer some of the queries to get known as an 'expert'; but virtually all of the queries come from other consultants and not customers or partners, so I don't see my target audience there. I think I could spend a lot of time getting known as a useful resource to other consultants, but do nothing to promote myself to anyone who might hire me. I also thought about putting together some articles or YouTube training videos to get the name about; but I'm not sure that's ideal either as again these aren't the sort of things my potential customers are going to be looking at.
I am sure it will get a whole lot easier once I'm past the restrictive period and I can contact customers/partners/suppliers I've dealt with in the past. But as it is now, I'm just looking through job adverts and phoning recruiters...but is there something else I'm missing?
I presume you had some hiring responsibility in your previous role. Which agents gave you the best candidates? Contact them.
Work with a small number of specialist agencies, can refer you to a couple if you drop me a PM.
Good luck!
If it's contract work, go look at JobServe.com - they aggregate most of the agencies and you can search by location/industry/sector for the relevant stuff. Either use it to identify projects in your area, or agencies who specialise in your specialism.
You can also use ItJobsWatch.co.uk which gives rates for permanent and contract work broken down by keyword and tracked over time - so you can get an idea of where particular technologies / industries / qualifications are going.
Note that most agencies apply no effort at all to screening - they fire out any request they get at whoever is top of their list at the time - and they equally assume that any enquiry they get is from someone blindly firing off a million applications. So having applied or made contact through JobServe or LinkedIn or through an agency website you'll need to chase them up repeatedly just to get them to realise that you can actually do the job you've applied for.
Personally, I don't believe 'thought leadership' articles on LinkedIn do a blind bit of good. The world is full of slightly unemployed (or employed and dissatisfied) IT people who believe that expressing an opinion marks them out as special. LinkedIn and Medium and a whole bunch of other places are swamped with articles where the author believes they have some unique insight into whatever project they were last involved in. Inspirational words and tales of caution do not sell anything apart from soft drinks and insurance.
Maybe I'm getting a little cynical with old age.
You can also use ItJobsWatch.co.uk which gives rates for permanent and contract work broken down by keyword and tracked over time - so you can get an idea of where particular technologies / industries / qualifications are going.
Note that most agencies apply no effort at all to screening - they fire out any request they get at whoever is top of their list at the time - and they equally assume that any enquiry they get is from someone blindly firing off a million applications. So having applied or made contact through JobServe or LinkedIn or through an agency website you'll need to chase them up repeatedly just to get them to realise that you can actually do the job you've applied for.
Personally, I don't believe 'thought leadership' articles on LinkedIn do a blind bit of good. The world is full of slightly unemployed (or employed and dissatisfied) IT people who believe that expressing an opinion marks them out as special. LinkedIn and Medium and a whole bunch of other places are swamped with articles where the author believes they have some unique insight into whatever project they were last involved in. Inspirational words and tales of caution do not sell anything apart from soft drinks and insurance.
Maybe I'm getting a little cynical with old age.
insurance_jon said:
I'm now a NED at an insurance recruitment firm, so if you need a hand I can get one of our guys to help you.
however this little project is going live soon www.giggle.work
it matches hirers with contractors without the recruiter
Not wishing to hijack the thread but haven't websites like that been done to death before ?however this little project is going live soon www.giggle.work
it matches hirers with contractors without the recruiter
From my (20 years contracting) experience there is just no appetite for clients to start recruiting directly. Agents, for all their faults, serve a purpose and in the first instance provide a buffer zone for the flurry of applicants that each opening receives.
Most places now have preferential suppliers and no HR department is going to let some minion bring in random people from some random website.
Clients have a fixed budget in mind for the work that is required, from there it goes to the agency and the agency then take their % cut. The client doesn't really give a flick how much the agency takes out, all they want is a few vetted CV's sat on their desk and they normally take it from there.
Maybe it would work lower down the scale for smaller companies looking for specific projects to be outsourced but as I said, I think there's plenty of similar sites out there already.
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