HOW TO BECOME A

SUCCESSFUL IT CONTRACTOR
10 chapters that will boost your career and earnings
HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL IT CONTRACTOR
10 chapters that will boost your career and earnings
 HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL IT CONTRACTOR

Are you putting any thought into becoming an IT Contractor? Or do you want to become
an even better IT Contractor? It could be a huge change in your career, providing you with
greater opportunities, and an altogether different working environment and experience.
You can gain more independence, develop and put your skills to better use,
and make more money.

This guide will help you decide if you would be an ideal candidate to become a
successful IT Contractor, and it will give you the information you need to be prepared
for the challenges of leaving your current job and becoming successful
in your new job!

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I. CERTAINTY

Before looking into the things you need, to do to become a successful IT Contractor, you must ask yourself, “Is this what I REALLY want?”
It certainly isn‘t the easiest decision you could make in your IT career. To be rewarded in this field, you must work hard, take a greater level of
responsibility, and deal with challenges you have not dealt with before. You should ask yourself WHY you are drawn to this line of work.
Are you motivated for the work that is required to make the leap to becoming an IT Contractor?

USE THESE QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE IF IT IS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOU.

| What is it that draws you to become
an IT Contractor? Is it something you are
willing to do, even when it gets difficult?
How strong is your particular source of
motivation?
| Do you have the necessary skills? You
have to be extraordinary at what you do
to become successful as an IT Contractor.
You must excel in your field of expertise,
and be able to explain your thoughts and
concerns clearly to others. You are ta-
king on more responsibilities, and so you
have to be prepared for new challenges.
People will constantly be relying on you
in a more personal way than you may be
used to. If it were so easy, it wouldn‘t be
so rewarding!
| Are you a good communicator? If you
are talented and hardworking, that will
go a long way, but as an IT Contractor you
will need to be a good communicator. If
you are very introverted, it might be bet-
ter to stay in your position in permanent
employment – especially if you already
thrive in the workplace. It takes courage
to step up to the challenges of becoming
an IT Contractor, and you must be able
what you do, there will be a huge diffe-
to express yourself clearly and calmly to
rence in your level of success depending
others.
on the demand for your exact skill set. Do
your own research and use your current
| Is there a demand for your area of ex-
network to make an assessment of how
pertise? This is something you must
research thoroughly! It is very import- much demand there is for your services.
ant to be great at what you do, but it is You must also look into what you would
just as, if not more important, that the- need to add to your skill set in order to
re are enough good opportunities for become a successful IT Contractor who
you. Regardless of how great you are at always has quality work to do.

TAKE YOUR TIME CONSIDERING ALL OF THESE THINGS.

It is a big decision that you are thinking about! If you have come so far as to read this guide, you are already taking action to move in this exciting
direction, and if you think that you are an ideal candidate for IT contracting, there are many important things to prepare for.

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II. TAKING THE LEAP FROM PERMANENT EMPLOYEE TO FREELANCE IT CONTRACTOR

Now that you have carefully decided to be a freelancer, you must get ready for the next big steps. There are many things you have to consider
during this transition. Going from being an employee to being your own boss means many changes will happen.

These are some of the things you must consider when going from being a permanent employee to being your own boss:

At first, you may see a wage decline, but we believe that after a while you will see a large increase in your income. When you are leaving your previ-
ous job to establish yourself as your own boss, you lose the type of certainty that you had before. Later, we will explain the things you should do to
reap the rewards of this career path in the best way possible. This is a long-term decision you are making, so you must be prepared for fluctuations
in your income.

THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MITIGATE THE SHORT-TERM UNCERTAINTY:

| Get support from family and friends during this phase.

| Remember that it takes time to get into the game. The rewards of freedom and a high income take time and work to get to.

| Know your strengths and weaknesses.

| Get familiar with the practicalities of being self-employed, so that you can focus on improving your position in the market.

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II. TAKING THE LEAP FROM PERMANENT EMPLOYEE TO FREELANCE IT CONTRACTOR

Keep in mind that the timing decisions you make will be incre-
dibly important, during the transition from permanent employee
to IT Contractor.
TRY TO REMEMBER:
A long-term decision like this requires long-term planning! You
should save money while still working at your old job, and get
support from the people you know, and remember to focus on
the points we have listed to get past the leap from permanent
employment to IT Contracting.

| When you start contracting, customers will often need you to The change from a permanent employee to a freelancer/
start working immediately, and this can cause difficulty IT Contractor is one that effects the way you perceive
if you are still working at your old job. your entire career.
| We recommend that you make the decision to start contracting
All of this might seem scary at first, but what you are doing is
after you are finished with all of your commitments
transforming yourself from an employee in someone‘s company,
to your old job.
into being your own company. Keep all of these things in mind
| If you try to juggle too much work at the same time, it will likely if you think you are ready to make the leap.
cause difficulties for you. Because of this, we recommend that
you do not take on contracts during your resignation
period.

| You must be fully committed to the work you are doing, and if
you are not ready for the uncertainty of not having work at
the moment, you may not be ready to be an IT Contractor.

| You must be prepared to live without an income for

a few months.

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III. PERCEIVE YOURSELF AS A COMPANY

Now that we have gone over the hardest parts, we must discuss the finer points to changing your mentality in a way that helps you to cope with
your transition to becoming a freelance IT Contractor. You are no longer just an employee for someone else. This means many things,
more freedom, more responsibility, and so forth.

The biggest change, however, is the one you must go through in your own mind. You will need to think of yourself as the company.
You are the one who makes all of the decisions, puts in all the hours, and handles the customers.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP

IN MIND WHILE YOU MOVE FORWARD:

| You are not a different kind of is the platform from which you will
employee; you have no boss. You are kick-start your new business.
a small company, and the hours you
work are put towards all of the pro- | You must also focus on financial
cesses that a small company would results and developing your compe-
need to perform well. tence. You must do this so that you
can build capital and focus on long-
| You must think long term. While you term results, so that monthly fluc-
are doing your job, you must always tuations in income are not a
be preparing on constant develop- concern for you.
ment, in the same way you would
have to think in order to build up a
business from the beginning.
It is critical that you focus on creating
extremely satisfied customers, this

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III. PERCEIVE YOURSELF AS A COMPANY

| Whether or not you can work on-site
is crucial to your competitiveness.
Many of the biggest and best custo-
mers need consultants who can work
on-site at their location. The ability
to work on-site makes a huge diffe-
rence in whether or not you will be
chosen for the best jobs. When you
must work off-site, you are effectively
competing with the entire world, but
when you work on site, you have far
less competition.
| Focus on getting the good custo-
mers. These are the customers that
will give you large projects. It is here
that you will be more able to close
long term contracts. This is important
because we have found that even if
you are charging a lower hourly rate,
you can make more money on long
term contracts due to lower costs for
administration, coordination and ne-
gotiation.
These things can take a lot of time
and money if you are getting yourself
busy with too many short-term con-
tracts.
| Make sure you have a clean and clear
administrative process. It is important
that you have control of the process
from the start.
| Consider the name of your business
carefully. It should be unique, serious
and appealing. Also you need to com-
municate your intentions with this
name. For example, many compa-
nies, including consultancies, want to
hire independent consultants. If this
is your main service, it may be a good
idea to have a name that communi-
cates this, such as “Pedersen Consul-
ting”.

These are all very important things to remember when you are establishing your new brand. The way you need to think to succeed
is different from what you have been used to as an employee and you need to be aware of this difference.

Once you have the right mentality, and you have built momentum using these principles, it is time to start getting work.

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IV. CREATE A CV THAT SELLS

Now that you are ready to get started, you must be ready to present yourself in the most professional way possible. Your CV is the first, and often
last thing that a potential client will see when they are determining whether to hire you for a job. It is time to put your best foot forward.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING A CV

THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR AN IT CONTRACTOR:

| The CV is your sales letter, and in curately, and with a constant focus on
sales it is best to stick to basic princi- your job performance and achieve-
ples that sell (Yet many consultants ments. Your potential clients will be
lack a professional CV.) looking for justification to hire you, so
give it to them in a way that is clear
| Find a good template, and use it to and simple to them.
complete your CV. A good template
is one that has been tested, and had | Make your core skills very clear,
good results in the past. There is no and ensure that they know exactly
need to try to be creative when you what you can contribute with.
are just beginning.
| Remember to edit your CV very care-
| Get a professional picture taken. fully, it is the most important sales Now that you have your mental, practical and financial preparati-
It may not seem very important, but document that you have. It is your ons in order, it is time to find the opportunities you need, and get
people will always judge you at least most important impression to
partially by the image they have of potential customers. to work. Next, we will show you what to do with your new CV.
you, so this should be professional.

You can download Right People

| Express yourself briefly and clearly.
This is very important, as this is whe- Group’s CV template here.
re you get to sell yourself. Provide a
short story of you career, briefly, ac-

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 HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
V. USE THE DIGITAL ADVANTAGES
| Your own website can be a great
way to create your own digital CV,
which anyone can find by searching
it is for potential customers to find
you. You will also look more dedica-
ted in your work and professional if
you take advantage of these opportu-
nities.

The first place many people are searching for business in the your name or the name of your busi-
ness. Make sure that your website can
modern world, is on the internet. This is for good reason. demonstrate what you‘ve done in
the past, why you‘re good at what
Whether you are looking for work, or potential customers are
you do, and why a potential cus-
looking for information about you, the search may very well be- tomer should choose you as their
contractor. You can also be creative
gin with a click on google.
and differentiate yourself from your
competition. It is also critically im-
When someone is looking for an IT Contractor in their area, or portant to remember to make your
contact information easy to find on all
perhaps for information on you specifically, you want to appear
pages of your website.
as the hero that can solve their problems. This is your opportu-
| Use social media and business
nity to show off your abilities, your experience, and your specific
networking sites to promote your
competence for a job. In this way, you can turn your online pre- company, demonstrate your compe-
tence and know-how in discussions,
sence into an extension of your CV.
and keep up with other professionals
to stay in the loop. Become active on
You can also use your online presence as a way to differentia- LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, share
your story and accomplishments, and
te yourself from your competitors! This is where your
make yourself visible. The more pre-
personality and creativity can be shown in the best way. sence you have online, the easier
| Make a blog! Start writing! A blog
will help you demonstrate that you
are an active, serious IT Contractor.
We recommend that when you make
a blog, you should time your posts
to appear normal and realistic. It is
better to make consistent blog posts,
perhaps every second or third month,
than it would be to make 5 posts in
one month, and then stop doing anyt-
hing with your blog.
| Whether or not you want to manage
a blog, you should also consider crea-
ting LinkedIn articles. LinkedIn ar-
ticles are great because they are sto-
red in LinkedIn‘s database forever,
giving you a better position on Goog-
le‘s search engine if you are doing it
properly. It can also be used as an
indirect sales funnel for your com-
pany.

There are many ways to use these online opportunities to your

advantage. There are many resources that allow you to demon- With all of these resources, you are able to put yourself out there

strate your know-how, while improving your chances of being and make a name for yourself which can be seen by anyone who is

found on the big search engines. interested in you, or perhaps even someone who was just interes-
ted in a blog post, LinkedIn article, or Facebook comment you made.

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VI. LEARN TO SELL YOURSELF

Once you have made the big decision to quit your old job, and you‘ve dealt with the preparations and become familiarized with the practicalities of
your new career path, it is time to get to work.

However, as a freelance IT Contractor, you will have to deal with something new: selling your services.
This is a difficult, but a necessary challenge when you become your own boss!

THERE ARE TWO MAIN WAYS OF SELLING YOUR SERVICES:

1. Cold Calling
This can be a very difficult one. Even if you are very extroverted, you will likely feel un-
comfortable calling people you have never met before to try to sell them something.
You have to be able to bravely and confidently introduce yourself to someone new,
make a good impression, and convince them that they should pay you to work for
them, all while maintaining your confidence for the duration of the call.
Again, this is not easy. Some people believe it to be a natural talent that cannot be lear-
ned, others will say that you need to practice cold calling hundreds of times before you
can begin to become good at it. While some people will tell you that it‘s actually not that
difficult, as long as you believe in what you are selling.
Regardless, to be successful in the long term, you must master this skill if you are
going to rely on it for your income...
2. Networking
The second option is networking to meet new people, and meet new potential customers
through them. A good network is crucial for an IT contractor!
You could also try going to professional events, meetings, speeches, etc. These are
great places for meeting people in your professional community. You can gain input from
fellow professionals, and meet new people who could potentially help you find work.
It is important to remember that, if you choose to use networking to find customers as
your main source of income, you must always work on expanding your network.
When you are deciding on which of these options to take, try to reflect on your strengths
and weaknesses. For example, if you are very shy on the phone, then attempting cold
calling may easily overwhelm you.

If you are not comfortable cold calling, you can take advantage of opportunities to colla- Once you have an idea on how you are going to choose to find work, it is important
borate with freelance consultancies like Right People Group who will find the projects to stay on top of your profession and to be the ideal candidate for the projects
for you. you are applying for.

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VII. BE EXCEPTIONAL WITHIN YOUR FIELD OF COMPETENCE

Of course, when it comes to closing the sales that you need and advancing as a freelance IT Contractor, you need to be able to perform exceptionally.

When a potential customer is thinking about who to hire for their project, who do they want?

1. A generally good Contractor with plenty of experience?

2. A great Contractor that has the specific skills that they need for their project?

It is important that while you are establishing yourself, you are pursuing the projects that best fit your areas of greater competence.
It is equally important that you continuously develop your skills so that you can always be the best person for the job.

USE OUR ADVICES BELOW TO REMAIN THE BEST OPTION FOR A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER:

| Make sure you are always up to date most appropriate for your long-term back and repeat business, is a job well
with the latest knowledge and tech- development. done, combined with a great custo-
nologies. mer experience.
| Differentiate yourself from your
| Make sure you are always gaining the competition. I know we have gone | Stay on your toes. Freelance IT consul-
practical experience that you need over this many times throughout this ting is not the same as your old job in
to keep up and then advance in your guide, but there is a good reason for an office. Namely, it is less predictable.
career. that. You need to be different to get There will naturally be certain periods of
different (better) results. time where you have little work availa-
| Make sure you pick the right projects, ble. Use this time to stay productive by
not only so you can provide your best | Provide better customer service and educating yourself on the specifics of
possible experience, but also so you support. It can be difficult to deal with your field. Take your time to get certifi-
can keep up in your area of experti- customers sometimes, but the best cates, and keep up with the latest publi-
se and to create the portfolio that is way to ensure that you get good feed- cations that affect your line of work.

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VII. BE EXCEPTIONAL WITHIN YOUR FIELD OF COMPETENCE

Remember that the way you use your time matters in a signifi-
cantly different way as a Freelance IT Contractor than as a per-
manent employee.

The main lesson here is that you should focus on your

strengths and use them to your greatest possible capacity. As
you are always taking on new jobs, you are always learning new
things. When you are not working as much, it is always a good
idea to study and learn more.

When you are working hard, doing a good job, and learning the
skills you need to be your own boss in the IT industry, you will
start to see the rewards of your choice to make the changes you
want in your life, and gain the benefits you desired.

When you are getting into the business, you will probably have
difficulty getting to some of the biggest and best companies.
Next, we will show you how to overcome this challenge.

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VIII. LET CONSULTANCIES HELP YOU ACCESS ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS

Now you know most of the challenges that you will face, when you make the transition into becoming a freelance IT Contractor. We have gone over
the initial stress, and practical difficulties of this change, and the things you can do to overcome them. The next challenge that you will need to consi-
der is the big step to work with the larger organizations.

It can be quite difficult to get the opportunity to do business with large companies, but there is plenty of help available.

This is after all one of the greatest benefits of becoming a freelance IT Contractor. You gain more and better opportunities through your ability
to network and connect with the people and organizations that will bring your career to new heights.

It is often a good idea for Contractors to establish relationships with freelance consultancies like Right People Group to help you make
the big step you need to advance your career as a contractor in large enterprises.

HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES FOR USING CONSULTANCIES TO HELP YOU GET MORE (AND BIGGER) CUSTOMERS:

| Consultancies can help you to get a foot into large organizations that are more likely to provide you with long term and better paid work.

| Do not stick to just one consultancy, but try to pick a few of the ones that can bring you the right projects which are appropriate for your

direction, your values, and your skill set.

| Once you have established your brand and acquired your own customers, a consultancy can help you to find other IT contractor to cooperate

with on projects that you cannot handle on your own. This can provide you with extra earnings and great working experiences.

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VIII. LET CONSULTANCIES HELP YOU ACCESS ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS

Once you have established yourself, consultancies could be the tool that you need in order to advance your network, and ultimately, your career.

When you are a freelance IT Contractor, it is always important to have people to help you along the way.
It is a good idea to seek out networks that can provide assistance.

WE HAVE SEEN THE VALUE IN JOINING THESE NETWORKS WITH OTHER FREELANCERS. THESE GROUPS CAN BE FOUND IN SEVERAL WAYS:

| You can create a network on your own, using LinkedIn or various other social media platforms

| You can seek existing networks through groups on LinkedIn or other similar sources

| You can find people during events held by freelance consultancies, trade organisation or IT vendors

As we have mentioned, it is an imperative of a freelancer to network and take advantage of every available resource if they are to grow to new
heights in their career.

This involves being active online, as well putting your best foot forward and meeting new potential customers through a variety of means.

The next thing we will go over is how to do well in the interview. This will be another test, but reaching out to others and demonstrating
the value you can contribute with to a customer, is the key to becoming successful in this endeavor.

Inquiry from client Search, selection, and Client meets Project launch
and project quality assurance contractor
description

14
IX. ALWAYS PERFORM AT THE INTERVIEW

Interviews are very important, especially when you are trying to get the most valuable jobs. It is of the utmost importance that you are well
prepared to present what the customer expects of you, and more!

This is your chance to truly differentiate yourself from your competition. Use this opportunity to make yourself be seen
as uniquely qualified for the project in question.

You must also be prepared for each type of interview. A chat over the phone will be very different from a face-to-face interview.

A face-to-face interview can be the most challenging. You are given the greatest visibility here, but that also means
that you have the greatest chance to show yourself off.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER DURING A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW:

| It is most important to be confident | Dress well and be well groomed,

here, as people are not only judging
you by the words you are useing
and the way you say them, but also
by your general body language. | Bring multiple copies of your CV with
Being prepared mentally and being
organized in your notes can mitigate
the stress.
| Be sure that you‘ve read the project
description carefully, and are ready
to discuss it with the customer.
people will judge you for everything,
including the small details.
you. It makes you look more prepared.
| Bring or prepare visual representati-
ons of your plan to the interview. This
will not only help you look more inves-
ted in their project, but will also show
them how deeply you understand
their project.

15
IX. ALWAYS PERFORM AT THE INTERVIEW

DURING A PHONE INTERVIEW: | Use their name, call them by their

name. This has a strong psychological
| Find a place with as little annoying effect on people, and since they can
background noise as possible. Becau- only hear you, the effect is stronger
se the experience of an interview
over the phone is entirely based on | Dress up. Yes, it is true that they won‘t
sound, it is important to not allow be able to see you, but is that any rea-
annoying sounds to affect the in- son to not show up looking your best?
terview, or the customer may beco- In all seriousness, studies have shown
me uncomfortable or agitated. that this will increase your confiden-
ce, even if you are not being seen.
| Listen very closely. Again, all you
have to show in this kind of interview | Try standing up sometimes. You are
is what you say, AND your ability to not in a room with them, so this is not
listen to the customer and show that inappropriate. You should try practi-
their concerns are yours. cing this, and see the effect it has on
your tone, your volume, and the clari-
ty of your voice.

There are plenty of other things that you could do to stand out and show that you are the best freelancer for the job. For example, try to always
have 5-10 questions about the company or their project prepared. Take as many extra steps as you can to stand out.

Most importantly, at the end of the interview, tell them how interested you are. Even though you are a freelance Contractor, people always want
to work with people who they feel are interested in what they do.

Next, we will go over an important, but often overlooked (or even scary) principle on how to avoid problems and miscommunication,
while ensuring that you are always doing the job that is right for you.

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X. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY NO TO A PROJECT

Knowing when and why it is the right choice to turn down a project is an essential part of being an IT Contractor.
Sometimes, even if a company comes to you with work that needs to be done, and they feel that you are the right fit for their needs,
you will know that it is the right decision to turn the project down.

Not every job you are offered will be within your area of greatest competence, and not every working environment will be one that you are
comfortable working in. It does not make sense for you to put yourself in a situation where you are effectively promising to deliver results when
you cannot, or to work in an environment that is not in line with your values.

Taking on the wrong project can cause multiple problems for you. If you fail to meet expectations, you are potentially harming your future ability
to close the jobs you want. It can also distract you from the things you could do to bring your career to the great place you want it to be in.

BEFORE ACCEPTING A PROJECT, ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

| Is this job the right fit for me?

| Are the skills required to complete the job well comfortably
within my niche?
| Am I compromising myself or my values in taking this job?
| Will this job challenge me, and help take me to where I want to be?
It is perfectly normal to say no to a project that is not right for
you. Just be courteous and respectful, and explain yourself in a
professional manner, and turning down certain projects, which
may seem like burning money, will actually be the right long-
term choice for your career.

| Am I being paid accordingly within the value I am providing?

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ARE YOU READY? YOUR FUTURE AS A FREELANCER IS WAITING!

Hopefully, this eBook has given you a better understanding of how to become successful as a freelancer
and how to plan your move from permanent employee to freelancer.

SIGN UP FOR ARE YOU READY TO BE A CREATE A CV d

loa te
wn
Do mpla
NEW PROJECTS FREELANCER THAT SELLS CV
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Receive new projects by email by signing up in If you are still in doubt whether a career as A great CV, both in terms of content and a clear
the categories that fit your skills. To apply for a contractor or freelancer is right for you, layout, is a must-have as an independent con-
specific project, you just send your CV. then take this test. sultant. Use our CV template that has proven
successful to many freelance consultants.

WHO ARE WE?

Right People Group is specialised in finding the ideal independent consultants for our customers projects.
This is why we know that there is a high demand for skilled freelancers and why we want to inspire more people to choose this career path.

You can read more about us on our website or send your questions to info@rightpeoplegroup.com.

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