Welcome to our new blog series where we share our top tips, and key insights, about careers in contracting. Whether you are brand new to contracting, or a seasoned professional, this series will help you.
To start we’re going to take a look at the top tips for starting your contracting career. There are so many things you can do however here we share the best and most effective things you can do to launch your contracting career!
This is all about ultimately selling yourself and ensuring you stand out from the crowd. The most effective piece of advice on this is to focus on building a strong online presence and networking within your chosen industry.
Start by creating a professional LinkedIn profile showcasing your skills, projects, and certifications. Participate in relevant online forums and communities, and share your expertise through blog posts or articles.
From a networking perspective figure out where your preferred employers are, understand what they are attending and get involved. Attending industry conferences, webinars, and networking events not only gives you an opportunity to connect with potential employers and peers, but also provides you with content to share online!
2. Find And Use A Great Contract Recruiter
This might sound a little funny coming from us but working with an expert contract recruiter will save you so much time. They are the ones who know what’s happening on the ground, have the market insights and connections, and who will also represent you with prospective clients.
Scope out the best contract recruiters out there, find one you like and build a relationship with them. Share your goals, ambitions, what you’re looking for, your expectations, what you like/don’t like etc. The more you share the better a fit they will find for you in terms of a contracting role and company.
We’ll obviously give ourselves a shameless plug here…so if you want to chat reach out to Claire (clairebrogan@ascendpm.ie) and she’ll link you in with her team.
3. Build Strong Professional Relationships
This links in with, and builds upon, the first point above. Building strong relationships with clients, prospective employers, colleagues, and other professionals in the industry can lead to more opportunities and a supportive working environment. Be professional, reliable, and approachable. The advice regarding networking, mentioned above, can also help you find new contracts to achieve your desired success.
4. Stay Updated with Industry Trends & Upskill
Keep yourself updated with the latest trends, technologies, and developments in the engineering and your chosen field(s). This not only helps you stay competitive but also allows you to offer more value. In line with this work on your professional development. What skills do you need to work on, what are prospective employers looking for and do you tick their boxes? If not identify ways to develop these whether it’s an online course, further studies, attending events and workshops.
5. Set Yourself Up For Success
Get your ducks in a row for moving to a contracting role. This will be quite the step change especially if you’ve worked as an employee up to now.
- Set up your workspace. It might sound obvious but make sure you carve out a quiet space with the equipment you need to support your productivity and success.
- Decide on your schedule and manage your time effectively. This is key especially when working on projects!
- Identify the tools and resources you need to effectively do your role.
- Keep track of your finances including incomes, expenses and taxes. It’s worthwhile using a contracting tax specialist to help you with this one! There are plenty of companies that can help with this and who are experts in their field.
- Invest in your professional development and up-skilling.
- It’s easy to blur the lines between work and personal life when you’re a contractor. Set boundaries and ensure you allocate time for relaxation and personal activities. A healthy work-life balance is key to long-term success and well-being.
- Regularly seek feedback from your clients and use it to improve your services. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement and enhance your performance over time.
Starting a contracting role in engineering can be both exciting and challenging but by following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful and fulfilling contracting career in the engineering field. Good luck!
If you are interested in a contracting career get in touch with Claire (clairebrogan@ascendpm.ie) and her team.