Looking for Contracting Work
When you are looking for contracting work, and can’t find any, here is some advice from one of our readers. We hope you find it useful
Keep Trucking
Don’t give up!
That’s the first thing.
And about your worries:
1. If it’s your skillset,
that’s stopping you getting contracting work, then there’s a lot you can do to upgrade it. For example, Oracle has EVERYTHING downloadable for free now. It isn’t hard to work through it on your own time, of which you have plenty. You can do Oracle certifications, too, on your own time. It’s not all that expensive.
2. If it’s your CV,
that’s stopping you getting contracting work, that can be fixed. I’m sure there are plenty of people here who would tell you ways to improve it.
3. Unless you are well over 55
(my age, working right through the downturn) you are NOT too old to get contracting work. It may be that you are telling people (consciously or unconsciously) that you are too old. Stop thinking of yourself that way and you will stop passing on that message.
4. It may be that the agencies you are dealing with
have had you on your books too long. They do seem to lose interest after a while. Stop concentrating on the same ones. Follow up everything halfway suitable that you see on Jobserve if you want contracting work. What have you got to lose.
5, Be flexible on rate,
but not TOO flexible if you want contracting work. The last thing the agency wants to hear is that you’re ready to work for peanuts – there’s not much in that for them.
6. Try not to seem desperate
when they do call. It doesn’t hurt if people think you have other options. They like to hear that.
So, there you have it. If you are struggling to get contracting work you could maybe follow some of this advice. When looking for contracting work you need all the help you can get.
