We’re still early in the year, and if you’re looking for a fresh career direction then there is still plenty of time to make that happen. We recently spoke about contracting as a viable option for someone looking for a new occupation, but if you’re approaching such work from the perspective of full-time employment then it can be difficult to know how to get started. You probably aren’t expecting things to just click into place instantly, but at the same time you’ll want to give yourself the best possible chance of swift success. Fortunately, there are a number of tips that anyone can take on board…

jumping iStock_000058200796_Medium

Ensure Stable Finances

Going freelance is essentially akin to launching your own business, and that requires finances. Because of that, your financial situation should be stable. As a rough guide, you should have at least 6 months ‘emergency’ savings in place, as well as a strict budget as well. Your ship will undoubtedly steady further down the line, but initially you’ll need to be cautious, and that’s absolutely fine. As an aside, if this area is troubling you, then we’d love to hear from you, as we specialise in assisting with payment structures, enabling you to take home the highest possible percentage of your earnings.

Make Sure You Go Public

When you’re sure that you can make the jump, you need to make your intentions known. If you can get the support of your previous employer, then so be it, but if not then you’ll need to make an impact. Put 110% into every job to showcase your aptitude, and market your services. By far the fastest growing – not to mention easiest –method of doing this is to utilise social media sites like LinkedIn, and you shouldn’t delay in doing this. You need to be visible, so don’t be shy about making contacts anyway that you can. Spend money if necessary, but choose your strategies smartly.

communication and promotion in social media

Find Appropriate Support

You’ll have heard it many times before, but one of the major shocks to a new freelancer’s system is the bookkeeping. As a self-employed businessperson, many tax and financial burdens suddenly become very apparent, and rules and regulations need to be complied with, otherwise you can easily end up in trouble. Working in isolation isn’t going to cut it as a contractor. Just as your business will often wilt if you neglect good advice from support events, your financial situation will usually suffer without the help of professional contractor accountants. Happily, we can help you here as well.
At ICS, we’ve been working with contractors in various industries for over a decade, and we’ve seen many people make the jump from self-employment with varying levels of success. With our help though, you’ll definitely be giving yourself a great springboard as a contractor, so contact us now by calling 0800 195 3750 or email webenquiry@icsuk.com and we’ll be happy to discuss your enquiry.