News, insights and advice for contractors.
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It’s easy to become frustrated or disheartened when you’re out of work and you’re looking for your next contract or assignment, especially if it turns into a long period of time. However, it is important to stay positive and to remain calm throughout the process.
Being positive will help with motivation. If you lose motivation then your desire to want to find work will decrease and this will also be visible when meeting new clients.
Being successful in your new contract search is key in order to remaining positive, creating less gaps in between contracts and providing a more stable financial future. Securing a new contract can become time consuming and does take up a lot of energy and often setbacks are hard to cope with but if the process is done positively you will see a better outcome in the long run.
Being proactive and making the first move with new clients and contracts is a great way to know that you are in control, rather than waiting around for contracts to come your way. This way you are also able to work around what other commitments you have and what hours/days you choose to work. In being a contractor, you have much more say over what work you want to accept, rather than the normal job hunting process of an employee.
What were the reasons you chose to be a contractor in the first place? Let the answer to this question steer you in which companies you approach when looking for work.
Remember that every application, every interview process, is a learning curve and will help you in your next job search. The more times you do it, the more you’ll learn! And from that, you can only get better at the search and knowing what works for your particular business and working regime. Even if you apply and go for an interview that you don’t really want to accept at the end of it - it’s all part of the learning experience.
It’s also good to ask for feedback from clients that you’ve worked with or interviews that you’ve been to. Knowing what you need to do differently could be the make or break of the next big contract. In a recent survey, 52% of surveyed respondents said the most frustrating aspect of searching for a new assignment was a lack of feedback from clients or recruiters. If you’re not receiving feedback, go back and ask for it.
And don’t forget that it is exhausting looking for new work. Take time for yourself, take time to recoup and de-stress if needed. When you get to a point that you’re ready to explode, that’s when you need to take time out and refocus.
Working with an umbrella company means that you have a support network behind you. Here at NWM you will have your own dedicated account manager who is there to guide and support you when and where you need it. We also have a large number of contracts coming in regularly and like to match contractors with the right clients.
If you’d like to discuss any of the above or the possibility of working with an Umbrella company, get in touch today!