Top tips for dealing with stress an IT contractor
The IT sector can be a highly pressured environment, with clients demanding you get systems or projects up and running within the shortest time possible. This can lead you to working long hours to meet these tight deadlines. While you [...]
Tips on how to use LinkedIn for your contracting services
Love or loathe social media, it’s hard to ignore it. Since its launch in 2003 LinkedIn has grown to be one of the top ten biggest social media platforms – it has over 500 million global registered users with 25 [...]
Should IT contractors have their own website?
Research by APSCo (Association of Professional Staffing Companies) shows that the demand for IT professionals has increased by 28% year-on-year. And our own research into contractor salaries (available in our article ‘Top paying contractor roles’) shows that IT contractors are [...]
How to generate leads as a contractor
The vast majority of contractor’s secure work through a recruitment agency as it takes the hassle out of job searching and recruiters have access to more job opportunities. Yet, by marketing your contracting business it’s possible for clients to approach [...]
Upskilling and CPD for contractors
As an independent contractor the majority of your time is spent on client work (as this is what pays the bills!) but as more people choose to become contractors (figures for 2018 show that there around 1.77 million people are [...]
CV advice you really need as a contractor
According to Forbes, the average number of people who apply for a job is 118! Incredible isn’t it? While this figure may not be a true representation of every sector or specialism, it does show that competition for roles can [...]
Restoring a dormant limited company
There are those who will only ever work as a contractor, and there are those who dip in and out of it. This could be because they are tempted back into a permanent role by great benefits or their personal [...]
Making a will as a contractor
We all know that we should make a will, yet figures released in 2018 by Unbiased show that a staggering 60% of UK adults (approximately 31 million people) don’t have a will. Reasons given for not making a will include [...]
Is my private limited company IR35 compliant?
Working as a contractor is an exciting career path, but it also involves understanding a plethora of tax regulations. One of the most complex areas of tax for contractors is the Intermediaries Legislation, otherwise known as IR35. Significant changes have [...]
Late payments: what are your rights?
Working in the service industry means that at some point you will encounter a client who fails to pay your invoice on time. Chasing clients for unpaid invoices can be stressful and it also wastes a lot of time. On [...]
How to write the perfect invoice
If you decide to work as an independent contractor, one of the tasks you will need to familiarise yourself with is the preparation and issuing of invoices for the services you have provided. Ensuring the invoice contains all the necessary [...]
What insurance does my limited company need?
You may not think that running a limited company is risky, and the majority of time it’s not. Yet, it’s important that you try and plan as much as possible for scenarios that could affect your business and your income.Taking [...]
Bookkeeping tips for contractors
Bookkeeping is the cornerstone of accounting. Get it wrong and not only could you be in trouble with HMRC, but you could misjudge the financial position of your limited company. In this article, we discuss the integral role that bookkeeping [...]
Buying a company car as a contractor
The majority of contractors use their personal car to travel to and from their clients' offices. Those who do will use HMRC’s Mileage Approved Rates (MAPs) to claim for the cost of these journeys. However, they also have the option [...]
Protect yourself from HMRC scammers
Cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to scam people into handing over their personal and bank details. According to the Citizens Advice Bureau around four million people are scammed each year in the UK. The scary thing is, this number [...]
Fuel efficient cars for contractors
As a contractor who operates through a limited company and who uses your own vehicle to travel to your clients’ office, you should be used to claiming for mileage expenses. With the fluctuating fuel costs, you may have noticed that [...]
Contracting abroad – what to consider
If you are a contractor whose skills are in high-demand, you may at some point in your contracting career find yourself with an offer to work abroad.Not only could this be fantastic for your career, it also offers you the [...]
Productivity apps for contractors
It seems like the term ‘productivity’ is the buzzword of the moment. Everyone wants to be more productive with their time. This led us to ask, what is productivity and why is it so important? The technical definition of productivity [...]
Understanding your contract – what to look out for
So, you’ve decided that you want to become a contractor. Your next step will be to decide how you are going to operate as a contractor. Two of the options available is through a limited company or via an umbrella [...]
The importance of a work life balance for contractors
The reason why some choose to become a self-employed contractor is that they want to achieve a better work-life balance. They are tired of being told when and where they must work. The idea behind becoming a contractor is that [...]