Now that we’ve covered some of the behind the scenes information, let’s
talk about finding those first contracts. Were you careful not to burn any
bridges on the way out of your last job, because your last job may be a
good place to find your first gig!
Finding contracts may be the hardest part of independent contracting. Sure,
as you develop your shop, you’ll realize that you have to be all things to
all people: a CEO to your accountant and attorney, a Principal to potential
clients and eventually a service provider once you land a client. Despite
these myriad titles, there’s one hat you’ll always be wearing and that is
the hat of the perpetual job hunter.
Tracking and landing the first contract is always the hardest. Since you’re
starting out, you don’t have much experience and you don’t have a
network…. or do you? Your first contract may not be as far away as you
think, if you look in the right place and avoid pitfalls along the way.
Who, pray tell, should we avoid?
Internet job boards: Ok, you shouldn’t necessarily avoid
these, but it is important that you do not make these your primary focus
when contract hunting.
-
Job boards such as Monster or DICE are often recruiter breeding grounds. A
lot of contacts you may receive are from recruiters just looking to fill up
their Outlook contact list. -
Job boards often recycle the same job listing that is cross-posted on a
number of other boards. - Job boards are spam magnets!
Head hunters: Yes, we know they prefer being called
technical recruiters or whatever, but we prefer when they call us back or
land us a gig!
Head hunters are one of those necessary evils in the game of independent
contracting. The upside to them is that they can get you a foot in the door
of large company, which would be a major plus on your resume. The downside,
by the same token, is that they may be the only way of getting a foot in
the door of that large company.
Though this doesn’t apply to all recruiters, it has been my experience that
some are willing to put anyone up for any position. In other words, they
throw you against the wall and see what sticks. In most cases, a recruiter
will try and place you one time; if it works, great! If it doesn’t work, I
wouldn’t sit around the flat waiting for the phone to ring.
Well, then where should we go?
There are a number of potential hot resources for landing your first gig!
Past employers or colleagues: If you followed one of the
cardinal rules of professional life, you’ve never burnt a bridge on the way
out of a job. You have no idea when those past contacts may come back into
your life and have a job waiting for you. For instance, I’m currently
working with someone that I had worked with halfway around the world three
years ago.
It’s a good idea to maintain regular or occasional contact with past
co-workers or bosses. When you make your move into independent
contracting, it’s an even better idea to drop them a line and casually make
them aware of your career plans. Even if they don’t have any work for you
right away, there’s always a good chance that they will later down the
line. If you don’t believe nepotism works, you’re dead wrong.
Societal job boards: Not to be confused with large, public
job boards, the jobs section for professional organizations is a great
place to start for a number of reasons:
-
You’re likely to find a direct-to-client contract, resulting in less
middlemen and more money for you. -
Whether or not its true, many clients on these sites post there because
they assume a certain level of professionalism that they feel they may not
find on a large job board. By lining yourself up with such groups, you
essentially become the equivalent of a unionized worker.
Specialized mailing lists: If you belong to any technical
mailing lists relating to your skills, you may already have a network!
These mailing lists are often a hotbed of professional activities. Similar
to the societal job boards, many people posting on these mailing lists may
do so because the trust their fellow members’ technical abilities and may
also enjoy sharing the wealth among the community.
You’ve already started networking and creating potential job leads without
even realizing you’ve done so! However, don’t let the Internet be your sole
source of networking or for finding that first job! Conferences and trade
shows are wonderful places to meet potential clients as are places like
airport lounges! Never let an opportunity to network go by, always keep
business cards on hand.