How a move to Being a Contractor Can Improve your Business Skills and Career Prospects
How a move to Being a Contractor Can Improve your Business Skills and Career Prospects
Author: Victoria McDonnell, Brookson Date: 27th May 2016
When you are thinking about taking the leap to becoming self-employed contractor, it can seem like a big risk for you, your family and your career. Although it is understandably a serious decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly, there are various benefits to becoming a contractor or other type of self-employed professional, other than the financial perks.
Many people head into freelancing or become self-employed to achieve a better balance between their home and work life. However, few people realise how going into contracting can actually broaden and improve your skills and make you into a better worker, boosting your career prospects in the future.
But how exactly can becoming a contractor make you better at what you do?
Teaches you more self-discipline
Whether you have in its spades before you go self-employed or not, becoming a contractor can definitely enhance your self-discipline. From dictating your own working hours to finding new contracts and even having the motivation to go out and deliver work without having someone on your back, being able to drive yourself is a key part of being self-employed.
Hones your skills
Becoming a contractor means you no longer have the support of a wider organisation to fall back on should things go wrong. Although this may seem like a big change, it can actually play to your advantage as it forces you to hone your skills. Working independently means you can concentrate on improving your skills, to give yourself a real competitive edge. Depending on what sector you are working in, you may be competing for contracts against other sole traders, contractors, freelancers and even much bigger companies or agencies. This means that you will need to be the best at what you to do to secure work and make it a success.
Improves your organisation
Working for yourself means you have a lot more flexibility in your style of working. This may be a result of being able to drop any burdensome processes you were previously subjected to or simply finding a better way to work when you only have to rely and answer to yourself, either way you’ll be able to organise your business however you feel. However, in order to stay on top of new contracts and your workload, you’ll need to stay organised. This is a key skill in business and will make everything easier, no matter what you choose to turn your hand to in the future.
Boosts your contacts as a contractor
Networking is something that you may never have been involved in as part of a bigger organisation, but as a self-employed professional, it’s an essential element of securing new contracts. Being able to meet with others and speak confidently about your skills and business is a valuable trait whether you work for yourself or not.
There are many ways that contracting can encourage you to be a better professional and boost your career prospects. However, there are also a number of things that can be confusing about going self-employed, especially the financial side of things. Getting professional advice from accountancy firms like Brookson can help make your transition easier, while also allowing you to make the most of your earnings. Get in touch if you would like to chat through your circumstances.