IT Contractors

[jsnetman]

I am currently a network manager in a school, been there 11 years and have brought the network through transitions from windows 3.11/98/xp and finally to 7. Similar scenario with server OS's. I'm pretty good all round technically and have gained MCITP certs but feeling I have reached a dead end in respect of career advancement and salary. I have been considering the IT contracting route but obviously the jump from a decent yearly salary to contracting and it's uncertainty is a bit frightening. Just wondering if there are any contractors on these forums and any advice you could offer.

[featured_spectre]

A friend of mine owns his own company and makes around £22k before tax a year from contracting, but he works every other week (on average), and its not always guaranteed.

 

He did say however his business is picking up and is improving as the economic climate improves.

[mtdmitchell]

I was in the same boat as you and decided to take the jump...ive been contracting for 3 months now and really enjoy it. I worked as network manager for 10 years in a secondary school although it was a secure job i found myself bored and in need of new challenges. I say go for it, sign up with an umbrella company (cloud 9 are free for the first 3 months)... heres a few sites i found usefull first

 

Contractor UK - for UK IT Contractors, IT Contracting and Computer Freelancers

Contract Eye - Guides for IT Contractors - IR35 - Contractor Accountants - Umbrella Companies - Mortgages - Limited Company Tax

 

They say that there has been a shortage of contractor jobs latley but this is set to improve..if theres is anything i can advise you on please do PM me

[dwhyte85]

If you've got big debts don't do it unless you have someone can cover you for the bad months. My brother earns silly daily rates but they're not guaranteed, the jobs he gets aren't always great... he was getting £150.00 day imaging computers... good pay, but still pretty dull. Can't think how many times I've bailed him out - after Xmas is particularly bad.

 

He has his own ltd company, this adds a bit to the difficulty with returns and expenses but the upside is he can class petrol as a 'business' expense and other bits like that - this lowers the tax he pays on the 'profit'.

Edited February 5, 2011 by dwhyte85

[AyatollahPies]

I'd bite your arm off to just image computers for £150/day.

[dwhyte85]

Yea, I should add some extra information:

 

That was only a 3 day contract & central london

[featured_spectre]

still £450 for 3 days work....

[FN-GM]

Its something i have been thinking about for a little while. I have done the odd jobs here and there before. So please keep the posts coming

[dwhyte85]

still £450 for 3 days work....

 

You have to put it in context...

 

£450.00 over a month isn't great, it could be two months. Off that £450.00 you will end up paying tax too...

 

Great if you live with your family, it's seductive but hard to plan your finances. You'll be best to get insurance too - it's about £8 a month - just incase you do make a mistake (or two).

[jsnetman]

According to one of the websites someone with MCITP should be able to command on average £280 quid a day, I would say if I was to take the jump it would have to be for a 6 month contract. But even in a contract for six months they can fire you at a moments notice, project failure or lack of funds. like mtdmitchell says I am also hitting a brick wall, cannot go any further in my position and the excitement of the contracting game is beckoning. My mate runs a training company and some of that is with the Mod and I do the odd bit of IT for his company, I have asked if he can get me security clearance so I can apply to those juicy MoD contracts Edited February 6, 2011 by jsnetman

[dwhyte85]

Good luck, I hope you do find some MoD contracts.

 

Bear in mind that DV clearance is pretty intensive, they check everything about you... and I mean everything - any large loans, credit cards, debts, defaults or CCJs will work against your application.

 

Not trying to put you off, just warning. My friend works for a government agency (has done since 2003), he comes from an affluent background... he was a bit silly at uni and raked up some big debts but paid them off, they questioned him about the debts and everything else he had on the form. If you've ever had to go through a debt agency, been caught for taking an illicit substance or have a police record (even as a kid and it's been scratched off) it will have an effect on your app.

 

I stopped my GCHQ application as soon as I read that form... was not comfortable with the financials bit, knew it would be a no based on it. Far more goes into it than an eCRB!

 

Best of luck.

[jsnetman]

I can't beleive it's that strict on the financial side as my mate has been racked with debt most of his life, even declared bankrupt at one stage. I don't have any big debts apart from 2k on a credit card which is only because I paid a bank loan off with a credit card to take advantage of 2 years no interest, no more bank loans for me when you can juggle debt around on credits cards at no interest. Saying that I do have a few skeletons in the cupboard from my teenage tearaway years

[dwhyte85]

That's for DV, it has two components. If you just go for one component, e.g, Security - you may be ok to work on the outer/less confidential MoD stuff.

 

Try get an agency to pay for it.

[36Degrees]

DV is "Direct Vetting" and is at a much higher level than standard SC clearance - it very much depends where you are working as much as what you are doing as to what level of clearance you require.

 

For example, my first IT job was contracting at a RAF base doing workshop stuff, "at desk" help and occasionally telephone support on the Help Desk and I only required SC. I was considering applying for a contract at GCHQ which although at a much lower level of IT requirement, basically moving computers from one building to another, would have required DV clearance.

[36Degrees]

Try get an agency to pay for it.

 

Just to clarify, you can't apply for security clearance yourself. You have to be sponsored by an employer.

[dwhyte85]

Just to clarify, you can't apply for security clearance yourself. You have to be sponsored by an employer.

 

I thought the government agencies (sub-contracted recruiters for the contracts) could 'do it' for you? I also thought that they were able to charge for an admin fee (in-case of failure to get clearance)?

[36Degrees]

I thought the government agencies (sub-contracted recruiters for the contracts) could 'do it' for you? I also thought that they were able to charge for an admin fee (in-case of failure to get clearance)?

 

If you are working directly for the Government agency then they have to pay for the clearance but if working for a sub-contractor then they have to. The point I was trying to make (quite badly, sorry) is that you can't actually apply for security clearance for yourself.

 

"Individuals and companies cannot ask for a security clearance unless they are sponsored, and you will not be sponsored unless they are contracted (or are in the process of being contracted) to work on one or more specific MOD classified projects.

 

For large contracts, an officer in the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) or Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) - typically a Project Officer will be your sponsor. For staff in sub-contracted organisations, sponsorship will be provided through the prime contractor."

 

Source

[apearce]

agree with what a lot have said and the only other thing I would add is, what makes you different to others who you are applying for the same role? You need to know who you are competing with our there, how strong the market place is and how you are going to find new customers when its all gone a little quiet.