Contractor Spotlight

Contractor Spotlight is a forum for sharing your real-life contracting experiences and learning how others have tackled the challenges contracting has thrown at them.

We’d love to hear from you if you have a great contracting idea to share or a valuable lesson to pass on to others. Maybe your contracting business is an example of best practice you think others can emulate. Whatever you’d like to share, get in touch with us, and one of our journalists may contact you to arrange an interview.

If we publish your story, your contracting business will hit the eyeballs of our many thousands of visitors. And by way of a thank you, we’ll send you a FREE copy of the Contractors’ Handbook.

Last March

Tech’ skills alone are no longer enough for clients, says IT contractor Houldcroft

Clients are increasingly demanding much more than just technical skills from their IT contractors, according to contractor Darren Houldcroft

Last March | Tue, 20 Mar 2012

Last February

Project management contractor does it ‘by the book’, literally, to win first contract

Project management contractor Ken Burrell won his first contract, and just secured his first renewal, by acquiring & applying new contracting skills.

Last February | Wed, 08 Feb 2012

Others

IT contractor turns ‘contractrepreneur’, building businesses from contracting profits

When Mark Sweeny went contracting after a long and highly successful employment career, little did he know that he’d become a serial entrepreneur.

Others | Mon, 21 Dec 2009

‘Accidental’ IT contractor ends up on Honours List for services to government clients

Gerardo Del Guercio, awarded an MBE for his pioneering work at the UK Border Agency, tells ContractorCalculator how he started his contracting career.

Others | Mon, 07 Dec 2009

Veteran IT contractor reveals how to build a successful IT contracting career

After 17 years in software development, 12 as an IT contractor, Jason Gorman explains the strategies he has adopted to become a successful contractor.

Others | Thu, 27 Aug 2009

IT contractor loves travelling, which the contracting lifestyle provides him

Tim Jones has some tips for contractors who want to use their money to travel, but still walk into a contract when they return.

Others | Thu, 20 Aug 2009

Interview: Getting the right support can help make your contracting career a success

After nearly 30 years of working in IT, half of those contracting, Peter Meace maintains that with the right support in place you can’t go far wrong.

Others | Mon, 27 Apr 2009

INTERVIEW: Don’t let a bad apple ruin your contracting barrel says veteran contractor

Contractors must take the rough with the smooth and shouldn’t let a bad experience put them off, says contracting stalwart Jane Smith.

Others | Tue, 03 Mar 2009

INTERVIEW: Take a few tips from the contractor who overnight went from £35k to £85k

Tired of languishing in IT sales, veteran contractor Paul Drew reinvented himself as a project manager and saw his income jump overnight by £50k.

Others | Mon, 26 Jan 2009

Contractor interview: sue builds a better life contracting

Having left a permanent job to take up contracting, Sue has built a better business and has a more rewarding lifestyle.

Others | Mon, 28 Apr 2008

Contractor interview: paul ross enjoys the good life contracting

An extraordinarily successful contractor who only works at the top of the fee scale, and who almost never uses an agent, tells how to do it.

Others | Mon, 14 Apr 2008

Contractor interview: steve sammut grows a business despite everything

Contractor Steve Sammut started off 15 years ago with nothing but an idea. Now he runs a business that employs 50 people. And he's done it despite the shocks of adverse fortune.

Others | Fri, 28 Mar 2008

Contractor interview: getting off to a good start

Samuel Muwonge started contracting when just out of the university when he saw that it offered more opportunities than permanent employment. And it fit his lifestyle. Now after about a year, he's doing very well, thanks.

Others | Mon, 07 Jan 2008

Contractor interview: enjoying business and lifestyle change

Contractor Craig Rider has successfully made the transition from single client agency work to multiple client small business. Yes, Craig is making a bit more money now, but the real advantage is a flexible lifestyle.

Others | Thu, 29 Nov 2007

     
  

Latest Site Updates

P35 guidance: unsure contractors should answer ‘no’ to service co question, says HMRC P35 guidance: unsure contractors should answer ‘no’ to service co question, says HMRC

Contractors are not legally obliged to answer the P35 question 6, ‘Are you a Service Company?’, and if they’re unsure should answer ‘no’.

No certainty from HMRC’s new IR35 framework, but the policy debate must be sustained No certainty from HMRC’s new IR35 framework, but the policy debate must be sustained

No certainty for limited company contractors yet, but the policy debate is far from over, say OTS Tax Director John Whiting and PCG’s Simon McVicker.

IR35 certainty for contractors? So close and, perhaps, not so far IR35 certainty for contractors? So close and, perhaps, not so far

Contractors are very close to enjoying a potential three-year rolling’ IR35 amnesty’ if we keep our nerve and help HMRC improve its new test regime.

“Keep calm and contract on”, IR35 experts tell contractors following HMRC’s new tests “Keep calm and contract on”, IR35 experts tell contractors following HMRC’s new tests

It’s IR35 business as usual for contractors – IR35 experts Andy Vessey of Qdos and Kate Cottrell of Bauer & Cottrell respond to the new HMRC tests.


  
  

Twitter

  • UK unemployment falls by 45000 in the three months to Match: ONS Labour Market Statistics: http://t.co/TirSQ6ai

    22 hours ago

  • Manufacturers urge government to offer more support to the sector: BDO survey http://t.co/73Z9AUFz via @BBCNews

    23 hours ago

  • No certainty from HMRC’s new IR35 framework, but the policy debate must be sustained http://t.co/idtjsXEj

    23 hours ago

  • IR35 certainty for contractors? So close and, perhaps, not so far http://t.co/8v7LDXcI

    Tue, 15 May 2012

  • Financial sector jobs at six-month high: Morgan McKinley London Employment Monitor April 2012 http://t.co/8qbyoEje

    Mon, 14 May 2012

  • Interims won't take public sector assignments under PAYE says Interim Management Association chair http://t.co/uMXMguQi via @Publicleaders

    Mon, 14 May 2012

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