Note I’m avoiding the contractor term here i.e. go work in someones office almost as an employee somewhere continuously for 3,6,12 18 months.

How did you get started? Get your first bit of business so to speak. How did you approach potential companies that operate in your field? Just turn up at reception saying I offer xyz solutions, I can solve these problems for you…

How did you get though to people (engineering managers in my case) that would find you useful so you could sell your services to them?

Did you have to offer a greater service than just yourself and subcontract some aspects?

I’m more interested in working independently for some companies, sometimes more than one at a time sometimes on-site sometimes off-site. Ideally charging for the work rather than the only dayrate, although I except that is not always possible.

Mostly it’s working your network. If you don’t have one find someone who does but doesn’t have your skills. Web design companies are a good bet. They often lack coding and database skills and have to subcontract.

Different field but when I started I spent a bit of time on LinkedIn. Joined a few groups and posted some inane chatter when people mentioned new projects. Ended up getting quite a few leads. Also messaged people as we connected. Didn’t take up that much time and was quite interesting to see what’s out there and what’s going on. I also set up a website and tried to make it Google friendly. Got quite a few jobs through that right from the start. As I’ve progressed I get more and more from contacts and repeat business but I still get quite a few random jobs through the website. Also get quite a bit of spam and the like which is a minor chore.

Interesting on the LinkedIn comment, thought it was just for recruiters. Where the groups specific to whatever technology you work in or a side area that uses your skills / technology?

I’m working on my network. Moved jobs for that reason, only employee doing what I’m doing at my company ATM, all other people are freelancing on and off in stints so getting to meet a few clever people who I get on with.

I’m kind of in the “contractor” hole but have been trying to make it more proper freelance over the years. It’s got to the stage where it’s done mainly through networking via friends and colleagues, or someone who knows someone. No agents, and I actively avoid the traditional contract with almost employee terms to sit at a desk like everyone else at set hours but just get paid a daily rate instead. Recent work has been purely verbal contracts, direct with the client. Current is based on up front purchase orders for my work and treated like any other supplier.

Next step is getting more than one job on the go (partly for IR35 reasons 😉 ), but it’s tricky. As a one man band developer the main work takes all the time really to meet deadlines. Daft as HMRC consider you not a valid business unless you’re doing multiple jobs at the same time, but how many freelancers in the real world can really do that?

Has been suggested I consider building the business, so taking on other people. Kind of interested in that but not sure what it really gets me. Okay I get resources to take on other work, but the money is getting split between us so I’m not really getting much more and I could just end up running an umbrella company effectively. Build a consultancy business, but I’m not that interested in building a big business. I just like working for myself and the flexibility it brings.

LinkedIn… Mainly I find it’s a tool for recruitment agencies. I largely try to ignore anyone I don’t know, especially agents. It has generated business in a way at least in that people I know have used it to contact me. A couple of potential clients have contacted me direct to ask if I’m free. Tend to be those with little money and looking for someone cheap, plus may not have a concrete project to work on or any idea what they really want.

Day rate vs fixed fee. I’ve had the fixed fee option but turns out difficult usually for companies unless they are very certain exactly what they want, what can be delivered is a definite standalone piece of work with a definite deliverable and hand over, job done, move on. End up just deciding a day rate is just easier for everyone. The PO approach though is quite good. Client buys a fixed number of days to work on a particular project and you just run through it until the work is done or the PO runs out. Payment on invoice at the end. Up front fees require careful contracts to ensure delivery and add penalty clauses if things don’t go right.

Was made redundant and got speaking to a former colleague in a pub during someone else’s leaving do and got a couple of month project that way, one job led to another. Just a bit of dumb luck, no real planning and no real effort, after around 8 years i’ve still not got around to getting any business cards printed.

How did you get though to people (engineering managers in my case) that would find you useful so you could sell your services to them?

When they call you and ask you is the best.

In some ways the phrase “it’s not what you know but who you know” is true here. You also need great timing to offer the services you have to the people who need them at the time they really need it done.

I work for a small consultancy offering stuff, for all the chasing and networking and proactive sales we do the best results come when the phone rings and somebody asks us to bid/quote for something.

Linked in has been useful in terms of getting connected/noticed or searching for people. If you join they will offer you premium for a month for free at some point at which point take it, search, research and mail people then cancel.