Thank you for the interest you showed in me and once more for the advice that I always received from you.

I am a qualified boilermaker with six years’ experience to offer, but I can’t manage to get a settled job. All I am offered is contracts that don’t last. I don’t know where to start, but I believe with the information I am going to get from you I am going to get somewhere.

I’m afraid this is the way many companies work now. Some people are calling it precarious employment. Everyone needs to be a contractor, operate as self-employed.

I have covered this topic extensively on this site. If you want to reread the relevant lessons, go to
www.whatisacareer.com/developing-your-career-lessons/

Use the navigation arrows just under the green bar at the top of the page to read the next and previous lessons in the series.

In today’s world of rapidly evolving technology, with frequent changes of company direction to keep ahead of the market, or take advantage of new events or market forces, companies have to be agile to survive.

They can’t afford to have big, slow moving workforces, resistant to change, unionized to protect people’s rights.

They don’t want or need huge training programmes, and change management programmes that have to be managed, as well as the challenge of keeping ahead of the market.

They can’t afford to have to downsize, manage closures, and deal with mergers and acquisitions.

They want a workforce that are contractors, made up of people who understand the importance of taking responsibility for their own career and its management.

People who know it is up to them to keep their skills up to date, to be able to take on contracts and then move on to the next one.

This is the way the world is organist now. You should embrace it and be glad you have the appropriate skills to find contract work. Many don’t!!

So make sure you have or obtain the skills needed by the market. Place your CV with as many agencies and companies as you can. Get to know the people who hand out the contracts and encourage them to contact you direct, cutting out the middleman agencies. That way your rate will be higher.

You will also need some basic project management skills and business skills, to ensure you organize your contracts to start and finish on time, and have the next contract lined up. Remember to invoice and collect payment for your work