With the number of years that people are working as contractors increasing (13% - 15%), higher rates of pay, better work/life balance, the outlook for contractors remains positive in the economic climate. With IT still dominating the contracting market at 47%* and finance around 20%*, how do the majority of contractors find their next project in a fiercely competitive market? The answer is through recruitment agencies, according to report findings from, SJD Accountancy the UK’s largest accountants to contractors.
38% of those surveyed in the new report, which looks at attitudes of those working as contractors in long or short term positions, voted ‘recruitment agencies’ as the most popular way of finding their next contract, up 2% on last year. 22% went via their own industry network and going directly to the employer was 19%. Other areas included LinkedIn, via job boards and through recommendations.
Recruiters still #1 for contractors
Despite the positive outlook for contractors, securing the next project in a competitive market, during the current economic climate remains tricky. It comes as no surprise therefore, to see that contractors rate recruitment agencies that have hands-on experience in the consulting and corporate environments as the preferred method of finding their next project.
Claire Johnson, Managing Director at SJD Accountancy comments, “Recruiters can hold the key to many undisclosed projects and have connections that not only get a contractor in the door but also gain valuable feedback either positive or negative about the person they are placing. Ultimately they have the same goal, to ensure the contractor is the perfect fit and that they are getting the ideal role.”
The survey is based on over 1,000 of SJD Accountancy’s client base of contractors running their own Limited companies and is undertaken every six months into the attitudes and statistics for those working for themselves in freelance positions. As well as finding key trends across the contractor market, the survey highlights that many small businesses need to ensure that they have the right network of professional advisors, such as SJD Accountancy, to help them with their financial, legal and recruitment issues.
*Please see the full SJD Accountancy survey at http://www.sjdaccountancy.com/news-centre/contractor-attitude-survey-january-june-2013
