Ensure you are paid on time by submitting your timesheets weekly

As a contractor you are paid for each hour you work only. This means you are not paid for lunch breaks, attending personal appointments, or having to meet childcare commitments. It is therefore important you complete and submit your timesheets to the client for approval on a regular basis rather than doing them once a month and trying to remember the hours you worked over the month.

Clients also prefer to review and approve your timesheets weekly too, and ask us to stress this to all contractors.

We use an easy-to-use online timesheet system called Invoxy. We ask that you get in the practice of completing your timesheets at the end of each day, and then submit them for approval at the end of each week.

Keep money aside

Contracting can be lucrative, however it is important that you are organised with administration of your affairs and are diligent in putting money aside to cover taxes, GST, ACC levies, or periods when you are not working (whether that be taking a holiday, you are sick, or between assignments). A lot of our contractors have a separate bank account where they put money aside for these bills, so it is separated from their day to day bank account and not inadvertently spent.

Look after your reputation

As a contractor, your reputation is everything. You want to be known in the market for delivering quality work, on time. If you are not suitable for a position, be open and honest about it. Don’t try and talk your way into a contract you are not suitable for. The contracting network is small and negative feedback can spread quickly and impact your ability to obtain future roles.

Remember to network, and not just when you are looking for a new assignment

Networking as a contractor is critical to ensure you are not out of work for long periods between assignments. As contractors work across a range of organisations and industries, they quickly build up a network of useful contacts in the market. Make sure you regularly keep in contact with these people, not just as you are coming to the end of an assignment.

These networks could be previous clients you have worked for, recruitment agencies that understand your needs and skillsets, or simply contacts through your social life. Any person in your network could provide your next contract opportunity.

Take a look at our 'Using your Networks' guide for some specific tips and tricks.