Living the dream and avoiding the pitfalls
Thousands of professionals are living the dream by taking charge of their lives and their careers. As a contractor you have the potential to earn significantly more money than a permanent employee - you are probably already working with contractors that are carrying out similar roles to you but who are earning substantially more than you.
This said - it is important that you don’t get swept away by the prospect of making money, without first considering both the advantages and disadvantages of contracting.
Let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of working as a contractor.
Advantages
- More Money – contractors typically earn more money than a permanent employee
- More Experience – As a contractor you can expect to build up a greater set of experiences
- More Flexibility – more control over where and when you work
- More Control – clients are usually more amendable when it comes to your daily working hours and taking more time off, simply because they don’t pay you when you aren’t working
- More Training Opportunities – full control over self-training. If you want to go on a training course you can
- Less Office Politics – contractors don’t need to network their way to higher positions and get involved in day-to day politics
The Disadvantages
- Less security - Contractors are not protected in the same way as employees
- Uncertainty - there are usually no guarantees of another contract when your current contract ends
- No company perks - As a contractor you won’t receive any company perks, such as medical insurance or a company pension
Read on...
For a detailed overview, please download JSA's First Time Contractors Guide.
More information for a First Time Contractor
The Contracting basics - what is contracting and is it a viable option?
Securing a contract – how to secure a contract
The contract its terms and conditions - how does IR35 Effect me?
Trading options available to contractors - Umbrella or Limited Company option?
Umbrella Company vs. Limited Company - which is best for me?
Contractor Umbrella option – what is an Umbrella Company - exploring the benefits?
Limited Company option - setting up a limited company all you need to know
Talk to our experts – and get some advice
You may also find the following pages, guides and testimonials helpful
Our Services – how JSA can help you
A guide to IR35 – what it means and how it affects you
Case Studies – find out what our current clients have to say about JSA
Request a call/email back – we can call or email you back at a time that suits you
Talk to one of our experts
Register your interest online now.
Email our advisors at newenquiries@jsagroup.co.uk.
Or call free phone 0800 25 26 40.