After a contractor has successfully marketed their skills to the extent that they’ve aroused the interest of a recruiter or end client, the next step is the interview. It is at the interview where the final decision about the contractor with whom they will engage is made.
In this article, we look at:
Although it is understandable that the focus of a contractor during an interview will be on themselves and their own performance and interests, there is value in understanding the mind-set of the interviewer during the process.
In most cases, the interviewer will not be the owner of a business or organisation. They will be someone who has been delegated by an owner, director, or senior manager to make the decision. They will have been given a brief and a budget to work to.
Making the wrong decision for them may have severe and negative consequences on the forward progression of their careers. During an interview, a contractor limited company director should look to provide the interviewee with the following comforts:
Clients use phone interviews more often than not to whittle down from a shortlist to a handful of face to face interview candidates. Although not unheard of, it’s unlikely that a contract will be offered solely on the basis of a telephone interview.
When speaking in a face to face interview, clients will evaluate the use of verbal communication and non-verbal communication (also known as body language) as part of their judgement process on a contractor.
In a phone interview, the quality and confidence in verbal delivery is important so it’s important for a contractor to sound likeable, dependable, and confident of their ability to carry out the requirements laid out in a contract.
The best telephone conversations turn into focused but free flowing conversations between a contractor and their interviewee. People buy people first so a contractor should give as many reasons as possible over the phone for them to be invited in for a face-to-face interview.
A contractor should do as much preparation as possible prior to an interview. Preparation materials used should include the job spec itself, knowledge on this history of the company, and, if possible, knowledge on the interviewer as gleaned from his or her LinkedIn profile.
Certain jobs will be difficult and technical in their nature. In these instances, a client will be looking for a contractor who is confident about their own abilities and confident about themselves as professionals capable of performing the work to a very high standard.
Slower speech delivery exudes confidence. It should be used because it makes a speaker sound much more assured in their own abilities and capable of handling pressurised situations.
A confident, calm, and measured verbal delivery paired with controlled body language often gives an interviewer comfort.
Skype is a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) platform offering users video and audio telephony services. It has seen increasing adoption by businesses over the last 10 years not only for contractor interviews but for staff meetings, videoconferencing, and more.
Many clients like to speak first with potential contractors via Skype. Skype can be installed onto mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and desktops. For laptop and desktop users, a camera, speakers/earphones, and microphone will be required.
Prior to speaking with a potential client, a contractor should make sure that the picture (including the position of the face and lighting conditions) looks professional. Programs and apps which give sound notifications should be switched off prior to a Skype call because they will be heard by clients. A contractor should look and sound dependable on a Skype call.
Once these factors have been dealt with, a contractor should treat a Skype call in a similar way to a face to face interview if the picture mode is switched on.
Any contractor considering switching to an umbrella company will want to know how to find the best provider to work with.
Although you could spend your precious time and energy searching the web for the best umbrella company, there is an easier way – using an umbrella calculator.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains why every contractor should use an umbrella calculator in 2021.
If you are considering contracting you will need to decide on PAYE or umbrella.
It can be a difficult decision to make and contractors will inevitably be questioning which option will be the best for them.
To help every contractor get on the right track for them, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket looks at PAYE vs umbrella, outlining the key differences and how this will impact you.
There are many reasons that contractors across the UK opt to work under an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies offer an easy way to contract and remove the need for the contractors to worry about the burdens of admin, finances, tax and IR35, all things that limited company contractors have to deal with.
For this reason, many contractors will be weighing up their options and questioning whether it is worth using an umbrella company in 2021. To help make the decision that little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on the pros and cons of using an umbrella company.
Any contractor that is considering operating through an umbrella company in 2021 will need to understand Umbrella Company fees - from why an umbrella company charges fees, how they are paid to how much the contractor will pay.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket answers those all-important questions to help every contractor know exactly where they stand when it comes to umbrella company fees.
If you’ve made the decision to contract through an umbrella company in 2021, you will next need to find an umbrella company that’s right for you.
After all, there are lots of umbrella companies out there, so how do you know which one to choose?
To help you find the best umbrella company for you, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket outlines what makes a good umbrella company, so you can rest assured you’re making the right move.
One of the many advantages to operating through an umbrella company for contractors is that they become an employee of their chosen provider.
In turn, this means that the contractor will be automatically enrolled onto the umbrella company’s workplace pension scheme.
To help contractors find out more about umbrella company pensions Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
If you are considering contracting through an umbrella company you will naturally have questions and queries over how they work.
After all, making the move to umbrella can be a big step for contractors. To help, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket explains how to get started with an umbrella company and share our top tips for using one in 2021.
PAYE or umbrella is a question asked by every contractor. Which one you opt for will have a big impact on your contracting career and lifestyle. So, it's important to make the right decision for you.
To help makes things a little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on PAYE or umbrella, outlining the key differences between each, to help you make the best and most informed decision for you.
One of the many benefits to working through an umbrella company is that you will receive holiday pay as well as a range of other statutory benefits including sick pay, maternity and paternity pay.
To find out more about umbrella company holiday pay, and how to calculate how much you will be entitled to, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
Contractors must make several decisions throughout their contracting careers. One big decision contractors have to make is how they will operate.
One way that contractors can work is through an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies have become an increasingly popular way to contract in the past few years, offering many benefits to the contractor. But, how do you know whether this option is right for you?
To help every contractor make the right decision for them, in this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains when not to use an umbrella company.
There are tons of benefits to using an umbrella company, which is why they have become such a popular option for contractors in recent years.
After all, an umbrella company takes away the stress and hassle of operating through a limited company whilst offering contractors a range of advantages, such as statutory rights, paying them a salary, deducting correct tax levels and National Insurance, and taking care of tasks like expense processing and invoicing.
However, as more and more contractors opt to use the services of an umbrella company, more providers have started to claim that they are HMRC approved.
To bust the myths around HMRC approved umbrella companies and get straight to the facts, in today's guide Umbrella Supermarket look at whether HMRC approved umbrella companies really exist, so you know exactly where you stand.
If you're considering making the leap to contracting, you will understandably want to know how much you will have to pay in umbrella company costs. After all, this amount comes directly out of the contractor’s pocket, so it’s important to be clued up on how much you should expect to pay.
To help contractors, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket answer the all-important question of how umbrella companies cost in 2021.
