Strategies for securing your next contract
The contracting world can be competitive and challenging, especially when it comes to finding your next role. This chapter is your practical guide to making your way through the job market. From crafting compelling applications and acing interviews, to making the most of networking opportunities and getting around online job boards, we'll cover the strategies that can help you secure a lucrative contract.
Setting your rates
Contractors usually charge a daily rate, which can vary depending on your skills, experience, and the market rate for your role. As a rule of thumb, you might start by multiplying your full-time salary by 1.5, then dividing this by the number of working days in a year. But it’s important to do your own market research, and possibly seek advice from other contractors or recruitment agencies. That way, you can be more sure you're charging a competitive rate. You can talk to Hub-XI to get help with your research.
Writing a persuasive cover letter
A compelling cover letter does more than just supplement your CV. It tells a story about how your individual background and passion make you the ideal candidate for the job. To improve the persuasive power of your cover letter, try these strategies:
Start with a strong opening: Your opening line should grab the reader's attention, so consider mentioning a notable achievement early on.
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
"Hub-XI, help me write a compelling opening line that showcases my expertise in {(insert your expertise)}."
If you're struggling with your opening line, Hub-XI can help get your cover letter off to an engaging start.
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
Demonstrate your research: Showing that you’ve researched the company and its industry can highlight your genuine interest in the role. Mention something specific about the company that aligns with your experience or values.
Pinpoint specific initiatives or projects: Highlight particular initiatives or projects you've been involved in, so you can show your proactivity and positive results. As an example, always take the more effective route:
Less effective: "I redesigned the company website."
More effective: "Motivated by a deep interest in user-centric design, I initiated and led the revolutionary redesign of our company website, integrating features that significantly improved usability and boosted user engagement." This version demonstrates your hands-on role, and presents you as a forward-thinking, results-oriented leader.
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
“Help me phrase my project experience to show
proactive leadership.”
This could help you refine and enhance your explanation.
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
Tailor the cover letter to the job: Use the job description as a guide to understand what the employer values most, then tailor your cover letter to this, aligning your experiences and achievements with the job requirements.
Show, don’t just tell: Use concrete examples to showcase your skills and achievements, rather than just stating them.
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
"Help me turn {this list of skills} into compelling
anecdotes."
This could help to transform your skill set into an interesting narrative.
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
End with a call to action: End your cover letter by expressing that you’d like to discuss your qualifications more in an interview. This encourages the hiring manager to take the next step in the process.
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
"Help me end my cover letter with a strong call to action."
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
Write the perfect cover letter with this template
You’ll learn how to structure your cover letter to show why you want the role and why you’re right for it.
Creating a compelling CV
When putting your CV together, it's important to describe your noteworthy achievements in each role, rather than simply listing your responsibilities. That way, you can highlight the tangible and positive outcomes driven by your contributions.
Less effective: "Responsible for UX design of the website checkout process."
More effective: "Championed a UX redesign of the checkout process, enhancing user-friendliness and increasing purchase rates by 21%." Through this lens, the more effective description proves the value you bring to a project.
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
"Hub-XI, help me rephrase my responsibility of
{insert what you did here} into an achievement with measurable impact.”
If you’re finding it challenging to write impactful sentences, this prompt could help.
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
Craft an outstanding CV with this template
Use this CV template to get started. Personalise the template with your unique style, and showcase the skills and experience most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Curating an impressive portfolio
Portfolios are a great tool to showcase your professional achievements, but not every role needs one. Specific careers might require another method to present your accomplishments. So, depending on your role, here’s what you can do to stand out from the crowd and improve your chances of landing your first contract.
Product manager
Typically, product owners don't need a traditional visual portfolio like designers do. But you might be expected to discuss and showcase past products you’ve managed, roadmaps, backlogs, or any key achievements. It’s likely you’ll be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of user stories, acceptance criteria, and your ability to prioritise features. Sometimes, you might need to prepare case studies or presentations to discuss during an interview to prove how you managed a particular product or feature from conception to launch.
Developer
As a developer, you’ll often have a GitHub repository or a similar platform to display your coding skills, projects you’ve worked on, and contributions to open-source projects. While it's not a portfolio in the design sense, it acts as evidence of your expertise and project experience. In some cases, especially for front-end developers, a personal website that highlights your projects can be beneficial.
UX/UI designer
Your portfolio is an opportunity to showcase your design skills. Include a variety of projects that demonstrate your versatility and ability to solve problems creatively. Be prepared to discuss your design process, as potential clients are often interested in this.
Content designer
Your portfolio should include explanations of thoughtful, thorough, and carefully crafted content that has successfully enhanced the user experience. Back up your examples with context, rationale, and any metrics your content has positively impacted. Show a range of work: from microcopy, to content strategy, to A/B tests you’ve initiated. Before and after snapshots are a helpful insight into how you’ve improved the user experience. Don’t forget to highlight collaborations with cross-functional teams to show your ability to work with other stakeholders.
UX researcher
UX researchers should illustrate projects that indicate a deep understanding of user preferences, behaviours, and needs. Show the journey you took to reach final outcomes, explaining both the strategy and the results. Add case studies that focus on a specific issue, the methodology you used, and the insights you uncovered. Be prepared to narrate the story behind each project in interviews, outlining the challenges you faced and the solutions you recommended.
Business analyst
Creating detailed case studies that show your analytical and strategic thinking is essential. They should effectively explain how you approached complex scenarios, the strategies you formed to overcome challenges, and the ultimate results you achieved. Process flow diagrams, requirement documents, or user stories can be a great addition. During interviews, be ready to delve into past projects, detailing how you used problem-solving and strategy to steer projects to success.
Quality assurance engineer
As a quality assurance engineer, showcasing detailed test cases, plans, and outcomes can highlight your expertise. Be prepared to demonstrate or discuss your knowledge of particular testing tools, and illustrate how you collaborated with other roles to improve product quality and solve key issues. If you’ve achieved relevant certifications or completed any training, be sure to spotlight these, too. In interviews, it’s likely you’ll be asked to discuss your strategic approach to quality assurance and problem-solving in past projects.
Selecting the right portfolio platforms for your career
Platforms like Wix, Canva, and Medium help you showcase your professional journey or portfolio, no matter what your role is.
Here’s a brief overview of these platforms:
Wix
This platform is great for creating personalised, professional websites. |
Canva
Used for visual content creation, from presentations to graphics and more. |
Medium
Perfect for sharing written content with a wide readership. |
For UX/UI designers, brand designers and other roles like these, it’s essential to produce a visual portfolio. Specialised platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and Squarespace are great places to start.
Behance
A space for designers to share their portfolios with a community, enhance visibility and build connections. |
Dribbble
Community platform for designers to showcase their work. It offers great visibility and networking opportunities. |
Squarespace
Elegant templates and features for building professional portfolio websites. |
Send this prompt to Hub-XI
"Help me create a compelling narrative for my {insert project here}."
This can help you make sure your portfolio effectively highlights your skills and achievements.
You’ll be able to edit this prompt.
Preparing for interviews
Interviews for contract roles in a product team can be as varied as the positions themselves. Whether you're a product owner laying out strategic roadmaps, a developer showcasing your coding skills, a UX/UI designer detailing design solutions, or a content designer spelling out your content strategies, you’ve got to come prepared.
For all these roles, the interview will typically focus on your skills and how you can apply them to the project at hand. Reflect on your experiences, and be ready to share tangible examples from your past work. If you have a portfolio or specific case studies that you can reference, be prepared to discuss them in depth. Every member of the product team brings unique value, so make sure you can communicate yours effectively during the interview.
Making the most of professional networks
Networking is necessary for contractors. Platforms like LinkedIn can connect you to potential clients and keep you in the loop on industry trends. LinkedIn also has its own job board, with many listings geared specifically towards contract work in a variety of industries and sectors.
Using job boards and recruitment agencies
There are countless online job boards and recruitment agencies to help you find contracting opportunities. Here are some to check out:
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| As one of the world's largest professional networking platforms, LinkedIn lists a wide range of jobs, and lets you network directly with recruiters. |
| Globally renowned, Indeed remains one of the most popular job sites and features a broad array of contract roles across many sectors. |
| This is a well-established global job board, providing an extensive range of roles, including many contract positions. |
| Primarily known for company reviews, Glassdoor has evolved into a significant job listing platform, with a variety of contract roles available. |
| This is popular in the UK, and offers a comprehensive selection of both permanent and contract roles. |
| A prominent job site in the UK, Reed features both permanent and contract roles across diverse industries. |
| This continues to be a favourite for many job seekers, with wide-ranging listings across various sectors. |
| Focusing on IT roles, CW Jobs is a standout for professionals in the tech industry, especially contractors. |
| Specialising in IT and technical positions, Technojobs remains a favourite for tech contractors. |
Take a look at these UK recruitment agencies, too. They can support you in finding a contract role that’s right for you.
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| Specialises in placing marketing, design, and digital talent. |
| A recruitment firm with a keen eye on the latest technological and industry trends, ensuring they match candidates with the right roles in the tech sector. |
| Known for their dedication in placing top talents in UX, Product, and Development roles. |
| A forward-thinking recruitment agency that focuses on delivering the best talents across various industries, including IT and technology. |
| A digitally-focused recruitment agency with expertise in roles covering UX/UI design, project management, and technical areas. |
| A globally renowned recruitment firm that caters to a wide array of industries, including IT and design. |
| A world-class recruitment consultancy that is often the go-to for contract roles in the tech landscape. |
| While they cater to a multitude of sectors, their strength lies in filling creative and digital roles. |
| Operating under the global umbrella of Michael Page, their Technology arm frequently offers contract opportunities in IT and design. |
| Pioneers in the digital sector, they've built a strong reputation as a specialist recruitment agency. |
| Their global reach is impressive, and their speciality lies in the world of digital recruitment, spanning roles in creative, marketing, sales, and technology. |
| With a strong emphasis on IT and tech, they strive to match candidates with the most suitable roles, ensuring a win-win for both parties. |
| Experts in recruiting and building teams in the digital industry, specialising in UX, design, product, research, and more. |
Keep your LinkedIn profile polished and up to date, as many recruitment consultants use LinkedIn to discover potential candidates for contract roles.
Financial breakdown for Chapter 6
Find out how much it could cost to set up essential tools and platforms to secure your first contracting job.
£
Professional software tools
These vary by role, including design tools for UI/UX designers, development platforms for software developers, and project management software for project managers.
Estimated cost range: £100 to £500 annually
Online portfolio platforms that allow you to show your projects and skills. Advanced subscription plans offer extra features.
Estimated cost range: £60 to £180 annually
£
CV and cover letter solutions
These services offer customisable templates and tools to create professional CVs and cover letters.
Estimated cost range: £50 to £150 annually
Total estimated cost range
Action Checklist: Getting your first contract
Work through this checklist and follow the steps needed to secure your first contract.
Getting your first contract
In the next chapter, we'll talk about the interview process, and share tips on how to prepare for interviews and negotiate your contract rates effectively.
