Rates keep slumping. The IT labor market is stuffed to the gills with talent. And third party agents have the market for large companies IT contracting business tied up as tight as sausage. If contractors cant–or dont want–to escape this unpleasantness by finding a permanent gig, here are some tips on how to get the most out of consulting:
1. Align with an agent or MSP. An increasing number of large companies hire contractors exclusively through MSPs. That makes it more effective to submit résumés to MSPs than to solicit work directly from big companies as an independent contractor. Some larger MSPs include:
2. Cast yourself as a consultant, not a technician. Companies want to hire technology people who have experience solving particular types of problems or who have experience with a companys functional areas or disciplines—i.e., manufacturing, human resources, financials, etc. Skip giving a laundry list of programming languages in favor of researching the company to discover how your own experience could solve a problem theyre trying to solve.
Sources: Specifics Inc. Vice President Joe Blumberg
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