More employers are turning to contractors to help upskill their tech teams, inject new knowledge into their organization, and help get their projects over the line.
The good news is that an increase in demand means an increase in opportunity for tech freelancers who tick the right boxes. So, how can contractors set themselves up for success?
When we asked those currently working as consultants in the Jefferson Frank Careers and Hiring Guide: AWS Edition what the most important qualities needed to succeed as a self-employed tech professional were, responses included technical expertise (51%), adaptability (49%), and general experience in the technology industry (44%).
However, the most important attribute listed by contractors was soft skills, with over half (52%) of respondents telling us this was a crucial part of a successful tech freelancer’s profile.
With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of the top six soft skills that will help tech contractors succeed in all aspects of their freelance careers, from attracting customers and building a pipeline of contract opportunities to maximizing earning potential and delivering results:
- Organization
- Confidence
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Conflict management
- Problem solving
Unmissable insights and career advice from across the AWS ecosystem
Organization
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest appeals of freelance work is the freedom and flexibility it grants you over your schedule.
In fact, 55% of permanent employees in our Careers and Hiring Guide who would consider the switch to freelancing, would do so because of the flexibility in lifestyle, with a further 28% listing the ability to ‘be your own boss’.
But this doesn’t mean it’s all plain sailing—far from it. With sole responsibility for your schedule, balancing multiple contracts and delivering projects on time and within budget requires strong organizational skills and strict self-management.
Our survey found that 30% of contractors consider work-life balance to be a major challenge of freelancing, while a fifth (20%) reported struggling with time management and a further 7% listed keeping up with admin as an issue. These findings highlight the need for tech contractors to stay organized and disciplined to avoid negatively impacting job satisfaction, falling behind on invoicing, and missing deadlines and delivery targets.
Confidence
Tech contractors’ biggest challenge in our Careers in Hiring Guide is earning new contract opportunities.
Almost half (45%) find it tough to discover new customers, over a quarter (28%) struggle with the amount of competition, and a further 24% face hurdles with networking.
As a freelancer, you are the brand—meaning earning contracts and finding customers is all about selling yourself. This will come a lot easier to some than others, but all contractors must be proactive in building their professional image to assist their marketability and avoid falling behind.
Confidence plays a fundamental role in this. Whether it’s your willingness to shout about your experiences and successes in your portfolio or your openness to meet new people and network, being confident in marketing yourself will ensure you stay on the radar and keep earning the trust of prospective customers.
Teamwork
Sure, contracting requires plenty of autonomy, but tech freelancers also need to be able to work efficiently and effectively in a team.
Organizations that turn to contractors want more than an immediate solution—they want their teams to benefit in the long-term from the specialist knowledge and unique experiences tech contractors bring. This requires you to be collaborative by sharing expertise with teams and working efficiently with others towards a collective objective.
Don’t be fooled into thinking each contract is a one-stop shop, either. We found that the average length of an AWS contract is seven months, with a fifth (19%) of freelancers working on a project for over 12 months. This emphasizes how essential good teamwork skills can be—you might be working within a group for several weeks, months or even years, so staying on the same page is vital to ensuring success (and securing a first-rate review!).
Communication
This ability to stay on the same page and work collaboratively also requires good communication skills.
You must be able to communicate effectively, both written and verbally, to avoid unnecessary complications. For example, over a quarter (27%) of AWS contractors told us that unrealistic client expectations were a regular challenge they faced—the sort of misunderstanding that, unless resolved through effective communication, can lead to customer dissatisfaction, a bad reputation, and a lower contract rate.
Elsewhere, consider how you communicate with stakeholders of all levels. Remember that organizations don’t just want you to solve their problem—they want to learn from you in the process. Because of this, it’s essential you can explain complex concepts with clarity to audiences of varying levels of technical comprehension and can effectively communicate the reasons behind your approach to any given problem.
Conflict management
Just like in any workplace or profession, you’ll inevitably face the occasional conflict in tech—but when freelancing, it’s your responsibility to solve it. Failure to do so could have significant consequences, from damaging job satisfaction to reducing future contracting opportunities.
Take scope creep, for example. A quarter (23%) of contractors told us that a significant challenge they face is clients changing the scope of a project. Unless you have the conflict management skills to push back on this and find a resolution that works for you, this can quickly damage your work-life balance and undervalue your overall contract rate.
Another example is late customer payments, a conflict 23% of tech contractors told us they struggle with. Handling situations like this with care and professionalism could be the difference in whether or not you get that positive referral to a new client, so always look to settle disputes diplomatically without undermining your stance.
Problem solving
Perhaps the biggest differentiator in a contractor’s success is the ability to solve problems and apply technical expertise to a wide range of applications.
In our Careers and Hiring Guide, we found that, on average, AWS contractors work with three clients at any given time. Of course, this variety attracts many tech professionals to freelancing in the first place—35% of permanent employees who would switch to contracting said they’d do so for the chance to work on different projects.
But this emphasizes exactly why problem-solving is so fundamentally important. The ability to apply critical thinking and technical know-how in a range of different industries and environments will help ensure that you’re not just ‘book smart’ but can apply your expertise practically to benefit whatever project you lend a hand to.
Soft skills aren’t something you either have or you don’t—just like any skill, they can be learned and improved upon. Adopt a continuous development mindset by investing in your professional growth, seeking feedback, practicing self-reflection, and partaking in soft skill training and workshops. It’s one of the best things tech contractors can do to bolster their professional development and future career prospects.
