5 rules for contract software engineers to live by when job-searching

The game has changed for contract software engineers. With increased numbers of specialist contractors competing for a limited number of opportunities, these individuals must take greater control than ever of their job search in 2024.

Here, exclusively for ContractorUK, Storm Robertson of specialist software engineer recruitment agency VIQU IT Recruitment, shares 5 rules that she believes any software contractor worth their salt will honour, embed, and execute into their daily contract hunt.

1. Your CV should open the door to a conversation and an interview

Think of your CV as your opportunity to dazzle prospective employers or end-clients.

Don’t just provide a list of technologies and then a basic timeline of your experience. Make sure you include technologies under the relevant contracts where you used them, showcasing how long you worked with that tool, framework or language and what the complexity of the project was.

When explaining the application you worked on, make sure you emphasise the important part you played in building it. If you are an experienced contractor with multiple projects over many years, the last 3-5 years should be fleshed out where possible, but avoid a super long CV at all costs too (4 pages maximum).

Lastly, remove anything you are not comfortable explaining or having a technical conversation about. You wouldn’t believe the amount of contract software engineers who try to bluff their way through a technical conversation!

You can mention a technology you have had ‘basic exposure’ to, but ensure you note next to it your level of proficiency. Don’t try to be something you’re not, because you will be caught out.

2. Sharpen your skillset

The in-demand technologies change consistently. It is impossible to be all things to all people. But there are two schools of thoughts/approaches you could take…

i) Become a subject matter expert in what you do and go deeper into your current tech, knowing that someday you will be a legacy-based developer who is still in demand as companies cannot future-proof fast enough.

However, it’s important to note here that although there will be niche opportunities in the future, we never know what changes to the tech environment could impact your marketability in the long term.

ii) Upskill into key technologies and tools that can give your profile an edge.

What I would suggest is not to learn everything all at once. Speak with specialist software engineer recruiters and your peers in the space to deduce which technologies will help future-proof your skillset.

Start with one new bow to your arrow. Learn, practice, showcase your newly learnt skill in a personal or work-based project, and then move on to the next. Once you feel confident enough to reproduce these results and skills in a role, add it to your CV / online profiles so you can start snapping up contracts in this space. Don’t forget to send your updated CV to your software engineer recruitment contacts and job boards too!

3. Know your contract zone

Be decisive in terms of your requirements for your next contract.

The worst thing you can say to a software engineer recruiter is that you ‘might be interested’ or you’d ‘have to think about it’. This causes doubt to set into the recruiter’s mind -- so you’ve probably already lost the contract before (formally) saying ‘no’!

Have a set criteria of rates you will accept (for both Inside IR35 and Outside IR35); how you are willing to engage (Inside IR35 or Outside IR35, or both) and also, if you are open to working onsite, hybrid or remote, and what distance you are willing to travel.

This will save you time when considering roles you would never accept and assist recruiters you are engaging with to find the right contract for you. And quickly too!

4. Be strategic in your search

Leverage your network and the people you have worked with in the past.

One of the best ways to secure a contract is through someone you know or have worked with before. Their impression of you and your work ethic, can set you apart from the other contractors who go forward for the opportunity.

This train of thought applies to your relationships with recruitment agencies and specialist software engineer recruiters too. There should be a partnership approach taken here, solidified by a common goal which is to secure you your next project and fill their client’s skills gap.

5. Is your social on point?

Some software engineers don’t want to touch social media with a barge pole. And I get it. Believe me, I do!

However, the reality is that LinkedIn profiles and GitHub accounts are common ways for freelance software engineers to attract attention and secure temporary contracts these days.

Hiring managers and agencies will go and have a look at your online platforms to see how you are ‘selling yourself.’ If your LinkedIn profile is telling a different story to your CV, then your ability and experience could be called into question. If the projects on your GitHub showcase poor coding quality, spaghetti code, obsolete frameworks and unresolved bugs and errors, then you are setting yourself up for failure.

Give yourself every chance to secure the top contracts in the market by having a winning LinkedIn profile with skills, experience, and ideally, recommendations by managers and colleagues from previous projects. Your GitHub account should focus on showcasing a few well-maintained projects that demonstrate your skills and problem-solving abilities. Aim for clean code, clear documentation and good code coverage. Good luck!