Employed/Self Employed?

[Spudnik]

As above really chaps.

Just interested to know.

Vote away!

 

[prgil74]

As above really chaps.

Just interested to know.

Vote away!

went self employed last september after old employer lost big contract so had no choice was good for first three months then nothing over xmas done some subcontract work after that and just seem to be getting lots small jobs which means lots of running around not earning any money have decided to go back to employed work and setup job at a chemical plant for end of month will miss the freedom but not the lack off money and paperwork maybe things would have been better if i had a bigger client list so may give it a go again next year also seems to be a lot of sparks out there fighting for jobs.

 

[ashrow]

Self employed is the way to go (i have been self employed since i was 21) i started up on my own and love it. I have been knocked (not paid) a few times by clients that know how to/ or will never pay but i love the fact i can do what i like, when i like and when a client is happy its with me a not a company i work for. (but if your thinking of going S/E it is not easy going with the paper work, accounts, tax man etc.... you cant claim if you have no work and please think about a pension !!)

Ash

 

[jbec-john]

I've been self employed now since 06-06-06.
My previous employer had become very unreliable with payment to the point where he owed me in the region of £5000. I knew I couldn't carry on like that, and I knew that if I left he had no-one who could run the vast majority of his jobs.
I didn't actively seek any of his work, but after 2 weeks of no-one turning up on site, everyone rang me to see if I could take the work over anyway. It was a nice kick start, but I never saw the money he owed me.

Early 2007 was tough, with hardly any work about. I muddled through, and ever since October 2007 I've been really busy

 

[opm electrical]

went S/E in august this year after i finised college and my father in law suggested i start doing the electrics for his building firm. i was working for a guy up until summer last year when things went quiet so i went to work for a plastics firm to pay the bills so now im still working there and working evenings and weekend trying to find enough work so i can make the break and go full time self employed

 

[nervouselk]

Me too also looking at going S/E as i have just been made redundant, but i need to get some cash to start. Also need to get part P as i was covered by company, also test gear/van/insurance/odd tools. The list never ends, i am on business courses at the mo as well. Need to find job to fund it all and to stay with till i can go sole trader.

 

[corey]

Just been made redundant ,registered self employed yesterday things are not looking good here at the moment done some leaflets door to door few weeks ago and put ads in shops,feeling a little dispondant at the mo,got the mortage two kids etc ,any tips on advertising would be gratefully received.thanks

 

[devlin maguire]

Corey Hi worst thing about self employment is getting off the start grid, what I did was to sit down and think outside the box, expand your prospects IE try Hotels, B+B,s etc pubs clubs restaurants.Small building companys that are well known in the trade. Bakeries chippies, chinese take aways, draw up a well crafted letter of introduction, vista print do busines card for free just the postage to pay and they are here in a few days, then do some cold calling try and speak to the guy or woman in charge and hand them your letter personally, or if you must leave it with the receptionist make sure you get a name and phone a few days later and ask for that person, be brief but not hurried, introduce your self and ask" did you get my letter of intro" invariably they will say no, or I don't think so, again briefly introduce your self, outline the reason for your call, then, and this is important say nothing, let he /she reply, it's so easy to keep talking and you end up ending the call /conversation, what you want to happen is the guy to say yeah ok drop in and see me. If you go down the flyers route IE blitz an area with leaflets don't fill it with lots of colours,expletives like CALL NOW FOR SUPER SAVINGS ON ELETRICAL INSTALLATIONS. Company name, phone numbers and your business activity is all thats needed, remember keep it simple and always leave a card flyers are fine but who keeps them ? a card is easy to pin up next to the phone I have went back to customer years later and saw my old business card still there. try and get away from concentrating on domestics they are fine, but Joe home owner can be bloody akward. For a bussiness name try and include the phrase "Electrical" IE Joe Soap Electrical saves time and they get the point right away Best of Luck
Mac

 

[lightingever]

I think everybody want to be self-emplyed, but not everybody has this ability. People should evaluate their own ability and then make the decision cautiously.

 

[Adam W]

Well i work for a shipyard (so clock in and out for every shift) via an agency, but as far as the tax man is concerned I'm self-employed because I sort out my own tax returns and NI contributions...
So what does that make me? Employed/self-employed/both/neither/miscellaneous?

 

[Des 56]

I've been self emplyed for 21 years
A one man band working mainly from word of mouth contacts
Its freedom to start and finish as you please
Thats the one self satisfying all encompassing reason that its better than being a number on a payroll
The downside is that money can be like a rollercoaster,sometimes way above what you get employed,but also sometimes, money recieved compares with the third world

Holidays,what are they?
Security,what is that?
Finish at 5 pm When was that ?
Weekends, forget work till monday.Is that so?

Even given the downside,I could never see myself doing a proper job

 

[SimpleSimon]

I've started going self employed but am still in full time employment ( job is not sparky involved.)

I'm optimistic, and I won't start advertising world wide until I'm NICEIC signed up. I'm excited but know it will be slow. Hopefully can wean myself out of my job and with-in 12 months be half self employed and part time at work.

 

[Festerfly]

Self Employed here....

BEST Decision i eve made. Turned a profit first year including buying all my tools etc and have managed to grow the business with s few new long term contracts from contacts made from my non-electrical work.

Result!

 

[Dave Buchan]

Hi Guys,

I'm self employed and while both employment and self employment have there own advantages and disadvantages in there own right, making the transition between the two can be really hard work if you don't know what to expect.
I suppose going from self employment back to working for some one or a company is the worst case scenario as you will have experienced both sides of the coin and are effectively compromising your freedom, and like a cow going to market, getting ready to fall in line and be BRANDED with the company cattle prod once again.
For those of you thinking of going the other way the only advice that i can give is that as long as you have got someone to feed you work (Give you plenty of jobs) set up as a sole trader as there will be far less paperwork involved giving you more time for you to enjoy yourself.
If your not so lucky and were like my good self having a customer base consisting of zilch then you are going to have to try and make this transition gradually.
I set myself up as a limited company (more paperwork involved unfortunately) and started working for recruitment agencies while still establishing myself.
The reason i did this was because the agencies won't wire money to you if you're self employed unless you decide to go through one of there payroll schemes (which costs you more money and causes havoc with all your taxation work) I think this has something to do with the constant employed/self employed battle with the taxman.
With a limited company ,as it is a company and not a person, they would wire money in direct (without the payroll charge) plus the money i was gaining through establishing myself was also going into this account it was the perfect vessel to diversify between the agencies and my own work while keeping my costs down from my accountant. I did this until i managed to build up my own customer base that i could rely on to generate enough income to quit the agency work and generally declare myself "self employed"

 

[cagedanimal2010]

:am now self employed!!!!!!