Independent contractors (or freelancer – as they are called also) are highly skilled professionals in a certain domain. A successful contractor does influence the community with trendsetting breakdowns and explanations. They master their field. Let’s find out how a contractor is able to bring success into a project.
Of course, when writing about contractors it is always necessary to say that there might be black sheep around. But most contractors are serious businessman, who steer their own company. They know that only with a good input, you should expect a good output.
What is a contractor
A contractor is a person who offers skills and experience in a certain field. This service is offered through a company and the business is managed on a B2B-basis. A contractor has to take care of the domestic VAT and business tax. In the end, from a legal perspective, a contractor operates through a company with one employee (the owner) which offers a service.
The advantage for a client is B2B-service and B2B-contracts. In case a project-team decides to enhance their team with a contractor, they are able to fill the gap within a short period of time. Normally, in the NAV/365BC-world, it is possible to find a contractor within 1 or 2 weeks. Another benefit is, that the contract terms are subject to negotiation. It is possible for a project-team to negotiate terms which fulfills the need. For example, this could be the length of the contract (1-6 months) or the services (3rd party app integration, training, etc.) the contractor is hired for. So, it is possible to fill a specific gap of a project on a short-term basis.
Because contractors do offer B2B-service, they should not come short in delivering high-class quality. A contractor gathered through hands-on experience the skill-set to help a project in certain situations.
Contractors also tend to be technical leads in their communities. It is not uncommon for a contractor to maintain a blog, create videos or writing a book. They invest additional time beside the daily service to deal with a new subject and to break it down into ready to read bite-sized snacks.
Benefit for a project
The benefit for a project can be short- or long-term effect. Contractors are able to provide solutions for a specific problem. When it comes to a specific integration of a 3rd party application or when it just a matter of “not enough resources”. Some contractors do have specializations for certain software solutions or tools. For example, when it is necessary to connect NAV with CRM it might come handy to have a person on-board who did this integration before.
Contractors are also helpful when the team members of a project are working at their limits. Due to their knowledge and experience it is possible for contractors to integrate and contribute value into a running project from day 1.
Contractors can have a long-term effect on the project also. Especially younger team members do have an opportunity to learn from an experienced person in regard to modules, code, design and overall approach. This may bring a benefit for projects even after the contractor left.
.. and the final conclusion
Contractors do have a couple of upsides. And persons with well shaped social skills do not have a problem becoming part of team quick. But as always – good quality and service comes with a price. Nevertheless, the overall benefit for a project does balance this easily.
