Finding contract work – complete guide for IT contractors in 2025

There are many ways to find contract work in 2025, either directly with end-clients or via recruitment agencies. With tough competition for the best roles and ongoing economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to use every available channel to secure your next role.

How do contractors typically find work?

There’s no single proven route to securing consistent contract work.

According to IPSE’s 2024 Contracting in Numbers, the majority of independent professionals still find their most recent assignments through agencies.

The Recruitment & Employment Confederation states that many contractors work through an agency at some point each year, while a significant minority secure contracts directly with clients.

Recruitment agencies

Most IT contract roles still pass through recruitment agencies. Registering with agencies that specialise in your skillset gives you early access to roles before they hit the broader market.

Many roles are never advertised at all; instead, they are filled from agency databases or through personal referrals.

How to work with recruiters

Recruiters put in a fair bit of work between sourcing suitable contractors and presenting their details to clients.

Your details will either pre-exist on the recruiter’s database, or have been sourced from job boards, or directly from you.

Although you may think that recruiters simply forward CVs in their original form to clients, a lot more goes on behind the scenes.

If your details are going to be forwarded, the recruiter may reformat your CV, remove some personal details, or add others.

A compliance check will also often be carried out to ensure you are who you say you are.

Many firms even use pre-employment screening to cross-check your CV details against publicly available data.

It’s fine to tailor your CV for a specific role, or expand parts of it for relevance — but accuracy is essential, especially in dates and consistency. Flexibility will help. If you’re proactive, cooperate with recruiters, respond to requests quickly and provide additional documentation when needed, you’ll stand out.

Recruiters have “favourite” contractors: those who deliver, communicate clearly, and are easy to work with. When a new role appears, they tend to check their existing database before seeking external candidates.

• Show all your assignments clearly — don’t group multiple roles under one vague heading.
• Register with a select set of specialist agencies rather than many generalists.
• Stay contactable — same-day or 48-hour interviews are common.

Common pitfalls with agencies

Recruitment is a cut-throat industry at times. Here are traps to watch out for:

The “2nd Wave”
Some recruiters keep you in reserve if their first batch of candidates is rejected. Always ask if you’re being submitted for the first round and when feedback is due.

The “Harvester”
Ads are posted not to fill a real role, but to collect CVs. Look out for vague specs, very wide locations or broad salary bands.

The “Promiscuous Client”
A single role offered via multiple agencies can lead to overlapping approaches. Ask if the agency is on the client’s preferred supplier list.

The “Exclusivity Illusion”
Claims of exclusive access should be taken with caution. It’s not uncommon for parts of a business to work with different recruiters.

These tips were originally penned by Peter Roy.

Six questions to ask your agency

1. Has the budget for the role been signed off by the client?
2. How long has the client been trying to fill the role?
3. How many candidates will the consultant submit?
4. Is the client working with other agencies on this job?
5. Could the role be filled by an internal candidate?
6. Will the client be conducting several rounds of interviews?

Job boards

Job boards still help with visibility, although they no longer dominate the market the way they once did.

Established sites like JobServe and CWJobs continue to be useful for tech roles. Niche platforms are also gaining traction.

Be cautious of CV harvesting posts, and remember that roles requiring security clearances or specific permissions often only appear in specialist or restricted listings.

Social media and online networking

LinkedIn is the go-to networking platform for contractors now – and it has been for many years.

Recruiters are increasingly advertising and approaching candidates directly via LinkedIn, rather than relying solely on job boards.

So make sure your LI profile highlights your skills, recent projects, and use the right keywords to maximise your chances of turning up on recruiter searches.

For practical steps, read this detailed guide: LinkedIn for contractors.

Personal branding beyond LinkedIn

For technical contractors, having visible work makes a real difference. A simple portfolio site or a few well-chosen GitHub projects can show what you can actually do, while short case studies give clients a sense of your approach and results.

Getting involved in meetups, contributing to open source projects, or writing occasional technical articles also raises your profile and helps people find you more easily.

Personal recommendations

Word of mouth has always been – and remains one of the most effective routes to landing contracts.

Staying in touch with past colleagues, clients, or peers can lead to repeat engagements or introductions that skip agencies entirely.

Tracking and participating in specialist Slack or Discord groups is also worthwhile, as many opportunities emerge via community channels.

Direct work with clients

Roughly one in five contractors now secure work directly with end-clients. Sometimes that stems from prior permanent roles, sometimes from proactive outreach to businesses needing specialist skills.

Working direct often gives you better margins, but also adds the overhead: negotiating contracts, invoicing, renewals, and managing payment risk.

Remote, hybrid and on-site

Working patterns influence both your search and your rate.

Many clients now expect hybrid or remote engagements. Be clear about your expectations from the outset and factor in travel days, on-site commitments or location costs when setting your availability and rate.

Screening and checks

Most large organisations carry out pre-employment screening before finalising a contractor offer.

Checks may include identity verification, credit checks, criminal record checks, employment verification, and qualification validation. In regulated industries, expect even more scrutiny. Read our guide to security clearance.

Because the process is stricter than before, honesty is non-negotiable. Even small inconsistencies between your CV, references and screening forms can jeopardise a role. Keep your records, references and forms aligned to avoid delays or rejections.

Rates and negotiation

Understanding your market value is a prerequisite before you say “yes” to any role. Use recent contract data and peer comparisons to set a rate target, then adjust for location, working pattern and risk. These tools may help:

• IT contractor rate checker
• What affects IT contract rates

Also, always have a walk-away number. If a role comes with significant risk or scope creep, adjust the price accordingly or pass on the opportunity.

Positioning, skills and pipeline

Finding work isn’t just about the next contract. Contractors who think a step ahead tend to stay busier and command better rates.

How you present yourself, the skills you invest in, and the way you manage future opportunities all contribute to shaping your long-term success.

• Niche or generalist: decide how you want to be found. A focused profile often ranks higher in search results and makes it easier for clients to match you with suitable roles.
• Keep learning: certifications in cloud platforms, security, data or relevant clearances are strong signals. Staying current shows commitment and keeps you competitive.
• Build a pipeline: don’t wait until your contract ends to start looking. Keep light activity going year-round — check in with agencies, monitor boards, and keep a short list of target clients.

Your CV and profile

Hiring managers often glance at CVs for less than a minute, so clarity, relevance and presentation matter. Aim for a concise document (ideally two pages) with consistent formatting and clear structure.

Never exaggerate — with screening in place, inaccuracy is easily exposed.

Be explicit: show each assignment rather than hiding many years under a broad header. A transparent project history helps recruiters and clients understand what you’ve actually delivered.

Tailor your CV to each role so the client’s must-have skills are prominent. Evidence of outcomes always trumps generic claims.

From practical feedback: avoid typos or sloppy formatting, keep it clean and professional, and always know which version of your CV is being sent. If you want pointers, see our full guide: IT contractor CV guide.