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!!!!!!

 

[jeremy]

Well done you! It's not the way for everyone and it does require a bit of grit but the world is now your oyster( though don't be shellfish!) I hope all goes well.

 

[wade88]

Hi guys,

I have recently just qualified so am BRAND new to the game and really if im honest have no idea what im doing regarding the business element of being self employed....or anything else for that matter! ha. however, have been reading through the forum and fortunately the angle i was going for seems to be the advice many give regarding advertising etc. so ill have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that works. But what really confuses me is the tax side of being self employed...what im entitled to claim back, how the money is returned to me for claimed items such as tools or business expenses etc and the general ins and out of taxation as a sole trader. Some light on this incredibly dark area in my mind would be hugely appreciated!http://www.electriciansforums.net/images/smilies/confused.png

Thanks guys

 

[accordfire]

Technically.....employed. By me.

Limited company - managing director. Or tea boy, slave, accountant, technician, IT Support, dogsbody (no, really, the dog's body is better than mine)....

It's not dissimilar to self-employment......still have to fill many roles in one - we all do.

And my staff, such as they are, are all lazy, useless...no....that's the Directors. The lads are all brilliant - do what needs doing to get through the day, and push the whole show forward.

Would I ever go back to working in the machine? Would I f.....no.

 

[Pacey]

I’ve got to agree with DES 56, being self employed is certainly not for everyone. I was on the cards for 16 years, earning a basic of 26K when I left (they pay about 30K now) with van and tools supplied. I went self employed in 04 and earned less (after all the expenses) for the first couple of years. I don't advertise, I get work through word of mouth. Work/life balance? forget it! But for me it’s still better than having a boss!

Now for the advice!

Only go self employed if you -

A. Have plenty of contacts.

B. Have a little money behind you (you need to pay for things).

C. Are able to deal with customers (don’t over charge people and don’t let people down, word soon gets around).

And D. (most importantly) Are good at your job (there are plenty enough cowboys out there, just because you have been on an 8 week electrical course, it doesn’t mean you have the right to inflict yourself on an unsuspecting public).

 

[lloyd1980]

at the moment I would say employed.....
there is a lot to be said for turning your phone off at 4.30pm and having a months paid holiday a year!!!
Ive been self employed for just under a year (officially). after work cut our hours to 2.5 days a week for 3 months.
It started slowly with me walking miles handing out flyers, posting letters, it then kicked off and I was solidly in work for the whole of last year.
after xmas I was busy until the start of feb then it bombed and I have just scraped by since - it went from 3 enquiries a day to 1 in 3 days,
it looks like its starting to pick up again slowly (touch wood)
I would like to share this though - even when I was busy it was financially like swimming through treacle with the business account heamoraging money with running and set up costs.
and when I say busy I mean 7am leaving house, 5.30pm back in for tea, paperwork and pricing in evenings and out of office by around 9pm - same the next day and the next.
cant afford to take anyone on so am doing 4 peoples jobs myself. then there are the customers meithering you constantly over that security light that keeps going off (which they havnt touched) to get there at 8pm to find mr jones has been fiddling in the dark with the settings !!
If your house bashing as a 1 man band your never going to make any decent money, your competing againsed bob and bill doing it out their ford focus's for cash, which keeps the rates you can charge really low.
The money is in PV, commercial and industrial but its a case of contacts to win that kind of work.

Dont get me wrong im really happy to have started a business but Im a bit disillusioned by how hard ive worked compared to the amount of money ive had to live on once my costs are deducted, would love to change the van etc but cant afford to.

Am hopefully about to bugger off to iraq for a year and hopefully things may have improved when I come back, I may look to PV or something with a higher margin than housebashing :-(

rant over