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Showing posts from August, 2022

Making Full Use of Your Time As an Independent Professional Contractor

Something we know a lot of contractors struggles with is balancing their time. As a contractor, it is vital that you utilize your time as effectively as possible. Wasted time in the contracting world is basically the same as wasting money. Therefore, it is essential to master this skill to maximize your potential as a contractor. Not only that, but managing a project within the set time frames helps establish credibility, allows you to stay on budget, and will eventually lead to other projects and future clients. Here are our top tips to keep you on track: 1. Set your Routine! Without a set routine, time management can be challenging as a contractor. There is no one there to ensure you’re working effectively and efficiently. So, making a detailed schedule can help to keep you on task. It can help you see clearly which tasks need to be prioritized and which will take up most of your time. For a fully utilized schedule, you should include all relative details such as time alloca

Pharma and MedTech Professionals are turning to Contracting!

  In this blog piece, we look at one of the most exciting sectors in the Irish market. It is a market that is continuing to punch well above its weight on the international stage, and with the percentage of Contractors representing the sector, it comes as no surprise to us. Industries that engage with Independent Professional contractors, continue to reap the benefits! As more and more professionals identify contracting as a compelling opportunity to advance their career, Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences, and MedTech professionals are leading the pack. For us at Icon, this shift is not something that surprises us. Since our set up in 2008 we have helped over 10,000 contractors in the areas of IT, Engineering, and also Pharma, and Life Sciences and have witnessed the growth of this sector, first-hand. Growth of MedTech in Ireland Ireland has a compelling legacy of attracting multinational pharma organizations thanks to our educated workforce and favorable corporate tax, bu

Rockwell's Umbrella Plan - What is it?

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In this blog piece, Robert Whelan from Rockwell discusses the Umbrella Plan and encourages every Independent Professional to prepare for the worst case scenario whilst living their best life, and as a result of doing so, the worst case scenario may be much less daunting! “Nobody plans to get sick!” I heard this phrase for the first time in a presentation by an oncologist in the Royal College of Surgeons nearly 20 years ago. He was speaking to a group of financial services professionals and trying to impress upon us the fact that people get sick but end up with two problems without proper financial planning. Why two problems? Well, it is bad enough that you have a medical condition to deal with but when you consider that you may be unable to work and therefore be unable to make your loan repayments and support your family you now have a second problem – money. For most people, the decision to become an Independent Contractor is one of the most financially rewarding of their entire caree

Contracting Versus Permanent Employment - What are the differences?

  We speak to many first-time candidates about the differences between Contracting and working in 'full-time' employment. We're also aware that thanks to our people and our technology, the transition is almost too seamless to notice much of a difference. This blog piece looks at the benefits of returning to work as an Independent Professional and highlights the key differences between the two. The contracting sector is booming at the moment and for good reason. Not only are 21st-century professionals seeking more flexible working arrangements but hiring professionals are now beginning to understand the value and benefits of hiring an independent professional. Companies who are actively hiring want to fill skill gaps within the business as quickly and efficiently as possible. The main solution for this gap is to hire self-employed contractors who can provide the required skills and hit the ground running. However, if you are now transitioning from being an employee to a self