Insights for NetSuite contractors
Insights for NetSuite contractors
Insights for NetSuite contractors
The freelancers that took part in our survey work an average of 38 hours a week, although this varies between 18 and 57 hours
Average total contract length: 5 months
Longest contract length:
2 years and 4 months
Percentage of freelancers that have worked on projects that have lasted 12 months or more: 9%
Average number of
current clients: 2
Percentage of freelancers only working for one client: 36%
Are contractors traveling for work?
How to increase your contract rate
Commanding the price that you deserve as a NetSuite contractor can be difficult. Whether you’re evaluating your current rates for clients or just making your first steps into the world of freelancing within the NetSuite ecosystem, there are some things that can help you determine your worth immediately.
Whether it’s a university degree or an industry qualification, most other industries will contain some sort of watermark standard that says you can do what you claim you can. And while a degree will show an element of learning that’s attractive to employers, NetSuite certifications are what will really set you apart as someone that knows the platform inside out. Having a clutch of recent certifications doesn’t just help an employer to put their money where your mouth is, it also demonstrates a dedication to your profession that makes you incredibly desirable.
Often overlooked in the battle to sell yourself as a NetSuite expert, experience can really help set you apart, especially if you know your niche. Whether that’s a specific product or a particular industry, having an in-depth understanding of how NetSuite can help a customer in that particular scenario can really add value to you as a contractor. Don’t forget to update your own professional collateral to reflect the growing number of projects you’ve worked on too—someone that’s worked on 20 migrations for a healthcare manufacturer, for example, will be more valuable than someone that’s only handled a couple.
As evidenced elsewhere in this guide, scope creep can be incredibly damaging for any NetSuite project, and contractors are no different. If you’re working on a project that’s increased in scope, forcing you to expand the skill set and expertise that’s on offer to an organization, then the likelihood is that your value should have increased in line with this. Similarly, if there’s been a shift in expectations or work that wasn’t previously agreed upon, it’s not unreasonable to expect a renegotiation of your rates.
What is on offer in the jobs market?
What makes a contractor accept a contract offer?
Earning potential | 86% |
Ability to work remotely | 64% |
Technologies used in project | 50% |
Flexible hours | 43% |
Duration of project | 39% |
The industry the project/organization is in | 36% |
Number of hours or days per week | 32% |
Management philosophy | 29% |
Size of project | 25% |
Complexity of project | 21% |
Quality standards | 18% |
Location of the organization | 7% |
What are the main attributes you need to be a contractor?
We asked contractors for the most important qualities needed to succeed as a self-employed NetSuite professional, and the top responses were:
68%
NetSuite-specific experience
29%
68%
NetSuite-specific experience
29%
What challenges do you face working as a contractor?
Finding new contracts/customers | 64% |
Lack of communication from clients | 29% |
Clients changing the scope of a project | 29% |
What to do in periods of no work | 25% |
Keeping up to date with admin | 21% |
Work-life balance | 21% |
Unrealistic expectations of clients | 21% |
There is lots of competition | 18% |
Time management | 14% |
Late customer payments/invoicing | 11% |
Procrastination/motivation | 11% |
Other | 7% |
Finding new contracts/customers | 64% |
Lack of communication from clients | 29% |
Clients changing the scope of a project | 29% |
What to do in periods of no work | 25% |
Keeping up to date with admin | 21% |
Work-life balance | 21% |
Unrealistic expectations from clients | 21% |
There is lots of competition | 18% |
Time management | 14% |
Late customer payments/invoicing | 11% |
Procrastination/motivation | 11% |
Other | 7% |
‘Other’ responses include feeling out of touch with permanent employees.
Conclusion
For those considering a move into contracting, it’s clear that regardless of your headspace, NetSuite experience is key to your success—something worth thinking about for those who’ve spent a long time in the ecosystem and are currently weighing up their next move.
It’s also useful for existing freelancers to see what’s affecting their peers the most. The battle to find new work is the comfortable frontrunner when it comes to challenges they face, but a lack of communication and change in project scope are interesting to read. Is this simply down to end users truly buying into the power of NetSuite and its increasing capabilities, or a communication issue that can be better addressed at the beginning of a project?