Insights for NetSuite contractors

Whatever the NetSuite role, use our guide to benchmark your salary, or to uncover what you should be paying employees in your team.

Contractor workload

How to increase your contract rate

Determining your worth as a NetSuite consultant can be a difficult task. There’s much to consider, whether you’re simply evaluating your current client rates or starting out as a freelancer and doing it for the first time. Thankfully there are a few things that will help as you look to identify how you bring value to the organizations you work with, and more importantly, how you can increase that.
There’s no two ways about it—NetSuite certifications show that you aren’t just talking the talk, but that you can also walk the walk. University or college experience may show an aptitude for learning that will always be desirable to employers, but NetSuite certs are an industry standard qualification which back up your knowledge of the stack. They also don’t come easy—so a handful of certs doesn’t just demonstrate your expertise, but it also underlines your willingness to invest in your own professional development.
While certs are great and show practical application when it comes to NetSuite, an instinctive understanding of its use within a vertical can be even more invaluable to an employer. Someone that knows how a product or service will be used within the organization and what to look out for during implementation, means they’re likely to hit the ground running much faster and avoid the kind of pushback that can sometimes occur when someone is unfamiliar with the environment. Make sure you update your professional collateral on an ongoing basis to showcase the projects you’ve worked on too, including the industries they sat within and any products or services you used along the way.
Ask any NetSuite freelancer for their biggest stress points and you can guarantee that scope creep will be right up there—take a look through the rest of this guide for evidence of that! If the project you’re working on has evolved and forced you to expand beyond the skill set and expertise that was originally on offer, then there’s a good chance your value will have increased beyond what was originally agreed upon as well. Even if it’s just a change in expectations or work that hadn’t been detailed or agreed on previously, you’re entitled to re-examine your worth to that organization and try to renegotiate your rate as a result.

Attraction and retention

What makes a contractor accept a contract offer?

Earning potential 85%
Ability to work remotely 70%
Complexity of project 52%
Duration of project 45%
Flexible hours 45%
Size of project 39%
Number of hours or days per week 36%
Management philosophy 33%
The industry the project/organization is in 30%
Quality standards 27%
Technologies used in project 18%
Other 3%

LinkedIn poll

Maximizing your productivity and efficiency starts with selecting the right work environment. We asked NetSuite freelancers to share their preferred work locations*.
78%
Home office
22%
Co-working space
*Data from a poll conducted on Anderson Frank’s LinkedIn in July 2024.

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. In our last report project management experience came in as the third most important attribute, but this year it sits at the top alongside NetSuite-specific experience, while adaptability moves from fourth to third place in respondents’ ranking.
NetSuite-specific experience 50%
Project management 50%
Adaptability 41%
Soft skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and conflict management) 41%
Openness to new challenges 32%
Selling your abilities to a client 26%
Change-management experience 24%
Drive and enthusiasm 24%
Technical expertise 24%
Leadership 24%

What challenges do you face working as a contractor?

Finding new contracts/customers 65%
Work-life balance 44%
Unrealistic expectations of clients 26%
Clients changing the scope of a project 26%
Time management 21%
Lack of communication from clients 21%
What to do in periods of no work 21%
Keeping up to date with admin 15%
There is lots of competition 15%
Procrastination/motivation 15%
Late customer payments/invoicing 12%
Knowing when to refuse a project because it's unsuitable 12%
Knowing when to refuse a project because I already have enough work 9%
Other 3%

What advice would contractors give to those considering going freelance?

We asked the contractors that took part in our survey what advice they’d give to those considering starting their freelance journey—responses include:

“Develop a portfolio showcasing your best work and projects. This will help potential clients evaluate your skills and experience. If you are just starting, consider taking on pro bono or discounted projects to build your portfolio.”

Business Analyst, United States

“To start with build your skill set and leverage it to earn big. Then later learn how to fish for clients and maintain communication with them. Always ensure you deliver quality in your work and ensure the client gets value for their money. This way you won’t have to worry about having to convince the clients to stay.”

Software Engineer, United States

“Specialize in a specific area or industry to differentiate yourself from the competition. Focusing on a niche allows you to become an expert in your field and attract clients who value your specialized knowledge.”

Technical Lead, United States

“Be prepared for anything, keep money in the bank for dry periods, and always tell everyone what you do! Have an elevator pitch!”

CEO, United States

“Make sure you balance the workload that you take on.”

Sales Consultant, United States

“Network, build and maintain client relations.”

Financial Controller, United States

Conclusion

The financial incentives on offer in a skills-scarce landscape continue to make freelancing an attractive option to many within the NetSuite ecosystem. Businesses benefit from a candidate’s specialist knowledge at getting projects over the line, whereas the individual receives a handsome remuneration in return. It’s the perfect match, yes?

Well, not always. As you can see, contract work doesn’t come without its own pressures. Managing to spin several plates at the same time, while also looking and interviewing for new opportunities, as well as the other admin involved, can make it a career path best suited to those with a very specific mindset.

However, no matter where your skills lie it’s clear that if you are considering making the move, that NetSuite experience is key to your success—and if you don’t have that, you need a niche to be able to market yourself attractively.

Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the NetSuite ecosystem.

Download the key findings report