Move faster than this to impress your clientSource The government is slow. Like real slow. Its employees are slow, and so are a lot of contractors. If you can just be a little faster, you'll look impressive. For example, I just started onboarding onto a new project and the account set up process has many steps requiring annoying phone calls to the help desk and submitting various forms. A normal pace for a contractor is to stretch this out over a week. I did most of this in a day. The client...
1 day ago • 1 min read
I maybe wouldn't gift a sweater at your next meetingSource One of the unintended benefits of writing my book is that it gives me a fun talking point when I'm networking for my business. For example, I met with a couple yesterday who run a small contracting business and I gave them a copy of my book as a small gift, which led to an interesting discussion about why and how they started their own business. I'm opposed to spending too much time on formal marketing activities when you're trying to...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Government's reaction to your pitchSource I have a friend who is living in Romania and is interested in going 1099. Obviously, Romania is not a center of a US government contracting and he doesn't plan to move to DC soon, so I was not optimistic he'd be able to pull it off. But, he did mention he did have a few friends who work at the US embassy there, so here's what I advised him to do: Ask his friends if they know of any contractors working either at the embassy or on behalf of the embassy...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Schmooze earlySource No one likes someone who is trying to build a relationship just to benefit themselves. Unfortunately, this is what many people do when they start "networking." The worst way to build a new relationship is to meet someone and then ask for something right away. It will turn them off and make them NOT want to help you. However, if you can build the relationship before you need something, and ideally, are able to help them first, they will want to help you if/when the time...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Sometimes that is enoughSource One of the reasons I was valuable as a 1099 was not because I was a great data analyst, it's because I was a mediocre data analyst on a team that had almost zero data analysts. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king! If you want to be appreciated for your skills, even if your skills aren't the best, join a team that doesn't have those skills at all, and then wow them. Then, you'll have more leverage to go 1099. If you're interested in learning how to...
7 days ago • 1 min read
This is a winning attitude on occasionSource Let's say you have what you initially consider a hot lead on a 1099 gig. You had a good conversation with the prime, you have a verbal agreement on the rate, and they promise to get your paperwork submitted in a few weeks. After a few weeks you don't hear anything, you politely follow up. The PM says things are moving a little slow but to be patient. Then after a few more weeks nothing else happens so you follow up again. Same excuse. You're...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Me in my first 1099 negotiationSource When I was converting my job into a 1099 gig, there were multiple situations that came up where I felt awkward or a little embarrassed. Announcing my desire to become a 1099 Since I was converting my job, I had to tell my boss I wanted to go 1099. I e-mailed him to set up a meeting and then said something like "my career goals have shifted and I'd like to explore the option of going 1099." Not terrible, but when he said the inevitable "let's revisit this...
11 days ago • 1 min read
This guy may control your clearance fate There are a lot of perceived "rules" with security clearances that are actually more like rules of thumb. For example, people are worried about leaving their cleared role and not finding another one for more than two years. In truth this is more of a soft guideline than anything else. I've seen folks become re-adjudicated after more than two years without a new investigation. I've also seen things take longer than it should. For example, I had a...
12 days ago • 1 min read
My approach to short term gigsSource One of the reasons a prime may want to bring on a 1099 is because they have a vacancy on a contract that is ending in less than six months or sooner. Taking on a full time employee may be risky if the contract doesn't get extended or if they lose the re-compete, so bringing on a 1099 is a good compromise. The question is, should you take a short term gig? Here are a few factors I'd consider: If the contract ends and you're out of a job/gig, how easily...
13 days ago • 1 min read