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2009 Conference - Book Now
Quotes
"Thanks for setting up the new offer alert system. We’ve already had 13 takers so far this morning for our website evaluation offer – a fantastic response!, Greg Spowart, Mass Media Web Design
To contact Skillfair call 0844 4457071 or click here to email us
 
 
Advice for Clients
 Client Newsletter, choosing the right consultancy
Tips on choosing a consultancy that's right for the scale of assignment  
 February Client Newsletter - Quality over quantity
Positive feedback from Clients on the process of advertising projects on Skillfair and improvements to the Skillfair response system.  
 Codes of Professional Practice and Conduct
A selection of codes of practice from professional bodies and others - recommended by Skillfair members  
 Writing a project advert to get the right results
Clients often worry about getting too many or too few response to a project advert. Here are some simple rules to follow to make sure you the right number and quality of responses.  
click here for more Advice for Clients articles
Starting out
 Contracts, reports, proposals and documents!
Once you start working for yourself you realise how much support a larger company generally provides. In the absence of a legal department and other support independent consultants have to fend for themselves. Skillfair's resource library gives you a head start with some basic contracts and documents for typical consultancy situations.  
 So, you want to be consultant?
The reasons people become self-employed vary hugely - some have always planned to work for themselves, others fall into it or are pushed by circumstances or redundancy. Whatever the reasons, the key issues are the same and it's worth spending time thinking strategically about your consulting career before you take the plunge.  
 CVs with impact
Does your CV still reflect who you were a few years ago, rather than the services you offer now? For many people the CV, whether a standard one or focused on a particular opportunity, is a mainstay of their communications with potential customer. So maybe its time yours was dusted down and re-tuned?  
 How do I explain my services to clients?
Enter abstract, no more than 2 or 3 lines of text  
click here for more Starting out articles
FAQ
 Advertising with Skillfair
Skillfair reaches a large number of self-employed consultants, freelancers, interims and knowledge professionals. Our weekly newsletter provides a fast and cost-effective way to reach this audience.  
 Can I get project details without email?
Full members of Skillfair can use a personalised news feed (known as RSS) to see project as they're posted on the site.  
 What payment methods do you accept?
You can pay to join Skillfair using most major credit cards including Visa and Mastercard. We also accept Switch but not American Express.  
 I can't login - what's going wrong!
If you can't seem to login to Skillfair the first thing to check is that you're using the right email address!  
click here for more FAQ articles
Marketing
 Help for Marketing Consultants
However good you are at marketing finding the next client can be challenge. Skillfair can help with access to public tenders, private clients, associate opportunities and other resources.  
 Marketing your business - how can we help?
The success of any business depends on making sure you product matches what the market needs and that people know about your offer. An marekting consultant can help you with all aspects of marketing your business.  
 Do you need a marketing specialist or a GP?
If your business isn't quite performing as you want - it can be hard to know whether you just need some tactical marketing help or a broader rethink. This article gives some pointers to help you decide.  
Public Relations
 Getting publicity for your business
Your product is great, your service excellent - but customers just don't seem to know about you. A PR specialist can help you generate news and interest that will bring customers to you.  
 Publicity for you and Skillfair
Skillfair's Google map based Consultant Tracker is a great tool for businesses looking for locally based advice, and we want as many people to know about it as possible. Can you help?  
 How to write an effective press release
Hiring a PR agency is probably beyond the means of many consultants, but that doesn't mean you can't get yourself into the press. The key is to come up with a new and interesting angle and target specialist magazines or websites that cover your area of expertise.  
Training
 Help for Trainers and Course Providers
However good you are at delivering training finding the next client can be challenge. Skillfair can help with access to public tenders, private clients, associate opportunities and other resources.  
 Keeping your skills up to date
How can you keep your skills up todate when you're busy delivering and marketing your services?  
 Training Managers - How can we help you?
We have a wide range of trainers and consultants with experience in management, staff and vocational training - plus a range of specialist technical training providers.  
 Websites for Training and Learning Professionals
A selection of websites with information to support training an learning professionals  
click here for more Training articles
News
 Mechanical Engineers Partner with Skillfair
Tips on being successful with tendering and a new partnership with The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).  
 Key advice from consultants
80% of Skillfair consultants much prefer being self-employed - so what advice do they give to people just starting up?  
 2009 Skillfair Fee Survey - Please Respond
Details of Skillfair's 2009 fee survey - please take the time to let us know what you charge and it will help all of us understand what the market is doing.  
 What advice would you give ?
There are lots of people being made redundant who are likely to turn to self-employment - we ask Skillfair members what advice they would give people about to start out.  
click here for more News articles
Case Studies
 Case Study - Engineer on the right track
With a long and varied career as a practising mechanical engineer behind him, Adrian Taylor has plenty to offer potential clients, but they haven't always been able to find him. Since joining Skillfair as a reult of the partnership with IMechE however, he's seen a steady stream of interesting and varied leads come through and has already converted one into an assignment.  
 Case study: Sonia Job, Marketing in Practice
If it hadn’t been for Skillfair, I would probably have given up self-employment by now!, Sonia Job, Marketing in Practice  
 Case Study - Selling Wisdom!
With a strong commercial and public sector background, John Thurlbeck has found Skillfair an excellent way to generate new leads.  
 Case Study: Jeremy Hurst
Many people enter self-employment for work-life balance - but landing clients outside your local area requires effort and persistence,as Skillfair member Jeremy Hurst has found.  
click here for more Case Studies articles
Tenders
 Tender Service - What does it cover?
European Journal tenders, smaller value tenders from the UK public sector and voluntary sector brought to you desk every day.  
 Tendering and Procurement Jargon
RFPs, RFQs, ITTS - if you've never encountered a formal procurement process before the number of acronyms can be overwhelming! Here are some usefuldefinitions to get you strated.  
 I'm bidding for a tender, but I'm missing some skills
if the tender you're interested needs a wide range of skills how can you go about putting together a bid?  
 Consultancy Tender Alert Service
Skillfair's tender alert service is specially designed for copanies and individuals who provide complex, knowledge based services and solutions. We add value to the information by matching alerts to the skills required for each project.  
click here for more Tenders articles
Partners
 Skillfair Partners
Skillfair works with many professional bodies, trade associations and networking groups to provide access to opportunities for their members.  
 Skillfair Services for Partners
Skillfair provides a simple, transparent and cost-effective way of managing requests for specialist expertise that allows membership organisations to develop a consistent revenue stream without the admin and overhead associated with commission schemes.  
 Partnership with IMechE
Skillfair provides consultants directory and alert service to 80,000 members of IMechE  
 Partnership with IBC
Skillfair provides a tender and opportunity alert service to members of the Institute of Business Consulting (IBC)  
click here for more Partners articles