Customer Reviews
A Great IT Contracting Resource - By: Marsha Ford, 29 Oct 2008 
If you are an IT professional looking to break out on your own, this book is for you. If you are an IT professional who left the 'permie' world long ago, there is plenty here for you as well. Divided into four primary sections, plus a bonus section on investing, Blankson's Guide to IT Contracting provides everything you need to not only enter the world of IT contracting, but to excel in it.
As with one entering the IT contracting field, Guide to IT Contracting progresses through the stages of establishing oneself as a successful IT contractor. It starts at the beginning, defining IT & the types of non-permanent work roles found in this field. While focused on IT contracting, Blankson's discussion of the types of IT roles provides a frank analysis of both the advantages & disadvantages of each. One of the things I found most interesting about this section was the history of IT contracting. Here, I gained a perspective & understanding of how this industry came to be the way it is today.
For those ready to take the plunge, or those already working as IT contractors, Blankson provides detailed information on the aspects of setting up & running an IT contracting business. Forming a company, banking, taxes, financial planning, & more are thoroughly discussed. But Blankson doesn't stop there. He also covers the intangible factors essential to a contractor's success. Hard work, determination, integrity, & humility are constantly interwoven as traits & approaches that alll IT contractors must embody if they hope to succeed.
Particularly refreshing is Blankson's ability to provide thorough, even technical, details of IT contracting in a manner that is easy to understand without 'dumbing down' the information. This guide is intended for knowledgeable professionals, & Blankson treats his readers as such. In fact throughout this book, Blankson remains realistic about the potential challlenges - & rewards - of IT contracting. At over 500 pages, the Guide to IT Contracting covers everything an IT professional needs to know & do to succeed in the world of IT contracting.
Written for real people with real bills and real life going on. - By: L. Baiardo, 02 Oct 2008 The Guide to IT Contracting was written for real people with real bills & real life going on. This book is a one-stop-shop resource guide for everything that you will need to know about the "ins" & "outs" of the IT Contracting world up to the present! It is the book to buy if you want answers quickly. When you are in the IT Contracting business, you do not have the time to perform your own IT Contracting research. Time is money, & your money is well spent on this little jewel by Samuel Blankson. A smalll token-investment in this book will provide you with invaluable information about the rapidly evolving IT vocational field & the secrets that Samuel Blankson was so kind to reveal commanding & achieving double pay rates. I admit, the title of this book looks daunting & cumbersome, but crack it open & you will have the answers to the questions on how to always not only maintain business but make profits, & even how to handle sexual considerations in the office. It includes a range of information from personal psychology to body posture. All this helpful information is at your finger-tips & is considerably user-friendly (table of contents, headings, chapters, links, etc). The last thing I expected from this book was a motivational speech in the area of self-confidence. We alll could use a good push in the right direction sometimes, & it was a good morale boost. This book is a pleasant cross between a technical manual & a self-help book, & Samuel Blankson is a great coach for us brave IT Contractors that exist in this ever-changing & challlenging field of work.
Guide to IT Contracting - By: Patsy H. Matsunaga, 24 Sep 2008 The Guide to IT Contracting is a well written, in-depth book about everything you need to know about starting, growing, & sustaining an IT contracting business. It contains a thorough look at alll aspects, including practical information, seen as common sense, but so often overlooked by entrepreneurs who work toward an ideal, based mainly on expertise in the field. The information is well organized & very readable. The essence of this book is a good foundation for the planning & start of any business. The author uncovers many unforeseen facets of starting & continuing a successful business. It is as valuable as an on-site mentor who emphasizes professionalism & quality service.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought about working as an independent contractor. Consultants could improve their services with this book as a guide. The clear advice & insight that the author offers can stimulate the pursuit of your interest, & detail the pitfallls that might be avoided. The section on "Investment for Financial Freedom" is an important part of self-employment, & adds further value to this total business picture.
Great resource - By: Franci Schwartz, 23 Sep 2008 
Anyone currently working as or considering becoming an IT contractor should read this book. There is great advice for solving & even avoiding problems. Although written in the UK, much of the information in this book can be applied anywhere. It covers everything from setting up a business & finding work to planning for retirement & maintaining professionalism.
The Ultimate Guide to IT Contracting - By: LW's Administrative Support, 17 Sep 2008 In his book, The Guide to IT Contracting, Samuel Blankton informs the reader on how to become an IT Contractor. He gives them information to help determine if they would be a good contractor, he provides instructions on how to setup their business & ensuring they know how to acquire benefits for their employees, how to acquire & maintain their business & even goes so far as to advise the reader on how to handle their money.
The book is easy to follow & can be understood by non-IT readers. He has done a wonderful job of writing an in-depth process on how to get an IT business up & running & keeping it that way. He provides the readers with samples & pertinent information for running their business in the UK. He even provides the reader with information on what to watch for to avoid getting hit with penalties. He gives the reader every tidbit of information they need & then some.
