Contracting & Freelancing:
Mid-Career Professionals

For experienced professionals in supply chain, logistics, procurement and commercial operations

Thinking About Going Interim? Here’s What You Need to Know

Contracting can offer freedom, variety, and control – but it’s not the same as permanent employment. This guide helps you navigate the shift with clarity and confidence.

Introduction

You’ve built solid experience – you know how to lead teams, manage change, and deliver results. But for one reason or another, you’re now exploring interim work. Maybe you want more flexibility. Maybe you’re between roles. Maybe you’re ready for a change – and a traditional permanent path just isn’t appealing right now.

Whatever’s brought you here, stepping into the world of contracting or freelancing isn’t just a fallback – it can be a strategic career move. But it does require a shift in mindset, messaging, and structure.

This guide will help you understand what interim work really involves, what you’ll need to succeed, and how to approach it with purpose – not panic.

What Is Interim Work?

At mid-career level, interim roles are typically project-based or fixed-term contracts - usually 3 to 12 months. You’re not joining the business to settle in or climb the ladder. You’re there to deliver. Fast.

That might mean:

  • Covering for a team leader or manager during leave
  • Supporting a system rollout or change project
  • Fixing a process that’s not performing
  • Bridging the gap between permanent hires
  • Helping a stretched team keep operations on track

In short: you’re brought in when there’s a need - and you’re expected to get up to speed quickly, work independently, and deliver outcomes.

Why Choose Interim Work?

Contracting isn’t just about filling gaps. For many professionals, it’s a way to take back control of how, and where, they work.

Here are some common drivers:

  • Flexibility - Set your own pace and availability
  • Variety - Work across industries, teams, and tools
  • Focus - Deliver value without getting caught in long-term politics
  • Progression - Step into stretch roles or projects you might not get permanently
  • Career clarity - Use interim roles to test environments or build specific expertise
  • Momentum - Keep moving forward during hiring freezes or slow permanent markets

And sometimes? It’s simply the right opportunity at the right time.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

1. A Shift in Positioning

Permanent candidates are judged on potential and long-term fit. Interim candidates are judged on capability and speed.

You need to position yourself as someone who can:

  • Pick things up quickly
  • Work with minimal supervision
  • Deliver clear, measurable outcomes
  • Support teams without stepping on toes
  • Step away cleanly once the job is done

This shift needs to come through in your CV, interviews, and conversations.

2. A Practical Setup

Depending on the contract structure, you may need to:

  • Register as a Limited Company or work through an umbrella company
  • Understand IR35 (off-payroll working rules) and whether they apply to your contracts
  • Secure relevant business insurance (e.g. public liability, professional indemnity)
  • Set a day rate, not a salary
  • Track expenses, invoices, and payments

If this is your first contract, a specialist recruiter or umbrella company can help guide you through the process - but the more you understand, the better prepared you’ll be.

3. A Focused, Outcome-Led CV

Contracting requires a different approach to CV writing. Employers want to see:

  • The specific problem you were brought in to solve
  • The action you took
  • The result you delivered - and how quickly
  • The context (industry, team size, tools used)

Make it easy for hiring managers to see your value at a glance. Use bullet points that lead with impact, not just responsibility.

4. Confidence in Your Interview Style

Contract interviews are shorter, sharper, and more direct. You’ll likely be asked:

  • “Have you done this before?”
  • “How quickly can you be up and running?”
  • “How would you handle [x] if the team isn’t aligned?”
  • “Can you commit to the full contract period?”

You don’t need to oversell yourself - just be clear, honest, and capable. Demonstrate that you’re adaptable, focused, and easy to work with.

Adapting Your Mindset

One of the biggest shifts is psychological. Contracting is a different way of working - and thinking.

You need to be:

  • Comfortable with ambiguity and change
  • Quick to adapt and solve, not settle
  • Willing to let go of status or structure
  • Focused on outcomes, not ownership
  • Resilient - contracts end, teams move on, you start again

You’re not building tenure - you’re building a reputation for impact.

Building a Pipeline

The more visible and proactive you are, the easier it becomes to stay in work.

Start with:

  • A clear, up-to-date LinkedIn profile
  • Letting trusted recruiters know your availability and preferences
  • Staying in touch with contacts from past contracts or employers
  • Following up after assignments - a quick thank-you goes a long way
  • Sharing availability, insights, or contract wins (with discretion)

Momentum builds - but only if you stay engaged.

Common Challenges (and How to Navigate Them)

  • Scope creep - Clarify expectations early. Agree on deliverables in writing.
  • Limited support - Don’t wait for onboarding. Ask the right questions and set yourself up to succeed.
  • Unclear reporting lines - Get aligned on who you answer to and how progress will be tracked.
  • Feeling isolated - Remember: you’re not there to integrate - you’re there to deliver. But still build relationships where possible.
  • Downtime between contracts - Plan financially. Have a 1-2 month buffer if possible. Stay connected and active in the market.

Final Thoughts

Interim work isn’t just a plan B – it can be the smartest move of your career. You’ll gain exposure, build resilience, grow your network, and sharpen your ability to deliver real results under pressure.

It’s not for everyone – but for the right mindset, it offers a level of freedom, variety, and challenge that permanent roles can’t always match.

And once you prove you can deliver? The next contract tends to find you.

WHERE TO NEXT?

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