The wellpaid.io community: a recruiter-free space for tech contractors

by Hannah Watkins

First things first, what is wellpaid.io?

wellpaid.io is a recruiter-free job board and marketplace for contractors and hirers in the tech industry, focusing on outside IR35 contracts.

An experienced contractor himself, founder Chris wanted to build a platform that made it easy for contractors to find work, and added transparency to the job-searching process; recruiter costs can be extortionate (for hirers and contractors alike), and existing job boards were mostly concerned with permanent positions—meaning they don't have features for contractors, like filtering for remote jobs...making the whole experience of finding new gigs pretty soul-destroying.

In 2018, Chris turned the idea into a reality, and wellpaid.io was born. Now two years in, thousands of experienced contractors have already found new roles through the wellpaid.io network.

Looking for a new role? Check out what’s currently available and apply now.

Introducing… the wellpaid.io community

One of the great benefits of building a product for your own industry is that you can solve your own problems as you work.

It’s no secret that a professional network can be a hugely valuable asset for those in all job roles. But the nature of contracting means that it’s often tough for contractors to build their own—especially when people are starting out.

Chris knew first-hand how useful this could be for the contracting community. There are various pockets of contractors around, but it was time for something a little more “official”.

So, in 2020, Chris launched the wellpaid.io community: a platform to connect contractors with other contractors and hirers in a recruiter-free space, and provide all members with the support they need to thrive—through everything from knowledge-sharing to contracting-related perks.

It was quickly a success, and is continually evolving to meet the needs of its members.

So, what does a wellpaid.io membership include?

There are currently two tiers of contractor membership: Standard and Pro.

Standard membership

Any contractor can join the wellpaid.io community completely free of charge via a Standard membership. (Details on how to join below).

This gives you access to the community area of the site, where you can:

  • Meet 100+ other experienced tech contractors
  • Discover new jobs from other contractors in the community
  • Discuss role-related topics and industry-wide developments with fellow professionals
  • Share experiences of particular recruiters or agencies with other members

A Standard membership also allows you create your own contractor profile, like this one. These profiles allow you to showcase your professional presence to potential clients; kind of like mini LinkedIn profiles, but specialised for contractors. But unlike LinkedIn, profiles can limit who messages you (say goodbye to recruiters!), set clear rate expectations, and highlight your availability.

These profiles make up the closed contractor database, which approved hirers can search and filter to find contractors who meet their needs. Hirers can also reach out to you directly (when you're marked as available), without you having to lift a finger.

Pro membership

As a Pro member, you’ll be able to do everything that you can with a Standard membership, as well as:

  • Feature your profile, to help you find new clients quickly
  • Access hundreds of essential discounts, worth over £1,000/year for the average UK contractor (more information below)

Pro membership costs just £19/mo (+VAT)—sign up now.

It’s worth mentioning that there are a number of exciting new membership features in the pipeline, and that member feedback plays a huge part in deciding on what gets built. As an early member, you can be instrumental in shaping what the wellpaid.io community looks like from the start.

What discounts are included in the Pro membership?

The Pro membership gives members access to over 100 discounts in total. Some are contractor-specific, whilst others are for entrepreneurs and will work well for your side projects.

Here’s a small selection of what’s on offer:

Find the full list here.

How to join the wellpaid.io community

Joining the wellpaid.io community is easy. Just head to this page and decide whether you want to go for the Standard or the Pro plan.

Whichever plan you choose, we first ask contractors to fill in a short application form. We do this to:

  • ensure that the network is made up of high-quality, engaged contractors,
  • check if you match any skill shortages among live jobs, and
  • keep the platform recruiter-free.

Once your request has been approved, you'll have full access to the platform: your profile will go live, you'll have full access to the community, and—if you're on the Pro plan—you'll be able to start using your discounts.

Join now.

If you have any questions about the wellpaid.io community and memberships, simply drop a message to chris@wellpaid.io.