IT contractors and freelancers can enjoy a number of benefits from working for themselves, from preferential tax solutions to an improved quality of work.

According to a recent article on Forbes.com, becoming a freelancer is a "very real option" for those with the right skills, and the publication has provided a number of tips for those new to contracting.

First, it is always beneficial to establish your presence with a good, professional website and make a point of meeting clients face-to-face, even if you will be working from home.

A clear, itemised invoice should be sent promptly to every client, and there is plenty of software available to ensure a freelancer is billing their clients fairly.

"You don't necessarily need to put together a business plan, but maybe a business outline," Gene Fairbrother, lead consultant for the US National Association for the Self-Employed told the publication.

"It is important to analyze the market and ask: Do you have a place?"

According to a recent study by Comres, freelancers are on average happier and more content than those employed solely by one company.