When you’re going to a new site, plan on being there for a year (unless you know with absolute certainty that you’ll be there less than a year). Get a decent apartment and put it on a 6-month or 1-year lease. Move in and establish a life. Don’t forgo too many conveniences or pleasures with the idea that you won’t be there too long.

Don’t believe it when you are told that you absolutely must be somewhere by a particular date to start a new or resume an old contract. It can wait. Take your regularly scheduled trip home or do whatever you had planned. Don’t alter your plans because others can’t plan. Generally, they won’t be ready for you anyway and don’t appreciate your sacrifices.

Break down and buy two of everything. You’ll need one set at your apartment and one set at your permanent address. Don’t shuttle five-dollar or cheaper items back and forth on the airplane.

Keep in mind that whatever you buy will have to be hauled, sold, given away, or thrown out when you have to move next. Prior to a move, selling, giving your extraneous belongings away, or throwing them out is not as bad as having to pack, haul, store, haul, and unpack them at a later date. Generally, it’s cheaper to buy stuff again. Go to Wal-Mart and Big Lots.

Never assume you’re indispensable. But at the same time, make yourself as indispensable as possible.

Always have a slush fund (3 to 6 months of salary) just in case you don’t have work.

Never forget that it’s not your responsibility. Do your piece of work responsibly; but realize that the client owns the program and, if the program is not working, it’s not your fault.

Never compromise your integrity. Never cut corners on a project to make the client happy. As soon as you do, the client will forget that they told you to cut corners, other individuals (including the client) will review your work and determine that the substandard product is an example of your inept work, and the document will live forever.

Don’t worry if your work is behind schedule or overrunning budget. All budgets are undersized and all schedules have optimistic dates. Once management realizes that the bean counters are ridiculously lost, they’ll find more money and push out the schedule until you are finished.

If you establish a relationship with the client, don’t be surprised if they slam you about being a contractor (your easy lifestyle, frequent vacations - normally referred to as trips home, etc.). Just smile inside and know that you’re being paid more than they are.

Never bring your expensive toys (e.g., sports car, boat, clothes) to work. Never discuss your portfolio (e.g., stocks, mutual funds) at work or brag about how much money you make or have and how you will retire in X years.

Don’t have an affair with the client, client’s spouse, or client’s children.

Don’t slam other contractors unless you’re sure that you won’t ever need to work for them.

Watch after your clearance! Neither the client nor the company you’re contracting through cares about it until it’s too late. If your badge doesn’t show you have a clearance, you don’t. Make sure it gets transferred before you leave a job, because as soon as you leave, it will be terminated.

Never be the most expensive person charging to the contract.

If the client delays renewing a contract and/or won’t allow an annual increase, start looking for another client. Become particularly worried if a long-term contract is granted; it’s just a matter of time before the funding will disappear because large long-term budgets are the most easily slashed.

Use Sunscreen