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Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
111–120 of 149 posts
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
> balancing binary trees, time/space complexity of sorting algos .... I needed knowledge like it, but you can look that up as well) In my experience, it is now about knowing how to do these things but when to reach for them when solving a problem.
Agreed! And I never reach for them, because I work on web apps. If I was a database developer, the story might be different. But I don't feel the need to be interviewed on those topics over and over again. Subsequently, I don't know how to do those things.
One thing I realized after doing some studying is that your approach is limited by the concepts and tools you're familiar with. As I learned more about data structures and algorithms and as I practiced using them and evaluating the complexity of my implementations, I felt a lot more clarity and confidence about solving problems and structuring my code efficiently.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#113If you dislike going through interviews, I'm not sure that freelance work or going into business for yourself (which is the normal model for this kind of thing) is really the right answer. When you're freelancing you're essentially interviewing for your job every single minute you're in front of or have an active project with the client. Soft skills and doing work that has nothing to do with engineering is even more…
Soft skills I don’t mind; grown up interviews I don’t mind. I have done freelancing for 30 years now and had 0 requests for balancing binary trees, time/space complexity of sorting algos; things that are often associated with interviews here on HN and things which I did, you know, in uni, for which, you know, I have a degree to prove I could do them and know what they are. They are generally 100% useless on modern jo…
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Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#114If you dislike going through interviews, I'm not sure that freelance work or going into business for yourself (which is the normal model for this kind of thing) is really the right answer. When you're freelancing you're essentially interviewing for your job every single minute you're in front of or have an active project with the client. Soft skills and doing work that has nothing to do with engineering is even more…
Soft skills I don’t mind; grown up interviews I don’t mind. I have done freelancing for 30 years now and had 0 requests for balancing binary trees, time/space complexity of sorting algos; things that are often associated with interviews here on HN and things which I did, you know, in uni, for which, you know, I have a degree to prove I could do them and know what they are. They are generally 100% useless on modern jo…
> Soft skills I don’t mind; grown up interviews I don’t mind.
BINGO.
I'm good at the job and good at normal interviews. I more-or-less enjoy both, even. I like talking to clients, and I'm good at it. I can sell myself. And I can do the work.
Specifically software developer interviews practically make me hyperventilate and break out in hives. Fuck that. A pop quiz over a huge potential space, probably over something I will never in my life actually use on the job, to be solved live while people watch and judge me? Oh my god, no. No. Why the shit that's considered acceptable in a world where we're so touchy-feely that projects are supposed to have Codes of Conduct is beyond me. It's straight-up abuse.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#115> I don't like to stick to one project for a long time, which is visible on my resume, and recruiters don't like that. Have you considered the consulting industry? Project rotation is high (2-3 projects/year) but you don't look jumpy in your resume (although to be honest, I have done the same before and only once a potential employer brought it up as a red flag)
Your mileage will vary there.
I've worked for two consulting companies, enjoyed both but one company had me on 3 projects within 8 months while the other had me on the same project for a year and a half and only moved me when I told them I needed a change (to their credit they accommodated me, but I bring this up because every consulting company will be different).
A lot of the reasons why this variability exists has to do with the types of projects that the company takes on. In the second case, being on a project long-term, the client hired us because they wanted to outsource their software development in general and had created long term relationship with the agency. In other cases the client will just want a proof of concept developed, or a bit of additional help on a project that it is in the weeds etc.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
How many hours should I play before reaching out? I'm only sort of kidding.
In all seriousness, a few hundred hours in recent years. I could definitely work with people who have none, but it ends up being more effort on my part and negates the hand-off effect.
Ah recent years..
I was #16 in clanbase globally for a brief period in CS1.6 way back when - I've always thought I was wasting my life at that point, but now I see I should have stuck with it :D
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
Agreed! And I never reach for them, because I work on web apps. If I was a database developer, the story might be different. But I don't feel the need to be interviewed on those topics over and over again. Subsequently, I don't know how to do those things.
One thing I realized after doing some studying is that your approach is limited by the concepts and tools you're familiar with. As I learned more about data structures and algorithms and as I practiced using them and evaluating the complexity of my implementations, I felt a lot more clarity and confidence about solving problems and structuring my code efficiently.
Yes! I doubt companies grill you about binary trees because they expect you to actually implement any of the algorithms in your day to day work.
They want to know if you have studied the fundamentals, so you at least have a chance of understanding whatever you are going to be copy-pasting from Stack Overflow.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#118You can look up for freelance platforms like fiverr, upwork. It is not boring everyday have different task/work, It is feels like puzzle solving everyday.
Those platform are pretty bad unless you are a beginner or you're into a very specific niche.
I started on those platforms and I couldn't scale up my rate well enough as without those platforms.
At the same time I know a few crypto devs who built their reputation there and can get good rates.
For high paid normal web development, nothing beats a good network of wealthy companies who constantly need crap done.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#119You can try Toptal. I heard good things about them but haven't got in myself because they require leetcode puzzles which I suck at atm.
I just had a short interview the other day with 2 folks. Screensharing, we went through the first 'problem'. They gave me some SQL tables with dummy data, and asked for some data/queries. "How would you get X?" "How would you get all X who are not retired?" etc After 3 questions, the guy stopped and said "no one has ever gotten this far this quickly before - I don't have any other prepared questions right now. Let's…
I don't like leetcode myself that's why I cancelled my application.
Someday if I'm desperate for work I might work on it and apply again.
Still, it's still better than begging around on upwork or fiverr like some people are doing.
Re: Ask HN: Where can I find small companies to work for part-time?
#120You can try Toptal. I heard good things about them but haven't got in myself because they require leetcode puzzles which I suck at atm.
Anyone know the payment structure / cut for TopTal?
You can set your hourly rate as part of your profile. That's what you get paid, they add something to cover their costs when your profile is sent to the client.
To change your rates, you have to go to their support group and ask for the change. I'm not sure how hard it is to change I haven't needed to change it yet.