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Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#61

Post by Uptrenda »

I don't know how helpful this will be OP: but thinking about problems in your domain and writing about your solutions is a good way to establish competence. It's the difference between organic leads vs active advertising. The former has the client coming to you and the latter has you chasing the client.

Which of these do you think works the best? In my experience its the former by far (all of the people who have sought me out had the most reasonable and interesting project.) But I do understand that in the beginning you're going to have to grind to get anywhere (share your work where ever you can) which means putting in A LOT of unpaid hours doing research and development for new stuff. It's worth it though.

If you keep working on your portfolio and learning new skills then you will never have to look for work again. Just think of the security that would bring: To know that if anything happened to the company you're working for (or you get fired) you can sign a new contract the very same day. Would be amazing for most devs... But in my experience this can only happen if you specialise.

The problem is, there is too much competition for the skills you listed. As an example, if you were to learn some skills in say - big data or AI then you would be much more competitive. I know that's a big ask but one thing I think is true about the tech industry is that anyone can succeed if they put in the effort. In the end its a meritocracy, so the good developers quickly go to the top and the bad ones are weeded out... Remember companies ARE looking for good developers all the time, you just have to make yourself heard and do something worth showing (this doesn't necessarily mean applying to a company. Get creative. There are a lot of ways to stand out)

Good luck OP

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#63

Post by juice_bus »

throwaway847261 wrote: post #52
Mz wrote: post #16

Potential alternative to Upwork that sounds better: http://gigworks.blogspot.com/2017/04/moonlight-work-for-soft...

The problem with Moonlight is lack of companies on it. The large amount of developers on there compared to the number of projects and the lack of a real site (the app is just Google forms and emails) make this site feel like a waste of time. I really wanted to like Moonlight, but I think it has some issue right now.

I can personally vouch for Moonlight - I am working on a contract with them right now and didn't have to race to the bottom on pricing. While I certainly couldn't _live_ off this single contract it does not hurt to have your name in the hat for the companies that are looking.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#64

Post by [deleted] »

VLM wrote: post #17
jfmandroid wrote: post #5

Try https://toptal.com Once you pass their screening process, you will get jobs in one or two weeks

Something I find rather intimidating about toptal is their top 3% advertising, when I think of top 3% work I think of, say, writing an RFC of a widely used internet protocol, inventing a language and writing its optimizing compiler, automated air traffic control, debugging live code on nuclear reactor SCADA systems, that kind of stuff. I'd be interested in work at a calmer more laid back environment like only top 5%…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#66

Post by hluska »

penpapersw wrote: post #50
hluska wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, I'm not going to leave this one be. Have you ever considered that the way you communicate may be a bigger issue? Consider this line, from your HN profile: Email me at admin@affluentconfidante.com if you have a job to get done and money to pay for it. At best, that is extremely unprofessional. Or, even consider these phrases from this very comment: In the past month I only found less than 10 remote jobs To me th…

Sorry that came off as negative. It's more or less a very limited amount of time. That's one of the reasons I can't get a "regular job". My wife has an illness we haven't gotten a stable diagnosis for yet, which makes her exhausted all the time, leaving me to watch our 5 children (from teen to baby), which is a full time job in and of itself. The few times I do anything during the day have to be done in tiny windows…

I'm sorry that all of this is happening to your family. You're going through something terrible.

My email is in my profile. If you'd like some editing help, reach out. I can't solve your immediate situation, but maybe I can help strip it from your writing.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#68

Post by cjalmeida »

jaymzcampbell wrote: post #34
VLM wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Something I find rather intimidating about toptal is their top 3% advertising, when I think of top 3% work I think of, say, writing an RFC of a widely used internet protocol, inventing a language and writing its optimizing compiler, automated air traffic control, debugging live code on nuclear reactor SCADA systems, that kind of stuff. I'd be interested in work at a calmer more laid back environment like only top 5%…

A fellow HN user, gil_vegliach[2], wrote up a very good summary[1] of the Toptal 3% filtering process - it seems fairly rigorous, consisting of multiple rounds with a week long project (doesn't mention if this is paid or not). Basically, it sounds like a "full" tech interview. [1] http://gilvegliach.it/?id=14 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=gil_vegliach

I'm on Toptal. I can confirm the blog post is quite accurate on the screening process. They likely receive applicants across the world and they must have a quick filter in process. Remember a lot of so-called "software engineers" can't even solve FizzBuzz. Allegedly, only 5% pass the initial algorithmic step, and the other half fails the other steps leaving only about 3% of the applicants.

You set the rates, though they'll direct your on what might be competitive. In practice, rates might not be that interesting for SV/NYC developers, but I find plenty of people from other parts of the developed world in the network - and is definitely good for South America.

And at least in my experience, staff is polite and professional. They'll help you build an attractive profile and deal with most of the usual client/freelancer nuisance, including rates and payments. As they handle most negotiation on your behalf, the relationship "smoothness" with clients is above average.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#69

Post by pacomerh »

wtracy wrote: post #4

The problems with Upwork and Freelancer, while significant, are regularly blown out of proportion. I don't recommend them for more than finding short gigs when you're in a pinch, but they are useful for that. Do be prepared to lose a lot of jobs to bidders from the third world. Take advantage of anything that you can use to differentiate yourself. Also, get a stack of business cards and start going to local business…

Honest question. Are business cards still useful?, do people actually hold to them?. If I'm interested in a person I trade emails, done. I don't know anyone who holds business cards from other people.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?

#70

Post by noufalibrahim »

There are several suggestions on how you can get an immediate gig here.

I have something else to add. Once you do get a gig and start on it, budget some time and money to grow your network. There's no real substitute for a real circle of influential and well connected contacts in my experience. Perhaps attend conferences related to technologies that you're interested in, participate on online fora (mailing lists, stack overflow etc.) to help people with their problems in exchange for visibility, get a linkedIN profile, go to local user group meetups (or atleast attend nearby ones less frequently if you're in a city that doesn't have many such groups).

Good luck!

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