Ask HN: How do you get side gigs? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#31

Post by buzbe_uk » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:00 PM UTC

jinglejangley wrote: post #13

jjevanoorschot wrote: post #5

Unless you already have top of market compensation, I'd focus on interviewing for a higher paying job rather than do more work on the side. Going by the ££ signs I'm assuming you can get a job in London, where you can make >£200k total compensation as a good software engineer.

I'm already earning near that compensation, was just looking for something on the side as well :)

This may be unpopular here, but be really clear what you want out of your job.

If you're just talking side gigs be really clear this doesn't interfere with your own job performance. The first target you hit because of your "side gig" will be your downward spiral.

Now .. running your own business is another option. For me I encourage my staff to have "side gig" of their own business, but will not sign off on them contracting on the side.

One is a valuable option where you learn new skills - the other is...

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#32

Post by H8crilA » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:02 PM UTC

atemerev wrote: post #21

Well, if you want money, go with the money. For me it is consulting in crypto and algorithmic trading, but there are other high-paying areas to consider. Like adtech, but I am not sociopathic enough for that. It is harder to find a side gig as a generic (no pun intended) Go developer, you’d want to specialize in something.

Why adtech is more sociopathic than algorithmic trading? Honest question, especially because both are so similar (algorithmic usage of information in fast marketplaces).

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#33

Post by nerdponx » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:06 PM UTC

MrPatan wrote: post #17

jjevanoorschot wrote: post #5

Unless you already have top of market compensation, I'd focus on interviewing for a higher paying job rather than do more work on the side. Going by the ££ signs I'm assuming you can get a job in London, where you can make >£200k total compensation as a good software engineer.

FANGs? startups? contracts? It's been a while since I looked, is 200k the norm now? Asking for a friend...

In Boston and NYC I am seeing $150-200k at well-funded startups for "experienced IC" roles. If you have several years of experience, and you're actually a good engineer, and aren't at least above 150k in a market like this, you need to start interviewing, because your current employer is taking advantage of you.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#34

Post by rswskg » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:06 PM UTC

jinglejangley wrote: post #13

jjevanoorschot wrote: post #5

Unless you already have top of market compensation, I'd focus on interviewing for a higher paying job rather than do more work on the side. Going by the ££ signs I'm assuming you can get a job in London, where you can make >£200k total compensation as a good software engineer.

I'm already earning near that compensation, was just looking for something on the side as well :)

Are you a contractor?

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#35

Post by sedeki » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:07 PM UTC

jjevanoorschot wrote: post #5

Unless you already have top of market compensation, I'd focus on interviewing for a higher paying job rather than do more work on the side. Going by the ££ signs I'm assuming you can get a job in London, where you can make >£200k total compensation as a good software engineer.

How would I go about making that kind of money? I'm planning on moving to London next year. My professional background is as a web dev.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#36

Post by xwdv » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:07 PM UTC

sirsinsalot wrote: post #22

ChrisRR wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much more money do you need if you're on 200K? That's already like 3-4x the salary of a dev in the UK

Making a value judgement on someones financial ambition is a little ... weak. Does it really matter? I'm on £200k gross in the UK, outside London ... but i'm not done climbing that mountain. Of course £200k is "enough" for anyone, but that doesn't mean you can't aim higher. Ambition should be celebrated

Ambition is the enemy of consistency.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#37

Post by jjevanoorschot » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:07 PM UTC

MrPatan wrote: post #17

jjevanoorschot wrote: post #5

Unless you already have top of market compensation, I'd focus on interviewing for a higher paying job rather than do more work on the side. Going by the ££ signs I'm assuming you can get a job in London, where you can make >£200k total compensation as a good software engineer.

FANGs? startups? contracts? It's been a while since I looked, is 200k the norm now? Asking for a friend...

I mentioned £200k because it's near the top end for a senior engineer in London (although not the very top). FAANG, some Unicorns, trading firms will pay this to a senior engineer. Bear in mind this is total compensation, so part of that will be in stock or options.

For engineers based in the UK that are shocked by this number I'd recommend reading this [0] article. It's about compensation in the Netherlands but the same principle holds for the UK.

[0] https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/software-engineering-sala...

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#38

Post by ghaff » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:08 PM UTC

loudouncodes wrote: post #19

Networking and Marketing. For 10 years I spoke at every conference, user group, etc. that I could find. I sustained a 9 person consulting company finding gigs through the network of other speakers and attendees that would come up and ask me questions. Every question can be rephrased as “I have a problem you can help me solve”, but you also have to qualify to make sure there is a company with a budget for solving that…

I think that highlights though that a steady stream of decent paying gigs isn't a few hours "after the kids are in bed" sort of thing for the most part. Every now and then I'll do a little (non-coding) consulting for someone I know but my observation--not having looked very hard, mind you--is that anything between having a serious go at it and picking up low-paying scraps is hard to do on a regular basis.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#39

Post by giantg2 » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:13 PM UTC

nerdponx wrote: post #30

giantg2 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Ambition should be celebrated" I might agree with this depending on what the specific goal is. But why should ambition be generally celebrated? There is certainly ambition that has brought about improvement in life. There has also been ambition applied to the wrong ends or failing that has brought suffering. I'm not sold on the idea that the goal of continually increasing comp above an already luxurious level is mea…

It is perfectly valid to believe that OP is probably overpaid in their day job, and also to believe that they are entitled to seek a side gig if they prefer.

Ok... that has nothing to do with my comment. Of course they're entitled to want a side gig. But why is ambition something to be celebrated, especially in the context of this example?

Re: Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

#40

Post by Eclyps » Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 1:14 PM UTC

I've always just leveraged existing connections. I'm not great at selling myself, but I've done a lot of good work for a handful of people that ARE good at talking me up. Reach out to people that you've done good work for and let them know that you are looking for some side gigs. You might not get anything right away, but things could start trickling in. This has opened up a lot of opportunities for me.