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Ask HN: How do you get side gigs?

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

#181

Post by daggersandscars »

angarg12 wrote: post #163
itake wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I earn $10k/mo contracting 20 hours per week. Personally, this extra income helped me maximize my day job benefits (401k and ESPP) and provided liquidity during the home buying process.

Maybe you can answer a question that is nagging me. I recently moved to the US, and ever since I keep getting messages on LinkedIn offering contract/freelance jobs. However the hourly rate is so poor that it would pay less that my current job base pay (not counting stocks and bonuses). In Europe the rule of thumb is that contract job should pay 2x your full time job rate. This is based on the associated overhead plus…

In the US, there are (at least) two competing views of contractors.

One side believes that contractors are cheap, disposable labor that costs less than hiring an employee with benefits.

Another side believes that contractors are a way to access temporarily needed expertise they lack in-house and cost more than hiring an employee with benefits.

Some firms' views depend on the skillset. Other firms have the same view no matter what.

In my experience, the more general a position, the more likely it is to be put in the "cheaper" group. The more specialized a position, the more likely it is to be put in the "expensive" group. Neither of these categorizations necessarily is correct, just how the firm is viewing things.

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

#182

Post by rossdavidh »

So, no claims that I'm an expert at this, but...

The part-time thing has two kinds, in my very limited experience. One, is doing maintenance on something you used to work on full-time. You already know the code base, you just don't need to be doing full-time work on it. If you were good to work with, previous employers might have a use for you on a part-time basis.

The other kind, is going to be the fiverr-type thing, where your pay rate is not competitive.

So, leveraging past employment (or coworkers who went on to other places, who know you know the thing they need a bit of extra help on) is, again in my very limited experience, the way to do it. One more reason to be nice to people, even at places you have decided to leave, or they have decided to leave.

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

#183

Post by synergy20 »

angarg12 wrote: post #163
itake wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I earn $10k/mo contracting 20 hours per week. Personally, this extra income helped me maximize my day job benefits (401k and ESPP) and provided liquidity during the home buying process.

Maybe you can answer a question that is nagging me. I recently moved to the US, and ever since I keep getting messages on LinkedIn offering contract/freelance jobs. However the hourly rate is so poor that it would pay less that my current job base pay (not counting stocks and bonuses). In Europe the rule of thumb is that contract job should pay 2x your full time job rate. This is based on the associated overhead plus…

I just ignore those offers these days, the contract rate is actually lower than my permanent job pays, which is, interesting.

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

#184

Post by kjellsbells »

jinglejangley wrote: post #116
mywittyname wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're chasing pennies with a side-gig. If you're already at the top of market in terms of pay, it's unlikely a side-gig is going bring in enough to satisfy your ambitions. Why not start your own business? The upside is much better. Yeah, it might fail, but you can decide to start another one what you learned.

Yeah, it seems like I had an idealistic view of what a side gig would be, whereas it's a lot more work than I wish to spend on it. I'm happy in my day job; it's secure, I'm paid well and I get a lot of time with my family. Starting my own business would put family time in jeopardy which isn't an option, especially as I'd have to give up my main income.

I often get pings for research consulting interviews, that pay very well, and take an hour or so. Maybe thats something to look at.

That said, be cautious about conflicts. If you work for a mega corp like a hyperscaler it is going to be very hard to avoid the appearance of conflict.

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

#185

Post by synergy20 »

yolo3000 wrote: post #130
jinglejangley wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it seems like I had an idealistic view of what a side gig would be, whereas it's a lot more work than I wish to spend on it. I'm happy in my day job; it's secure, I'm paid well and I get a lot of time with my family. Starting my own business would put family time in jeopardy which isn't an option, especially as I'd have to give up my main income.

I did this last year. I work full time for ~100/hr, and someone I've worked with before, recommended me to an early stage startup in the US. They paid me ~130/hr just to be part of the meetings with their EU based dev team. Monthly I was making 2-3k extra but the context switching, startup rollercoaster, dev team not performing turned out to be stressful. In the end they secured funding and assembled an in house dev…

tried both full time and contractor years back, too stressful, can't deal with both with kids, I since focus on one of them, not both at the same time, for the sake of my own health.

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

#186

Post by kjellsbells »

ChrisRR wrote: post #16
jinglejangley wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

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

Cant speak for the UK, but all it takes is a disabled child or other complex life situation and the numbers suddenly arent so rosy. I refrain from asking anyone "why do you need more money?" - its their business alone.

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

#187

Post by keepquestioning »

mr-yamasi wrote: post #176
keepquestioning wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where did you find your gigs?

That's a little like asking for someone's favorite fishing hole. My experience has been that serious networking has been more effective than anything else.

Cold calling on LinkedIn?

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

#188

Post by tremon »

pc86 wrote: post #103
buzbe_uk wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 cont…

> 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. Imagine believing that you have the right to "sign off" on what your employees do in their free time provided they're not directly competing with you.

It's not imaginary, it's called copyright. In many jurisdictions (including the US, FAFAIK) your employer retains the copyright of things you produce in your free time that fall within your job description (e.g. if you might have done the same thing on company time).

So if you have a side gig that matches your day job and your work output is covered by copyright: yes, you need your employer's sign-off.

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

#189

Post by disqard »

synergy20 wrote: post #183
angarg12 wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe you can answer a question that is nagging me. I recently moved to the US, and ever since I keep getting messages on LinkedIn offering contract/freelance jobs. However the hourly rate is so poor that it would pay less that my current job base pay (not counting stocks and bonuses). In Europe the rule of thumb is that contract job should pay 2x your full time job rate. This is based on the associated overhead plus…

I just ignore those offers these days, the contract rate is actually lower than my permanent job pays, which is, interesting.

I recently responded to one of these entites that reached out via LinkedIn.

I did a tiny bit of work for them, but they haven't managed to pay me even after 100 days :)

Just adding another data point, that YMMV, and it might not be worth your while.

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

#190

Post by sirsinsalot »

giantg2 wrote: post #25
sirsinsalot wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 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…

Personally, I enjoy doing any activity that makes my bank balance increase. I see it as a puzzle. I enjoy puzzles.
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