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Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

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Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#41

Post by giraffe_lady »

thr0wawayf00 wrote: post #28
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #14

One thing that makes me sad, is the old "contract agent" seems to have gone the way of the dodo. I clearly remember these folks. They acted in almost exactly the same way as literary or artist agents; searching out opportunities for their clients, and setting up interviews, etc. As a hiring manager, I dealt with them frequently, and had friends that used them. They used to make a lot of money, because they would char…

> Nowadays, it looks like they have been replaced by "race to the bottom" sites, like Upwork, or these contract companies, that hire you at a fairly low rate, and shop you out for very high rates. I can't help but feel like these platforms are like Uber for programmers: devoid of all meaningful professional contact and ultimately the commodification of programming as a job. The power dynamic has shifted to give most…

The real question isn't "are they?" it's "why were so many of us so confident it wouldn't come for us?"

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#42

Post by nonameking2026 »

caseydm wrote: post #36

I was very successful on UpWork. However, it is not something you can jump into with no work history on the site, like "I have 16 years experience so my rate is $125/hr." People don't believe you when you say that. They want to see proof from a third party. So you need to start lower ($30 to $50/hr), stay in a niche, and successfully complete jobs while gradually raising your rates. When someone sees glowing reviews…

This - I recently hired someone for 80$ an hour for a quick Sharepoint Powerblabber fix - one online meeting, he pointed me to the solution in 20 minutes, charged 30 minutes - everyone was happy.

All very professional - answered promptly knew his stuff + the necessary meet and greet in the beginning.

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#43

Post by simonbarker87 »

Looks like you’re based on London, so first thing is to change resume to CV when speaking to UK based people. Calling it a resume will out then off for timezone, tax and cost issues.

Also, you’re in London so start meeting people - go to tech meet-ups, go to marketing meet-ups and tell people you’re a freelance developer.

Networking is the way to success in the freelance world. Also reach out to old employers and clients and ask if they have work.

(The reason I say marketing meet-ups is that many marketing agencies need dev work doing but don’t want devs on staff - I get freelance work for this)

Also speak to other agencies as offer yourself as overflow resource.

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#45

Post by sokoloff »

If you’re trying to get a decent rate for your services, you’re likely to have better luck relying on things that are somewhat differentiated by you: your network of past satisfied clients, your particular technical and sales skills, your particular location and ability to be on-site for key meetings.

If you’re looking to avoid all the sales work and differentiated value you can bring, then you can jump on the platforms, but then expect to be compared against everyone else on the platform rather than against everyone for whom a trusted associated has vouched for.

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#46

Post by larksimian »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #14

One thing that makes me sad, is the old "contract agent" seems to have gone the way of the dodo. I clearly remember these folks. They acted in almost exactly the same way as literary or artist agents; searching out opportunities for their clients, and setting up interviews, etc. As a hiring manager, I dealt with them frequently, and had friends that used them. They used to make a lot of money, because they would char…

My recruiter(in the UK) sends me contracting offers as well. Am I missing something about what a contracting agent does?

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#47

Post by sph »

eatYourFood wrote: post #25
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #14

One thing that makes me sad, is the old "contract agent" seems to have gone the way of the dodo. I clearly remember these folks. They acted in almost exactly the same way as literary or artist agents; searching out opportunities for their clients, and setting up interviews, etc. As a hiring manager, I dealt with them frequently, and had friends that used them. They used to make a lot of money, because they would char…

Doesn't the US have an active contractor market like the UK? In the UK there are lots of job boards with a contract filter and many recruitment agents deal exclusively in contracts rather than perm roles. Is this different in the US?

Care to direct me to these UK-specific job boards for contracts?

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#48

Post by sph »

caseydm wrote: post #36

I was very successful on UpWork. However, it is not something you can jump into with no work history on the site, like "I have 16 years experience so my rate is $125/hr." People don't believe you when you say that. They want to see proof from a third party. So you need to start lower ($30 to $50/hr), stay in a niche, and successfully complete jobs while gradually raising your rates. When someone sees glowing reviews…

I have history on Upwork, and pretty good one. But I haven't used it in 6 years, and my rate then was around $60/h and it's double that now. But I keep hearing how terrible and underpaid it is in here, hence this post.

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#49

Post by sph »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #43

Looks like you’re based on London, so first thing is to change resume to CV when speaking to UK based people. Calling it a resume will out then off for timezone, tax and cost issues. Also, you’re in London so start meeting people - go to tech meet-ups, go to marketing meet-ups and tell people you’re a freelance developer. Networking is the way to success in the freelance world. Also reach out to old employers and cli…

> Also, you’re in London so start meeting people - go to tech meet-ups, go to marketing meet-ups and tell people you’re a freelance developer.

That's a good long term plan, and one I really do not enjoy, but that's a shortcoming of mine I am aware of.

The question is "where can I find job now?", not "how can I avoid this situation again?", though yours is very good advice.

(Also thanks for the CV/resume tip. But if one is confused by me using an American English synonym for CV and doesn't notice the header of my PDF says "London, UK", I wouldn't be optimistic about their hiring process.)

Re: Ask HN: Where are the good platforms for contract work?

#50

Post by sph »

chacho wrote: post #12

I've worked with A Team (www.a.team) for about a year now and I've had an amazing experience with them so far. Really interesting projects, good pay and their team is very supportive with getting you up and running. Can't recommend enough

I am subscribed to their site, but it's been mostly frontend engineering offers since I signed up in July.
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