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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?

#71

Post by joeax »

I've been working in software consulting for over 10 years. I've worked for 5 different agencies, some small, and some household names. Every single one of these companies has hired out to independent consultants (or smaller agencies) willing to take on part time, hourly work. You have to remember most firms that are billing are constantly juggling the chicken and egg of having too much billable work in the pipeline or not enough.

My advice - figure out your core niche (i.e. GCP, Go, Rust) and reach out to 2-3 firms and propose your services and availability. Look in your LinkedIn network for any 1st or 2nd connections working at consulting firms.

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

#72

Post by senko »

brtkdotse wrote: post #67
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…

They're alive and well in Northern Europe at least. I'd say a majority of contracting work is done through them since they somehow get exclusivity deals with big clients like H&M, Scania, SAAB and the like. They charge around 5-15% (almost always 10% though) of every invoice. Before you balk at the number, consider that during my almost 5 years as a solo contractor I've spent _zero_ hours doing sales. None. When I wa…

Are they contract agents, tho, as in, you (the developer) employ them to find you a gig? Or are they staffing agencies, as in, you work for them, they invoice the client and pass the income minus their fee to you?

I've seen plenty of the latter but hadn't heard of the former before.

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

#73

Post by simonbarker87 »

runako wrote: post #61
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. Seeing the disparity in pay between UK dev roles and US dev roles, I would assume one would do the opposite and lean into presenting yourself as someone who can work on projects for US companies. Curious why you would recommend positioning for UK work.

I just assumed that OP was looking for UK based work. If looking to work with a US company then keep it as resume.

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

#74

Post by petesergeant »

sph wrote: post #50
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.

I got my last (entirely back-end) role with them after I spoke to one of their recruiters on Zoom, and she ended up matching me with a role. Might be worth trying to pursue?

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

#75

Post by simonbarker87 »

sph wrote: post #49
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 o…

Many recruiters/hirers would simply not click the link when seeing resume imho. The aim is to reduce the reasons for them to not click through.

Oh and bold all the technology keywords on your CV. Make them pop off the page a little so if someone if just keyword scanning it’s really easy for them to pattern recognise you as a suitable candidate.

Best of luck!

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

#76

Post by roflyear »

rmorey wrote: post #63
roflyear wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do not use UpWork. They take a big cut, the clients you get are generally garbage, and they can close your account (and even keep your funds) for any reason.

do you suggest an alternative?

No.

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

#77

Post by roflyear »

caseydm wrote: post #62
roflyear wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Upwork fees, and also being able to close your account for any reason (happened to me with 20 reviews, all 5 starts except 1), make it a deal killer.

I sound like a shill for Upwork (promise I'm not!). But the fees for long-term clients (>$10k in earnings) is 5%. If you go on your own and bill through a system you will likely pay 3%. So it's not that different.

I pay 0% ... wire transfers.

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

#78

Post by spookthesunset »

akvadrako wrote: post #54
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

It's the best contract site I'm aware of. Last year I had a long-term gig for $150/hour and this year had an offer for $200/hour.

Is that as a 1099 or w2?

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

#79

Post by sbdncuvh »

haspok wrote: post #70
larksimian wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Sometimes - especially after the IR35 misery - an agent might also come with an umbrella company that will readily employ you for the duration of your contract for a cut. People usually tended to avoid these solutions due to tax inefficiencies. Not everyone though, I knew some people who chose comfort and didn't want to deal with the admin of an LTD and constant invoicing (however small inconvenience that might be),…

We have a mix here in aus.

The recruiter does the recruiting and provides access to an umbrella company but it's optional and up to you. The umbrella company is a separate entity that provides the service to the recruiter, 99% automated so fees for it are basically nothing.

The umbrella handles witholding tax, super payments, pay slips and a few compliance things like confirming you've watched your OSHA video quota for the year.

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

#80

Post by pessimizer »

brtkdotse wrote: post #67
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…

They're alive and well in Northern Europe at least. I'd say a majority of contracting work is done through them since they somehow get exclusivity deals with big clients like H&M, Scania, SAAB and the like. They charge around 5-15% (almost always 10% though) of every invoice. Before you balk at the number, consider that during my almost 5 years as a solo contractor I've spent _zero_ hours doing sales. None. When I wa…

> They charge around 5-15% (almost always 10% though) of every invoice.

That's nothing to balk at. In the US, being a contractor is like selling wholesale, and being an agency is like selling retail. I'd expect the contractor cut to be 30%-50%, and the rest to go to the agency.

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