31–36 of 36 posts
Have you considered becoming a Solutions or Sales Engineer? I switched from engineering management to freelancing/consulting and back to working for The Man as a Solutions Engineer. Honestly, it's all the upsides of consulting (getting to talk to people, solving technical problems, getting results quickly for people) with none of the downsides (chasing people down for money, finding new customers). As long as custome…
By far the best way to operate is via in-network connections you already have. This could be former employers who were happy with your work as an employee, former colleagues at those jobs, people you know from your local university or tech community, even niche Discords / Slacks / forums, and so on: places where you are a known quantity and not a commodity, places where you are not competing with a million anonymous…
I am in similar shoes as OP. I see "networking" a lot, but how exactly? Unfortunately, I am not in contact with any of my former colleagues of employers apart from being connected on LinkedIn. Starting conversations with them on LinkedIn would be awkward and weird. What else can you do? It doesn't help that I'm a introvert, not really a social person. Probably contracting is just not for me.
It must be executed well in advance of actually needing a favor from the network. It is the opposite of a "transactional" interaction, such as buying something from a store.
You must make an effort to continue having a social relationship with people you meet (former employers and colleagues, etc.) from the moment you meet them. What exact activities must be done depends on your local culture.
It is very possible that contracting -- which absolutely requires maintaining a social network of business contacts -- is not for you. That's fine, everyone is different and some people for various reasons don't want to or cannot do the social networking part. In that case, you might be happier as a well-paid employee.
OTOH, if you want to learn to do the networking part, it is possible. There are courses, books, even clubs that teach this sort of thing and create opportunities to practice it. If you see it as an interesting challenge that is outside your comfort zone but doable, that might work. Don't do it as a chore because you feel you must, though; if it is forced or reluctant, it won't work well.
Have you considered becoming a Solutions or Sales Engineer? I switched from engineering management to freelancing/consulting and back to working for The Man as a Solutions Engineer. Honestly, it's all the upsides of consulting (getting to talk to people, solving technical problems, getting results quickly for people) with none of the downsides (chasing people down for money, finding new customers). As long as custome…
1. Get REALLY specific around a skill and a VERTICAL. "TypeScript React Developer" is way too broad. I reworded my resume to be about WebRTC and video precisely and targeted a WebRTC SaaS company. The company I applied for wanted my previous company as a customer so it was a huge help. The job's all about being really great at something REALLY REALLY REALLY narrow in scope because, at the end of the day, you're helping customers understand just one set of APIs.
2. On the resume and cover letter (actually write a cover letter) focus on the people side. Stories about dealing with conflict, and shipping projects across the finish line, help a lot here. Remember, this is a customer-facing role, so the interview isn't coding-focused. They need someone who's friendly and professional and who can smile at a customer even if they're upset.
3. Nail the basics in the interview. Wear a dress shirt on the video call. Have your 5-minute "tell me about yourself" story rehearsed. Have answers for basic behavioral questions prepared. In my experience, I was usually given a paid or unpaid take-home test. Technical-wise, they were all much easier.
4. Focusing on a vertical is important because they'll want to hear stories about how you solved problems in that vertical. They could be technically "simple" problems. E.g. my present company loved that I ran an engineering team at a virtual events company because many of their customers were engineering managers at virtual events companies. I knew exactly how their customers felt because I had been in their shoes before.
If all of these sound "obvious," then you're in luck, you probably have the right personality for this gig. :-) The tricky part is finding the opportunity. Remember when you first graduated and had difficulty finding that first tech job? It's a similar feeling. Ideally, if you have a relationship with a vendor you've worked with in the past that's the best way in. Ask for referrals in your network. Send applications out. Do not expect any recruiters to reach out to you directly for a role like this.
When I did find the opportunity it took about three months to close the interview. So, don't be in a rush!
By far the best way to operate is via in-network connections you already have. This could be former employers who were happy with your work as an employee, former colleagues at those jobs, people you know from your local university or tech community, even niche Discords / Slacks / forums, and so on: places where you are a known quantity and not a commodity, places where you are not competing with a million anonymous…
I am in similar shoes as OP. I see "networking" a lot, but how exactly? Unfortunately, I am not in contact with any of my former colleagues of employers apart from being connected on LinkedIn. Starting conversations with them on LinkedIn would be awkward and weird. What else can you do? It doesn't help that I'm a introvert, not really a social person. Probably contracting is just not for me.
And if you do message, keep it short and to the point, only time I get really annoyed is when someone starts a conversation, asking about work and family then after several messages, they would bring up their real motivation. Usually, it is MLM related and when I say hard NO, they disappear again.
Something like "hey X, been a while, hope you are doing well. I am freelancing these days and looking for a new project. My main focus is tech a but can also do tech b and c. Please let me know if you have any leads. I would truly appreciate it."
And if you really want to build better relationship, you could say something like, "And we should grab coffee one day and catch up. I miss working with you."
Network with people in your industry. Attend industry events, meetups, and conferences. Connect with people on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. The more people you know, the more likely you are to hear about freelance or consulting opportunities. Let your friends and family know that you're looking for freelance or consulting work. They may know someone who needs your services. Reach out to former employers and colleagues. Let them know that you're available for freelance or consulting work. They may be able to refer you to clients or put you in touch with other people who are looking for freelancers or consultants. Build a strong online presence. Create a website and blog where you can showcase your skills and experience. Be active on social media and participate in online communities related to your industry. Write guest blog posts for industry websites and blogs. This is a great way to get your name out there and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Speak at industry events and conferences. This is another great way to get your name out there and connect with potential clients. Offer your services pro bono. This is a great way to gain experience and build your portfolio. You can also use this opportunity to network with people who may be able to refer you to paying clients. Once you have a few clients, you can start to build your freelance or consulting business. Be sure to set clear rates and expectations, and deliver high-quality work on time and within budget.
Here are some additional tips for success:
Be specialized. It's better to be an expert in a few areas than to be a generalist. This will help you to stand out from the competition and attract higher-paying clients. Be reliable and responsive. Communicate regularly with your clients and keep them updated on your progress. Be responsive to their needs and feedback. Be professional. Dress professionally, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work. Freelancing and consulting can be a great way to earn a good living and have a flexible schedule. However, it's important to be realistic about the challenges involved. It can take some time to build up a client base and start generating a steady income. It's also important to be self-motivated and disciplined, as you'll be responsible for your own workload and deadlines.
1) you should have started while you had a job. Because freelancing will be as slow as the side project you tried to start.
The same energy for sales, marketing and branding required for a startup, is the same for a freelancer.
2) You need to learn sales and marketing. Which are two different skills. Traffic --> lead gen --> lead handling --> sales.
The good news is that you do not need many clients. The bad news is they are new skills and will take time to get good at.
Like you, I went travelling, and Im now a freeelance programmer. But I built a business over the last decade where I learned these skills. So getting clients is just the same: sales and marketing.
By the way, upwork is a good way of practicing these skills. While it's a race to the bottom, getting responses and haveing sales convos is good practice.