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Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

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Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#61

Post by dep_b »

toptal wrote: post #49

CEO of Toptal here. If you like, I can ensure we review your profile and client matching history to see if there's anything we overlooked. I'm available on Slack or taso@toptal.com. We’ll see if we can optimize your visibility to clients needing backend/data optimization experts. While we look into this, Opire (an open-source bounties site) has lots of short-term opportunities.

I quit using Toptal because I was living in Western Europe and got extremely lowballed at a given point. As if I simply had to match the rates of people from Eastern Europe or Northern Africa.

I got a better hourly rate through the platform when still living in Latin America. Before Covid, it was amazing.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#62

Post by aylmao »

zetazzed wrote: post #51

In a past startup, we had at least one person apply to our regular job postings with a cover that transparently said "I know this is a full-time, long-term posting, but I really want to be a contractor for a bounded time." Since it was a great fit and they were available right away (and we urgently needed more people), we made the "hire" and ended up working together for a while. Only worked because it was quite tran…

There's plenty of comments about searching one's network, but I was looking for a comment that mentioned this. Startups do tend to prefer permanent full-timers, but hiring the right person takes time and startups also very much like getting the work done.

At one point I was unsure about joining a startup and it was them who suggested doing a temporary contract as a way to test the waters. In that case it was only a week but it was also enough for me to decide to join full-time. If joining full-time is a possibility you'd consider, I'd also mention that to the startup early on.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#64

Post by margalabargala »

cortesoft wrote: post #44
ForHackernews wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMHO selling yourself (selling anything, really) is a bit demeaning. But this is probably a class affectation on my part, not real moral intuition.

Selling ANYTHING is demeaning? So you believe the only non-demeaning way to live would be to live entirely self-sufficiently, making and growing everything yourself?

There are multiple definitions of the word "selling". The poster is referring to what salespeople do, not what a grocery store does.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#65

Post by prepend »

sampton wrote: post #14

It depends on how badly you need the money. If you really need to get paid you are probably better off finding a full time job and quit after 9 months. Otherwise invest the time in yourself. Work on a passion project or a blog.

Usually that will burn a bridge with that employer and look bad on your resume.

Much different career wise than having short term contracts that are designed around a specific job.

I know that companies don’t necessarily follow an ethical standard but I find that I can at least follow personal ethics and that’s within my control. I’ve always treated my employers like I would like to be treated, even if the employer was being a jerk.

Over 30 years I’ve found that people remember and it’s surprising how acting ethically sticks in people’s minds and comes back in positive yields. I like to think I’d act the same way no matter what, but it’s a plus that acting properly ends up being better in the long run.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#66

Post by deadbabe »

praptak wrote: post #53
deadbabe wrote: post #4

Short term work is more plentiful when money is easy and there’s a lot of entrepreneurial activity going on due to some recent catalyst such as mobile app platforms or the dotcom boom etc. Right now we’re in the AI boom and some people may be making money peddling agentic solutions but money is tight and businesses are hurting. It’s also hard to trust a short term dev who doesn’t really need the money. You have no le…

> It’s also hard to trust a short term dev who doesn’t really need the money. You have no leverage over them. They sort of just do as they please. On one hand I agree. On the other hand I cannot help but contrast this with how free market capitalism is advertised: free agents entering free mutually beneficial contracts at their own free will, everyone benefits. Then suddenly when the worker is actually free to leave…

It’s not a problem if the worker is offering a commoditized service. Problem is a dev isn’t really a commodity. Their value increases the more they work on your application and build familiarity, which isn’t easily replaced. Sometimes a short term dev can construct a system only they truly understand and then you’re entirely at their mercy. Now you’d have to keep an ongoing arrangement with them for future support.

It’s a similar issue with long term devs too. Employers hoping to squeeze their devs for 40 hours a week consistently are going to be very disappointed if they found out how much their devs actually work. What you’re really paying them for is to stick around so when shit hits the fan or you need new features fast you already have the best people for the job ready to go, no need to hire some contractor and go through an onboarding.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#67

Post by eweise »

prepend wrote: post #65
sampton wrote: post #14

It depends on how badly you need the money. If you really need to get paid you are probably better off finding a full time job and quit after 9 months. Otherwise invest the time in yourself. Work on a passion project or a blog.

Usually that will burn a bridge with that employer and look bad on your resume. Much different career wise than having short term contracts that are designed around a specific job. I know that companies don’t necessarily follow an ethical standard but I find that I can at least follow personal ethics and that’s within my control. I’ve always treated my employers like I would like to be treated, even if the employer w…

Ethics are great but so is feeding your family and paying your mortgage.

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#68

Post by ranger_danger »

ghaff wrote: post #45
ryandrake wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ugh. This is probably one of those "Thanks, I hate it!" moments. You're probably 100% right, and this is why I could never be an independent contractor. This kind of self-promotion and lead generation seems so demeaning, slimy, and shameful, and I'd probably die of embarrassment if I ever had to do it. Yet it comes so naturally to some people. It sucks that this kind of skill is required to make it on your own.

How else would anyone actually know that you were available? And that they should give you money? And, even if you get referred, you still need to seal the deal. And even within a larger company, unless someone like your manager more or less does it for you, "advertising" your accomplishments is pretty essential if you want anyone to reward your accomplishments.

it's not about forcing yourself to be a good salesman, but rather about showcasing your skills, expertise, and personality in a genuine and authentic way

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#69

Post by magicstefanos »

eweise wrote: post #67
prepend wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually that will burn a bridge with that employer and look bad on your resume. Much different career wise than having short term contracts that are designed around a specific job. I know that companies don’t necessarily follow an ethical standard but I find that I can at least follow personal ethics and that’s within my control. I’ve always treated my employers like I would like to be treated, even if the employer w…

Ethics are great but so is feeding your family and paying your mortgage.

Feeding your family is the more "ethical" thing here

Re: Ask HN: Where do seasoned devs look for short-term work?

#70

Post by lokhura »

toptal wrote: post #49

CEO of Toptal here. If you like, I can ensure we review your profile and client matching history to see if there's anything we overlooked. I'm available on Slack or taso@toptal.com. We’ll see if we can optimize your visibility to clients needing backend/data optimization experts. While we look into this, Opire (an open-source bounties site) has lots of short-term opportunities.

I hope Toptal has changed since I interviewed with them in 2015, because it was one of the worst tech interview experiences I had in a while. The interviewer was rude and clearly inexperienced in the tech stack he was asking questions about. I did a take home excersise and it was clear that he didn't even bother to read the code and just wanted to outsmart me.
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