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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?

#71
post #6

I did this a few years ago and the winning recipe was a shameless (i.e. deeply shameful) linkedin post where I pretty much just summarized my skillset and explained that I was looking for a senior engineer equivalent of a summer internship, with no chance of extension. Got me 3-4 offers. None of the offering companies had ads out for roles like this, so this was pretty much the only way.

Why’s this shameful, exactly? There’s no shame in saying you’re available to work.

[deleted]

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

#72
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Everyone in the world, including a million experienced programmers, are already showcasing their skills in a "genuine and authentic" way. Why are you better than anyone else for the job?

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

#73
post #26
post #6

I did this a few years ago and the winning recipe was a shameless (i.e. deeply shameful) linkedin post where I pretty much just summarized my skillset and explained that I was looking for a senior engineer equivalent of a summer internship, with no chance of extension. Got me 3-4 offers. None of the offering companies had ads out for roles like this, so this was pretty much the only way.

There's literally no shame in this. Jobs are just value exchange. Job applications are a proposal, to say, here's what I can offer you. If you're very honest about that, and about what you're looking for in return, they can make more informed decisions. Everyone's life is vastly different, there's no shame in declaring what you have to offer (edit: and what you're looking for). Everyone is better at some things and w…

    > There's literally no shame in this. Jobs are just value exchange.
Came to say exactly this: some teams actually do just need someone to pick up some slack for a bit to ship some big project but don't have a long term role. Consulting companies are pure crapshoot since you can't typically pick your exact technical resource.

Pure value exchange. This should be more common.

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

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Grocery stores are experts at sales tactics throughout the store. All that fruit does not look so beautiful in the field, and virtually every store is trying to develop their 'ethos' to capture the customers with enough money to be able to care about that.

There is no way to avoid selling in life. Otherwise, at the least, you will be constantly overlooked. There should be no shame in it. The shame is only when sales replaces instead of presents the value proposition you are offering.

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

#75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why’s this shameful, exactly? There’s no shame in saying you’re available to work.

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

I can understand what you're saying, but there's a different way to look at it. Imagine yourself in the future. You're in a position of leadership and people want your advice. Let's say a student asks you how they should get a high level job in a competitive marketplace. What would you say?

Personally, I would tell the student they should be ambitious and tell people what their skills are. They should ask for responsibilities and compensation. They should tell people that they are worth the risk.

If you agree with me about giving that advice, then you should now put yourself in the place of the student. Shouldn't you receive the same advice? Shouldn't you be ambitious and ask people to give you responsibilities and compensation? If so, then you can understand why selling yourself is actually important and there's nothing immoral or slimy about it. It feels wrong sometimes, but that feeling may not be aligned with reality.

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

#76
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Everyone in the world, including a million experienced programmers, are already showcasing their skills in a "genuine and authentic" way. Why are you better than anyone else for the job?

I don't think they are, and I don't think it's necessary (or possible) to be better than anyone else.

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

#77
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't almost everyone sell themselves? Many people, as employees, sell themselves for 5 days per week, every week, except days off. And everybody buys stuff, and therefore relies on people selling stuff. The only way I see we could avoid being exposed to selling would be do have a different way to organize the economy / the society.

I think it's the self-promotion part that's seen as slimy and shameful. Yes, as an employee I trade my time for money, but I don't write blog posts at the office about what kind of transformational and high-impact work I'm capable of, and about this week's top-10 coding life-hacks, and how I can single-handedly turn your project around from life support to on-schedule deployment. Admittedly, the people who are good a…

> but I don't write blog posts at the office about what kind of transformational and high-impact work I'm capable of, and about this week's top-10 coding life-hacks, and how I can single-handedly turn your project around from life support to on-schedule deployment.

That's not at all what the comment above was suggesting.

Saying you're open for work and offering services is not slimy.

I think you're confusing LinkedIn slop with offering services. They're not the same thing.

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

#78
post #34
post #6

I did this a few years ago and the winning recipe was a shameless (i.e. deeply shameful) linkedin post where I pretty much just summarized my skillset and explained that I was looking for a senior engineer equivalent of a summer internship, with no chance of extension. Got me 3-4 offers. None of the offering companies had ads out for roles like this, so this was pretty much the only way.

> deeply shameful Your feelings are what they are, but this is the least shameful post I would ever see on LinkedIn. It's someone actually looking for work! and not just posting some super cringe low-IQ engagement-farm copypasta. Finding work is exactly what LinkedIn ought to be for

OMG there was one about how an engineer in San Francisco is crying about his $2K in salad bills and his Cyber Truck while making like a half a mil a year

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

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why’s this shameful, exactly? There’s no shame in saying you’re available to work.

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

You can remain dignified and poor or become demeaned and rich.

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

#80
post #78
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> deeply shameful Your feelings are what they are, but this is the least shameful post I would ever see on LinkedIn. It's someone actually looking for work! and not just posting some super cringe low-IQ engagement-farm copypasta. Finding work is exactly what LinkedIn ought to be for

OMG there was one about how an engineer in San Francisco is crying about his $2K in salad bills and his Cyber Truck while making like a half a mil a year

Surely it was satire? Surely...? Please
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