Seriously, this is HN worthy?
Yeah, why the negativity?
The truth about freelancing
11–17 of 17 posts
Re: The truth about freelancing
#12Best advice: "it’s all about finding value for your client and getting compensated for that." The less people on Earth that can do what you can, the more you should be charging, especially if it's a decent-sized organization footing the bill.
Unfortunately, because there is such wide income disparity in the world, you are always going to compete against another competent freelancer who will accept much less than you. That drives everyone's rate down. I'm speaking primarily about remote freelancing jobs, which are the only ones I've accepted over the last many years.
Or more realistic outside USA: You will rarely found the customer that pay top money.
You can bet we charge less not because we want, but because that is the local rate. Sometimes we can score a outsider, but for much we talk about the magical properties of remote-worldwide work, even more if is consulting/freelancing, is very much about local + native language.
Re: The truth about freelancing
#13Best advice: "it’s all about finding value for your client and getting compensated for that." The less people on Earth that can do what you can, the more you should be charging, especially if it's a decent-sized organization footing the bill.
Unfortunately, because there is such wide income disparity in the world, you are always going to compete against another competent freelancer who will accept much less than you. That drives everyone's rate down. I'm speaking primarily about remote freelancing jobs, which are the only ones I've accepted over the last many years.
If you compete only on coding skills, sure. But introduce software architecture skills and you become a bit more unique. Throw in excellent communication skills and ability to configure and maintain a CI/CD process and you're rare as rocking horse poo.
Re: The truth about freelancing
#14An unmentioned corollary: freelancing's finest hour is when you don't really need the money.
Life's finest hours are when you have fuck you money in general.
Re: The truth about freelancing
#15I worked as employee and as freelancer and prefer the last.
I just can't do this office 9-5 stuff.
But it's not the end game for me.
I don't like how most companies are structured and I don't like the attitude most CEOs have. So working with one, or a few, customers is only a bit better than working as an employee.
I think the optimal case is to create some products and have >100 customers, so if one tries dumb shit with you, it doesn't threaten your existence. Also, I think it's easier to motivate yourself to work on something that is your own and you believe in, than to implement "the visions" of other people on a constant basis.
Re: The truth about freelancing
#16Best advice: "it’s all about finding value for your client and getting compensated for that." The less people on Earth that can do what you can, the more you should be charging, especially if it's a decent-sized organization footing the bill.
Yep, for one of my clients the most value I delivered was convincing them NOT to move forward on a feature. I should remind them of the tens of thousands of dollars they saved next time I raise my rate.
Re: The truth about freelancing
#17Seriously, this is HN worthy?
As a person who does freelancing and running the agency successfully, I can attest that "remote contractor living in exotic locales" is a recurring developer fantasy.
I have had quite a few people ask me how to get clients. I always struggle with the answer. What do you say referrals? It is a business like any other and you will need to exercise other skills besides software development.
In that sense, the article providing a different viewpoint is HN worthy as this is exactly where lots of entrepreneurial developers congregate.