Ask YC: What are the going rates for consulting gigs?

Post by menloparkbum » Tue, May 06, 2008, 7:21 PM UTC

davidw wrote: post #56

whacked_new wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, I'm surprised too. I'm betting it's not the normal crowd -- or it has grown much larger over the past month?

Really - what is going on here? -29 for some batty comment about Christians and pawn shops? I would have voted it down to -1 too, but come on folks. We've always reserved big downvotes only for offensive, insulting trolls, not things that were in some way "wrong". A -1 or 0 is sufficient to indicate that.

Post by bjclark » Tue, May 06, 2008, 7:47 PM UTC

petercooper wrote: post #31

I bill at $800 a day in the Ruby space. It's not that often though, because I'd rather work on my own stuff than other people's! From my experience, this is not on the high side, though perhaps slightly above average.

Post by mixmax » Tue, May 06, 2008, 8:05 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #51

mixmax wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here are my numbers: I do project management, usability, and generally make sure everything is on track - so it might not be exactly what you're looking for. But for what it's worth I charge $150 an hour, and can be negotiated down to around $100 if it's more than 2-300 hours. My experience is that you shouldn't sell yourself too cheaply, since your customers then will regard you as being not very good at what you do…

You said, "My experience is that you shouldn't sell yourself too cheaply" and "can be negotiated down to around $100" My experience is that I don't negotiate. About half my prospects offer something lower. I usually say something like, "I don't compromise my rates and I don't compromise my work." Most of them accept. But it's OK, even if they don't. Just never allow yourself to be in the position where you have to ne…

Post by [deleted] » Tue, May 06, 2008, 8:13 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #64

astine wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is not just wrong, but stupid. You don't have to be well versed in Christianity to know that most Christian sects have long since rethought their positions on usury. Most Christians take offense when people insinuate that they still believe in Geocentrism or something like that and this is very similar. But you are right, the comment is rather batty and I don't think the fellow meant anything by it.

I have watched in both amusement and horror at what's developed below my post from earlier today. Didn't know where else to put this observation, so I thought I'd hang it here if you don't mind, astine. As one who takes something away from this board every day, I was excited to contribute something from personal experience. Interestingly, this was also the #1 question posed to me over Startup School weekend. I includ…

Post by edw519 » Tue, May 06, 2008, 8:41 PM UTC

mixmax wrote: post #65

edw519 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You said, "My experience is that you shouldn't sell yourself too cheaply" and "can be negotiated down to around $100" My experience is that I don't negotiate. About half my prospects offer something lower. I usually say something like, "I don't compromise my rates and I don't compromise my work." Most of them accept. But it's OK, even if they don't. Just never allow yourself to be in the position where you have to ne…

Yes, I know people that never negotiate their price, and it seems to work for them. But if I get a job that lasts for 3 months I am willing to cut on my price, since it means that I have to spend less time getting new gigs. And at an hourly rate of $100 it will still make me $16.000 a month which I think is pretty decent.