
The truth about freelancing - jonathanstark
https://medium.com/@2upmedia/the-truth-about-freelancing-a53e081527fd#.slp0pzo2m
======
sulam
In addition to everything else listed in the article, you should also learn to
proofread, and especially learn the correct usage of "your" vs "you're".

And before someone accuses me of nitpicking, keep in mind that as a consultant
you are very often communicating using written media.

------
sandworm101
Freelancing, for me, rarely involves working from home. If and when you can
work remotely depends on the type of work, not your employment classification.
This article was written from a very narrow perspective. Even the 100$/hour
dream is misplaced. 100$ is nothing for many freelance contractors. I make
more. That said, I spend 2/3 of my time on non-paid tasks such as proposals
and giving talks at conferences.

Fyi, most lawyers (or their firms) operate under some form of "freelance" as
an outside contractor charging by the hour. Recent surveys show that even at
"big law" firms only 25% of lawyer time is actually billable hours. The rest,
like me, is spent doing all the other things you must to bring in work while
maintaining your freelance status.

------
k__
I 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.

------
BigChiefSmokem
Best 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.

~~~
hellofunk
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.

~~~
mamcx
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.

------
xherberta
An unmentioned corollary: freelancing's finest hour is when you don't really
need the money.

~~~
antisthenes
Life's finest hours are when you have fuck you money in general.

------
sofaofthedamned
Seriously, this is HN worthy?

~~~
dimitri-gnidash
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.

------
hkon
Yes, or you can learn to develop software professionally and never worry about
money again...

