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Marc Clifton wrote: it's the people you know that can help you find a project
I had that a few years ago, but the jobs my brother-in-law found was consulting and didn't liked it much... however I will check current opportunities... 
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Marc Clifton wrote: They want you in a cage, they have security/IP concerns, etc. They do not want free birds.
That's what Skynet said when I still worked on it.
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Marc Clifton wrote: if you want to get into freelancing, it's the people you know that can help you find a project
Completely true in my case as well. One of my previous org work on small to medium projects. Since I parted with them on a good term, they came back to me asking if I'll be interested in freelancing. And, that's how I got started. It's really hard to convince a stranger especially now, when there already are too many players.
I know couple of orgz who do full time bidding on these freelance sites. They have bunch of devs at there disposal. There ratings are high. It's really hard to compete with them as an individual. So, back to you what you just said that, people you know are indeed the real deal.
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Anecdote:
My younger brother makes a whole lot more money than I; has bigger house, fancier car - always buys top-end stuff.
He also works (in my opinion) ridiculous hours, for quite a while, held two jobs (7 days/week) in order to keep this up.
So - the question becomes what's the point of all of that neat stuff when you've no time to enjoy any of it?
And that's the question for you - when sizing up this second career: how much do you need the money, and if it's not for true necessities, how will you be able to enjoy the fruits of excessive labor?
One way I put it: how much will you charge me for an hour of your life? Not an 'end' hour, but a nice juicy current one? How many are you willing to sell?[^]
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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I'm looking to build a second career to slowly drop the first... not to hold to both...
As today I already work 4 days a week, but the hours and requirements are less to my taste as time passing by, so I was thinking to do some freelancer work more of my choice...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Until a couple of years ago, I was working as a contractor.
In some ways, the time was my own, but that was fully offset by how I had to keep selling it.
All the days off I wanted - because I didn't get paid for them. Now, although limited in amount, I get paid leave. If you don't get hired as a full-timer, then you do have a second job, anyway, which is finding work for the first job.
That being preached, if you can do work you like and get paid for it - that's one of the real targets of life.
Ultimately - whatever you do - the same contradiction applies:
"You need to prepare for tomorrow - in case you live that long." - Balboos, 2017.07.31
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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long time ago tried the frelancing sites, found out the average ad receives thousands of replies, 90% from India/similar IT sweat shop agents - cheap, crap. Pretty much have to be one of the first replies to get a sniff in, once someone (reasonable, as local as possible) is found that fits the rest are ignored.
One way to develop contacts while working for someone else:
It is conflict of interest to approach clients you may be posted at, don't do it - it's trouble.
But....
if you know of somebody at that client that is leaving (to a similar or ideally higher post), you can approach and can ask them to keep you in mind for when they move to their new place - their is no conflict in that - and if you hit the right one it's what gets the ball rolling on a far more gentle slope.
first time you want something that gives you absolute minimum 6 months (push for 1 year): if they only got a couple of weeks or months even with a "probably some more" it's not worth quitting your job for - you will be hungry by Christmas.
When you are in that project study that industry and as soon as possible find and get into the local circle of the industry you are doing the work for, yes including your current contracting companies competitors (i.e. what trade shows they go to, listen for any names or hints others are looking for a system or expanding... of course not too publicly. But when you get the cance to any impress them how much you understand their business, you tout yourself as an the IT expert of their industry.
Note: if talking to other potential leads absolutely never drop or sell any secrets/issues/rumors of the current/prior hirer - never - it will not impress if you seem willing to share their industries players secrets (their competitors or not - as a contractor you are an outsider).
Couple or few years later: If you've pulled off at least a couple or three good jobs in that industry now you full on sell yourself, if no job on roll into their shop and tell them what you want to do (may not get that particular project but if they are impressed with your knowledge of their business, and proof you did well in the jobs for the others, they will strongly consider you (even most likely for "something else they've always be thinking about.")
- be ready to answer questions using their buzzwords and language - do not confuse them with IT speak, [wither jf] DO NOT play buzzword bingo.
Sin tack
the any key okay
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I second @Lopatir's experience--mine has been almost exactly the same. If you are going into the world as a individual contractor, you're going to be working the business side of things, too. You can get "brilliant coder" positions, but almost never directly.
In my experience, it's feast or famine with contracting. There were a couple of years where I worked my butt off and made crazy money...followed by a year and a half where I was getting well below minimum wage, when averaged out. In that case, my problem was that I let myself become too dependent on my "guy" who was getting me work. His contacts dried up, and I didn't have many of my own.
The last bit of advice is where I am now. After some time, one of the sites where I did some particularly complex work asked me to come back. It's about low-middle industry average, but the pay is steady and my wife appreciates the predictable hours.
I haven't given up on going alone again. Once you've worked as a masterless ronin, it can be addicting (flexible hours, freedom to give your best technical opinion on things, etc). But you also learn to appreciate some stability and not get all worked up about job security. After all, you've made it on your own before...
vuolsi così colà dove si puote
ciò che si vuole, e più non dimandare
--The answer to Minos and any question of "Why are we doing it this way?"
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Yes, @melchizidech I am talking about you! What was the solution to Wednesday by the way?
Ann gets fit changing the child (6)
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Yep, sorry, been pretty busy. Answer to Wednesday was "Evident".
One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know.
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Mel Padden wrote: Answer to Wednesday was "Evident".
Not to me it wasn't!
(And when I looked at the clue again, it took me a while to get it before I went  followed by "Groan"!) 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Infant (anag. of ANN FIT)
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Is the correct answer, so you are up tomorrow.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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You might have noticed- Before gmail or any google accounts sign-in screen used to show both UserID & Password at the same time.
Now recently it's changed , it first asks UserID and then makes a screen-slide to show the Password box.
Is this just an UX change or it's helping better for the authentication process ? any guess?
(Don't even think about MS Live account screen. I don't know why they show UserID & Pwd text boxes in one screen, once you enter both & submit, they'll ask for the password again as if you never entered- so silly)
Starting to think people post kid pics in their profiles because that was the last time they were cute - Jeremy.
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I think it is to avoid having browsers fill in the login data for you (even the email-field is always empty on the new login dialog), and so increasing security as you will not see "recent data" if someone gains access to your browser in your user account.
You simply have no clue, what email address has been entered last.
Thats my theory.
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Valid guess!
Starting to think people post kid pics in their profiles because that was the last time they were cute - Jeremy.
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Bahh. Disappointing.
Come back when you've some good video of kittens and goats exploding.
If that's to difficult, some chicks swimming in petroleum jelly.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Penguicon was an official playtest site when it first came out, and I gave it a try. They did a variant using 2 decks with 8 or more people in the game and it was a lot of fun. Things like the "Nope" cards, which you can use to undo the last player's action bring a lot of unpredictability.
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I bought this game shortly after it came out (as a result of playing it with a Kickstarter backer). It is very fun and almost addictive. Several folks have done the same as a result of playing it with me and my family.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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Cat content always works.
BREAKING FAKE NEWS: Trump told the truth!
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We bought our kid a set a few years ago. He and I played it a few times. We finally got my wife to play it with us one evening last week.
Neither of us is particularly impressed with it, but it's good juvenile mindless entertainment. Hardly any skill required. I, for one, don't play to win.
The wife preferred Superfight (?).
She had also been considering buying him a Cards Against Humanity set, but decided not to after we played it with some friends.
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PHD Comics: Half Summer Personality Test
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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No time now to read that. Summer is half over and I still need to do a few things...
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July means half of winter is done 
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