The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting

The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting PDF

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2016-12-18

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 9781521163689

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The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses. Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding Clients We will literally map out the client acquisition skills that are paramount for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete TODOs to achieve competence and we explain some of the abstract theory. Chapter 2: Choosing a Rate How do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate. Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself Educated How do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter. Chapter 4: Closing Deals You've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter. Chapter 5: Being Productive Productivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer. Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining Relationships Freelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients. Chapter 7: Legal Ideas Being a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade. Chapter 8: Making Great First Impressions First impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person. Chapter 9: Getting Paid Okay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay. Chapter 10: Must-know Tax Tips As a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket. Chapter 11: Communicating Effectively Say the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things. Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-time What if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers. Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job In case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers. Chapter 14: Additional Resources Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.

Freelance Newbie

Freelance Newbie PDF

Author: RealToughCandy

Publisher: RealToughMedia

Published: 2019-02-01

Total Pages: 93

ISBN-13: 1794331328

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Are you ready to jump-start your freelance career? Freelance Newbie has you covered! In this book, you’ll learn practical, actionable steps you can start using today to get your first client by the end of the week. Featuring all the methods, techniques, tips, tricks, and insights you need to succeed, Freelance Newbie was written by a working freelancer whose mission is to help people like you find personal success and financial independence. The material you’ll read here has never been featured at a lower price — you simply cannot get this kind of value for less. We go through everything step-by-step with real-world examples so you know exactly what you need to do to become a successful freelancer. In Freelance Newbie, you’ll learn how to: :• Develop a business plan from scratch• Establish a suitable work environment • Configure your own freelance website to generate quality leads • Determine what services to offer (and what to do if you don't know how to do something) • Figure out an appropriate pricing scheme for your services • Find “starter” clients that pave the way for 5-star social proof and full-paying, long-term clients • Draft effective proposals and contracts• Advertise for free (or very, very cheaply) • Deliver above-average customer service • Efficiently complete client projects — time runs out FAST • And much, much more! This book can also be used as the perfect companion manual to the video course available on Udemy by RealToughCandy.

Code for Cash

Code for Cash PDF

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher:

Published: 2017-03-09

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 9781520793320

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Code for Cash will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses.Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding ClientsWe will literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete paths to not only achieving competence, but we will also explain some of the abstract theory.Chapter 2: Choosing a RateHow do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate.Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself EducatedHow do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter.Chapter 4: Closing DealsYou've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter.Chapter 5: Being ProductiveProductivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer.Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining RelationshipsFreelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients.Chapter 7: Legal IdeasBeing a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade.Chapter 8: Making Great First ImpressionsFirst impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person.Chapter 9: Getting PaidOkay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay.Chapter 10: Must-know Tax TipsAs a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket.Chapter 11: Communicating EffectivelySay the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things.Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-timeWhat if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers.Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding JobIn case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers.Chapter 14: Additional ResourcesEveryone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.Chapter 15: Step-by-step guide to finding your first clientLooking for more specific instructions? This optional 30 day step-by-step guide will help.

The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide

The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide PDF

Author: John Z. Sonmez

Publisher: Simple Programmer, LLC

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 796

ISBN-13: 9780999081419

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"Early in his software developer career, John Sonmez discovered that technical knowledge alone isn't enough to break through to the next income level - developers need "soft skills" like the ability to learn new technologies just in time, communicate clearly with management and consulting clients, negotiate a fair hourly rate, and unite teammates and coworkers in working toward a common goal. Today John helps more than 1.4 million programmers every year to increase their income by developing this unique blend of skills. Who Should Read This Book? Entry-Level Developers - This book will show you how to ensure you have the technical skills your future boss is looking for, create a resume that leaps off a hiring manager's desk, and escape the "no work experience" trap. Mid-Career Developers - You'll see how to find and fill in gaps in your technical knowledge, position yourself as the one team member your boss can't live without, and turn those dreaded annual reviews into chance to make an iron-clad case for your salary bump. Senior Developers - This book will show you how to become a specialist who can command above-market wages, how building a name for yourself can make opportunities come to you, and how to decide whether consulting or entrepreneurship are paths you should pursue. Brand New Developers - In this book you'll discover what it's like to be a professional software developer, how to go from "I know some code" to possessing the skills to work on a development team, how to speed along your learning by avoiding common beginner traps, and how to decide whether you should invest in a programming degree or 'bootcamp.'"--

Going IT Alone: The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers

Going IT Alone: The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers PDF

Author: Leon Brown

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2016-12-05

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 1783001410

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A detailed guide to self-employment for software and web developers—from identifying your target market, through to managing your time, finances, and client behavior About This Book Discover how to make money with software development skills. Learn how to develop a marketing and sales strategy and develop profitable pricing strategies for your software services and products Gain insights through real case studies and insights provided from industry experts Who This Book Is For Going the self employed route in software development offers many opportunities to develop awareness and skills to enhance your career. Whether you are a student currently studying software development or a veteran software developer already in the industry, Going IT Alone provides you with insights you need to avoid the pitfalls of self employment and to succeed with software projects that are profitable and sustainable. What You Will Learn Identify and understand your target market. Propose the value of what your service or product offers. Build a business model that identifies key entities required to make your software business work. Develop marketing a marketing strategy that targets the right customer segments and produces the sales you need to be profitable. Analyze information to make better decisions and understand your business performance. Understand people through observation and use this to your advantage in project management and negotiation. Improve accuracy of estimates for time and costs of your software projects. Understand the relationship between code and the business strategy. Identify software features from a business perspective, allowing you to prioritise must have features from those that are less important to your profitability. Avoid the trap of increasing software development time and costs from features that provide no benefit or sales increase. In Detail No matter whether you are a student or an industry veteran, self employment adds a new dimension of opportunities to “learn and earn”, whether it be on a full-time or part-time basis. Develop the business acumen and understanding of the link between software patterns and business strategy that you need to become a successful and profitable independent software developer. Discover how to apply your software development skills to entrepreneurship. Decide whether you just want to earn or aspire to build the next Facebook. Supported by real world case studies and input from industry experts, the book looks at the business topics you need to understand to become an independent software developer. From the initial steps of identifying how you can make a profit with your software development skills, through to making your first sale and managing your projects, you will learn how to manage each of the major steps involved in becoming a self employed software developer – whether you decide to go freelance, take up contracting or develop your own product. Written specifically for software and web developers, the book identifies how business issues have a direct impact on code patterns used in software projects. Learn how to build your code to support your business model and with safety features to protect against potential threats that may emerge from the changing business environment. Style and approach This book is a detailed guide to self employment for software and web developers , covering major topics from identifying your target market and business model, through to managing your time, finances and client behavior.

Skill Up: A Software Developer's Guide to Life and Career

Skill Up: A Software Developer's Guide to Life and Career PDF

Author: Jordan Hudgens

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2017-07-31

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 1787289532

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This unique book provides you with a wealth of tips, tricks, best practices, and answers to the day-to-day questions that programmers face in their careers. It is split into three parts: Coder Skills, Freelancer Skills, and Career Skills, providing the knowledge you need to get ahead in programming. About This Book Over 50 essays with practical advice on improving your programming career Practical focus gives solutions to common problems, and methods to become a better coder Includes advice for existing programmers and those wanting to begin a career in programming Who This Book Is For This book is useful for programmers of any ability or discipline. It has advice for those thinking about beginning a career in programming, those already working as a fully employed programmer, and for those working as freelance developers. What You Will Learn Improve your soft skills to become a better and happier coder Learn to be a better developer Grow your freelance development business Improve your development career Learn the best approaches to breaking down complex topics Have the confidence to charge what you're worth as a freelancer Succeed in developer job interviews In Detail This is an all-purpose toolkit for your programming career. It has been built by Jordan Hudgens over a lifetime of coding and teaching coding. It helps you identify the key questions and stumbling blocks that programmers encounter, and gives you the answers to them! It is a comprehensive guide containing more than 50 insights that you can use to improve your work, and to give advice in your career. The book is split up into three topic areas: Coder Skills, Freelancer Skills, and Career Skills, each containing a wealth of practical advice. Coder Skills contains advice for people starting out, or those who are already working in a programming role but want to improve their skills. It includes such subjects as: how to study and understand complex topics, and getting past skill plateaus when learning new languages. Freelancer Skills contains advice for developers working as freelancers or with freelancers. It includes such subjects as: knowing when to fire a client, and tips for taking over legacy applications. Career Skills contains advice for building a successful career as a developer. It includes such subjects as: how to improve your programming techniques, and interview guides and developer salary negotiation strategies. Style and approach This unique book provides over 50 insightful essays full of practical advice for improving your programming career. The book is split into three broad sections covering different aspects of a developer's career. Each essay is self-contained and can be read individually, or in chunks.

The Nomadic Developer

The Nomadic Developer PDF

Author: Aaron Erickson

Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional

Published: 2020-10-07

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0321606418

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Learn the Real Secrets of Succeeding as a Software or IT Consultant in Any Economic Climate! Despite economic cycles, the idea of using technology to make a company more efficient and competitive—or perhaps even reach a new market— is appealing to all but the most desperate and cash-starved companies. More and more often, those companies look to technology consultants to fulfill their needs. There are real advantages to being a consultant. You make contacts with a lot of different people; you get exposure to many industries; and most important, unlike a software developer in the IT department for a brick-and-mortar company, as a technology consultant, you are the profit center...so long as you are billing. Consulting can be hugely rewarding—but it’s easy to fail if you are unprepared. To succeed, you need a mentor who knows the lay of the land. Aaron Erickson is your mentor, and this is your guidebook. Erickson has done it all—from Practice Leadership to the lowest level project work. In The Nomadic Developer, he brings together his hardwon insights on becoming successful and achieving success through tough times and relentless change. You’ll find 100% practical advice and real experiences—his own and annotations from those in the trenches. In addition, renowned consultants—such as David Chappell, Bruce Eckel, Deborah Kurata, and Ted Neward—share some of their hard-earned lessons. With this useful guidebook, you can Objectively assess whether the consultant’s life makes sense for you Break into the business and build a career path that works Avoid the Seven Deadly Firms by identifying unscrupulous technology consultancies and avoiding their traps and pitfalls Understand the business models and mechanics that virtually all consulting firms use Master secret consulting success tips that are typically left unstated or overlooked Gain a competitive advantage by adding more value than your competitors Continue your professional development so you stay billable even during bad times Profit from both fixed-bid and time-and-materials projects Build a personal brand that improves your resiliency no matter what happens

Code for Cash

Code for Cash PDF

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher:

Published: 2016-12-18

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9781520182681

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// Website for our book: https://www.breakingintoconsulting.comBecome a freelance software consultant: transition from salaried dev to independentWorking as a freelance software consultant is a lifestyle that can be a path to more freedom, a feeling of control in one's life, and a more effective hourly rate for your time.This has enabled me to start new businesses, dedicate time to my hobbies, travel, and stay out (or up) late at night if I feel like it. If you learn the "skill tree", your path toward this lifestyle will be straightforward.Get the book and benefit from:Skills You Can UseI literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop to thrive in the business of software consulting. I give you the step-by-step concrete paths to achieving competence, but I also explain some of the abstract theory. For example, not only will you be able to copy my craigslist ad that I've used to find lucrative clients, but you will understand why it worked and how to write your own variation. Step By Step How To Find ClientsFor most people, getting started can be as simple as finding your first client, coming to terms on an agreement, getting to work, and getting paid (sometimes in advance- using a retainer, strategy described in the book)! In the book, I discuss over a dozen channels that have been effective for me to find new clients; they generated results, meaning cash in my pocket. Not only that, but you also get a full 30-day plan for finding clients. You can repeat it ad infinitum once you complete the initial 30-day stretch - it is a business playbook.Table of Contents1. Finding Clients2. Choosing a Rate3. Keeping Yourself Educated4. Closing Deals5. Being Productive6. Relationship Building7. Legal Ideas8. Dress For Business9. Getting Paid10. Dealing With Clients Who Don't Pay11. Must-know Tax Tips12. Communicating Effectively13. Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job14. Additional Resources15. Step-by-step guide to finding your first client (30 day, 30 point plan)16. Ending NoteAppendix A. AcknowledgementsAppendix B. About The AuthorsAppendix C. Why ConsultingMost importantly, I share how to deliver value to clients. You will charge more and make clients happier!Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community.

Soft Skills

Soft Skills PDF

Author: John Sonmez

Publisher:

Published: 2020-11

Total Pages: 502

ISBN-13: 9780999081440

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For most software developers, coding is the fun part. The hard bits are dealing with clients, peers, and managers and staying productive, achieving financial security, keeping yourself in shape, and finding true love. This book is here to help. Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual is a guide to a well-rounded, satisfying life as a technology professional. In it, developer and life coach John Sonmez offers advice to developers on important subjects like career and productivity, personal finance and investing, and even fitness and relationships. Arranged as a collection of 71 short chapters, this fun listen invites you to dip in wherever you like. A "Taking Action" section at the end of each chapter tells you how to get quick results. Soft Skills will help make you a better programmer, a more valuable employee, and a happier, healthier person.

The Consultant's Handbook

The Consultant's Handbook PDF

Author: Samir Parikh

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2015-05-21

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 1119106214

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Delivers the essential practical skills needed to consult and make sharp, well prepared interactions in a wide range of business situations This comprehensive handbook covers the fundamental skills and attitudes required by successful consultants from novice to practitioner level, irrespective of their specialist area. It untangles the key variables present in any consulting service and introduces practical ways to improve their effectiveness based upon the author's experience of helping consulting organisations to develop and excel in the marketplace. The book explores consulting ‘from the ground up' steering away from theory and focusing instead on practical application, providing a solid platform upon which to build further domain-specific competence. The Consultant's Handbook provides: An understanding of the key variables that can be addressed in order to improve one's own consulting performance A set of simple practices that can be implemented with immediate benefit to the reader Practical insight into day-to-day real life consulting interactions Confidence to implement the new ideas and approaches