3 ms·

> Here's my advice to developers who want to freelance: network and network some more. Write blogs, create content marketing material for yourself. There are m

by ivm 8y ago

> Here's my advice to developers who want to freelance: network and network some more. Write blogs, create content marketing material for yourself. There are many developers who can't do it because they live in Eastern Europe or Asia or Latin America and speak only conversational English. Upwork has a lot problems but it's providing $25+/h rates for thousands of professionals who otherwise would get only $10-15/h or less locally. (I'm one of them.)

gaius 8y ago
Eastern Europe or Asia or Latin America and speak only conversational English. It’s the opposite - they have access to markets that English-only speakers don’t. A Brazilian developer networking with Brazilian companies is going to be much happier than one scrabbling for work in a race-to-the-bottom marketplace like Upwork
- ivm 8y ago
  These markets rarely pay as much as US or even UK. I've seen dozens of developers with 2-5 years of experience earning more on Upwork than senior developers in their countries. Also, it isn't a "race-to-the-bottom" if you have a good portfolio and know how to present your skills.
  - realusername 8y ago
    If they want to be paid well, they are probably not going on Upworks anyway... These websites are the bottom of what you can get as a consultant.
    - ivm 8y ago
      But where should they go with no presence in English-speaking Internet and only conversational language level?
- barry-cotter 8y ago
  You want access to the market with the most money because you want some of their money. I bet there's very little competition in the Somali language software community but the upper limit for what you're going to get paid is going to be substantially lower than that for people who can speak English, or even Spanish or Russian. If you're a UK developer looking for remote work you would on average do better compensation wise getting a remote job with an American company than a UK one. They're used to paying more so they do. They can because they're more profitable.

by ivm 8y ago

gaius 8y ago

Eastern Europe or Asia or Latin America and speak only conversational English. It’s the opposite - they have access to markets that English-only speakers don’t. A Brazilian developer networking with Brazilian companies is going to be much happier than one scrabbling for work in a race-to-the-bottom marketplace like Upwork

ivm 8y ago
These markets rarely pay as much as US or even UK. I've seen dozens of developers with 2-5 years of experience earning more on Upwork than senior developers in their countries. Also, it isn't a "race-to-the-bottom" if you have a good portfolio and know how to present your skills.
- realusername 8y ago
  If they want to be paid well, they are probably not going on Upworks anyway... These websites are the bottom of what you can get as a consultant.
  - ivm 8y ago
    But where should they go with no presence in English-speaking Internet and only conversational language level?
barry-cotter 8y ago
You want access to the market with the most money because you want some of their money. I bet there's very little competition in the Somali language software community but the upper limit for what you're going to get paid is going to be substantially lower than that for people who can speak English, or even Spanish or Russian. If you're a UK developer looking for remote work you would on average do better compensation wise getting a remote job with an American company than a UK one. They're used to paying more so they do. They can because they're more profitable.