4 ms·

Read every single article on daedtech.com related to software consulting (and maybe some that aren't) -- the amount of insight contained inside those articles f

Read every single article on daedtech.com related to software consulting (and maybe some that aren't) -- the amount of insight contained inside those articles for free is insane. 99% of the people who think they are doing consulting (me included) are not doing consulting. If you're getting paid to write software, you're not a consultant, you're a freelancer/service provider. Let those words shake you then read all the writing on daedtech.com to learn why and see if you disagree (you won't).

krn 8y ago
> If you're getting paid to write software, you're not a consultant, you're a freelancer/service provider. That's by definition: consult verb (used with object): to get information or advice from a person, book, etc. with special knowledge on a particular subject https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/consult https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/consult
- scarface74 8y ago
  Yeah but it gives people a warm and fuzzy. Just like companies hiring “senior software engineers with at least three years of experience”.
- hardwaresofton 8y ago
  You're right that it's very obviously in the definition of the rowds and should be this simple to classify "software consultancy" by definition, but that's not what's out there in practice. How people use (in this case misuse) the term leads to confusion and the linked article (and the other related ones) starts with this fact as the baseline (we're in agreement) and goes into how/why software shops are doing it wrong/mislabeling themselves, and how you can stop doing that. It seems to be exactly what OP is looking for.
  - tptacek 8y ago
    I don't see anything in the OP asking for an extended semantic debate about the meaning of the word "consultant" or any problem any consultant has that could be solved by it.
- lateaugust 8y ago
  Writing software is an act of labor, not getting information or advice. That definition just proves his point. Or am I missing something?
pault 8y ago
Even in this thread I see a lot of people conflating consulting with working as a highly paid contractor. I accidentally fell into contracting two years ago when the company I was working for closed unexpectedly. I doubled my yearly income, but I'm still an employee in practice.
- tptacek 8y ago
  Are you perhaps thinking about the distinction between project-based work and staff aug? Staff-aug consulting does essentially make you an effective "employee", just paid differently and with a different level of commitment.
pault 8y ago
Even in this thread I see a lot of people conflating consulting with working as a highly paid contractor. I accidentally fell into contracting two years ago when the company I was working for closed unexpectedly. I doubled my yearly income, but I'm still an employee in practice. I will say though, if you can make the leap to contracting with large companies, the pay is insane. I'm currently making about $60k/year over the highest paid salary jobs I could get anywhere else here in Austin, TX. I have to buy my own insurance, but I'm single and childless so it's not a huge deal for me.
- hardwaresofton 8y ago
  I'm really curious about this -- I actually left Austin to move abroad a while ago, and do contracting (which I erroneously call consulting, though I do also consult). While I plan to return to the US I never considered returning and continuing contracting. Based on what you're saying I'd expect that yearly base salary to be over 200k (based on what it was like in Austin years ago), would you mind sharing how you've found good and/or consistent clients which pay you at that rate? Is it mostly bigger companies? Smaller startups? Multiple contracts at a time?
  - pault 8y ago
    Yes, around $220k this year. I got lucky through a personal referral to a staffing agency, found out how much another team member was making, and asked for that amount. I'm working with a local recruiter who sources talent for some of the bigger companies operating here. My email address is in my profile if you want to connect.
- tptacek 8y ago
  The distinction between "consulting" and "freelancing" and "contracting" is pretty much fictitious; it's like the consulting version of the "is it really a startup?" game.
  - kasey_junk 8y ago
    Clearly staff augmentation has different tasks than expert consulting. How do you signal which you want/do?
Tehchops 8y ago
His book is excellent as well.

krn 8y ago

> If you're getting paid to write software, you're not a consultant, you're a freelancer/service provider. That's by definition: consult verb (used with object): to get information or advice from a person, book, etc. with special knowledge on a particular subject https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/consult https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/consult

scarface74 8y ago
Yeah but it gives people a warm and fuzzy. Just like companies hiring “senior software engineers with at least three years of experience”.
hardwaresofton 8y ago
You're right that it's very obviously in the definition of the rowds and should be this simple to classify "software consultancy" by definition, but that's not what's out there in practice. How people use (in this case misuse) the term leads to confusion and the linked article (and the other related ones) starts with this fact as the baseline (we're in agreement) and goes into how/why software shops are doing it wrong/mislabeling themselves, and how you can stop doing that. It seems to be exactly what OP is looking for.
- tptacek 8y ago
  I don't see anything in the OP asking for an extended semantic debate about the meaning of the word "consultant" or any problem any consultant has that could be solved by it.
lateaugust 8y ago
Writing software is an act of labor, not getting information or advice. That definition just proves his point. Or am I missing something?

pault 8y ago

tptacek 8y ago
Are you perhaps thinking about the distinction between project-based work and staff aug? Staff-aug consulting does essentially make you an effective "employee", just paid differently and with a different level of commitment.

pault 8y ago

Even in this thread I see a lot of people conflating consulting with working as a highly paid contractor. I accidentally fell into contracting two years ago when the company I was working for closed unexpectedly. I doubled my yearly income, but I'm still an employee in practice. I will say though, if you can make the leap to contracting with large companies, the pay is insane. I'm currently making about $60k/year over the highest paid salary jobs I could get anywhere else here in Austin, TX. I have to buy my own insurance, but I'm single and childless so it's not a huge deal for me.

hardwaresofton 8y ago
I'm really curious about this -- I actually left Austin to move abroad a while ago, and do contracting (which I erroneously call consulting, though I do also consult). While I plan to return to the US I never considered returning and continuing contracting. Based on what you're saying I'd expect that yearly base salary to be over 200k (based on what it was like in Austin years ago), would you mind sharing how you've found good and/or consistent clients which pay you at that rate? Is it mostly bigger companies? Smaller startups? Multiple contracts at a time?
- pault 8y ago
  Yes, around $220k this year. I got lucky through a personal referral to a staffing agency, found out how much another team member was making, and asked for that amount. I'm working with a local recruiter who sources talent for some of the bigger companies operating here. My email address is in my profile if you want to connect.
tptacek 8y ago
The distinction between "consulting" and "freelancing" and "contracting" is pretty much fictitious; it's like the consulting version of the "is it really a startup?" game.
- kasey_junk 8y ago
  Clearly staff augmentation has different tasks than expert consulting. How do you signal which you want/do?

Tehchops 8y ago

His book is excellent as well.