4 ms·
$4k a week is top, top market rate where I come from, US Chicago, especially for 1 FTE. As an independent contractor your client relationships are paramount to
by phibz 7y ago
$4k a week is top, top market rate where I come from, US Chicago, especially for 1 FTE.
As an independent contractor your client relationships are paramount to getting and retaining work. You should be aware what your client is feeling and be able to anticipate their next move. Ideally they'll just tell you what they're going to do but getting there takes time building mutual trust.
Consider spending extra time outside of your hands on work talking with your contacts at your client. Build that relationship and do so with multiple people in the company. When you work for yourself you are worker, manager, VP of sales and CEO. You'll want to spend time in each position so the needs of your company are satisfied.
Also clients build off each other. I've repeatedly gotten new work from friends and business associates of my clients.
Consider this a lesson and spend more time on those soft skills or put yourself in a job that doesnt require that level of self sufficiency.
- asark 7y agoMid-career developer rates in my much-smaller-market-than-Chicago city are like $120-150k—salary, that is. $4k/week's the minimum I'd need to even consider jumping to consulting/contracting, and even then I'd probably need more like $5-6k/wk to make it a good idea.
- badestrand 7y agoJust curious, how come Glassdoor shows just $82k for Chicago [1]? Are these reported values far too low or is there something else at play? As your market is $135k and you implied Chicago has higher salaries. I am not from the US and just try to understand if all the high salaries that get mentioned here on HN are reality. [1] https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/chicago-software-developer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,7_IM167_KO8,26.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/chicago-software-develope...
- asark 7y agoSalaries have gone kinda nuts the last 3ish years. IDK what's going on, but that's the state of things. Still, even 3-4 years ago ~$70-80k was entry-level around here, as far as places with actual money went. Maybe (unfunded) startups or something else that's getting included in the stats (state jobs?) drag the average down? I'd certainly assume Chicago averages higher than here—we're very much a tier under them, so far as tech-hubbitude.
- holy_city 7y agoChicago isn't very much of a tech-hub outside of fintech, and the business culture is completely different than the west coast and newer startup-focused markets. Things are shifting a bit, but by and large its not a place dripping with VC dollars looking to fund startups and burn cash on developer salaries.