4 ms·

I'm going gray and have been thinking about going the freelance/consultant route. Problem: Getting started without having to go to freelance sites and charge

• papandada 5y ago
  Freelance sites means competing on price (I know, not really, but pretty much). LinkedIn has worked great for recruiters bringing contracts to me, along with keeping in touch with other contractors and them sharing work with me. This might depend on your location, industry, and area of expertise. But it's kept me humming since I went independent in 2015.
• mooreds 5y ago
  Avoid those freelance sites like the plague. It's a race to the bottom. Other places to look: * Ask former colleagues if they need any off-hours help. * Ask people you meet at meetups if they are looking for help. (If you attend meetups.) * Look at the 'whose looking for a freelancer' posts here. * Look at fast growing companies in your area or network and ping folks there. They may want only FTEs, but they may also be open to contractors. * Look for part time opportunities. For example, there's a big need for training in certain technologies (AWS, k8s, terraform), and that can be a nice base for a consultant. Another thing I've done is leave a job and offer to contract back for a time. This hasn't been a long term option for me, but is nice to bridge income. If you are doing any moonlighting while employed, check your employment contract and ensure it is allowed.