4 ms·

Related question: I recently left my previous job and am now looking for consulting work. I have never done consulting before. I have RoR / Ruby / machine lea

Related question: I recently left my previous job and am now looking for consulting work. I have never done consulting before. I have RoR / Ruby / machine learning / startup experience. How should I go about finding clients?

epi0Bauqu 18y ago
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=162884 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=162884 Craigslist used to work wonders for me.
dmpayton 18y ago
I second this. I currently have a F/T job at a bay-area startup (which I don't want to leave), but am extremely interested in supplementing my income with some consulting/contract gigs.
nonrecursive 18y ago
Tectonic, I was an RoR freelancer for 2 years. Here are sites where I've found jobs: http://jobs.rubynow.com http://jobs.rubynow.com http://jobs.37signals.com http://jobs.37signals.com http://bostonrb.org/jobs http://bostonrb.org/jobs If you also just google "rails jobs" you'll find the other useful rails job sites out there. The best way to find work, however, is to build your network. One of the best clients I had was referred to me by a fellow I happened to have lunch with when I was in NYC for a couple weeks. Another of my best clients was referred to me by a friend. Where are you located, btw? Another way to find work is to find other web development companies and just email them asking if they need help. I've found work this way as well, and have had more success contacting local companies. edit: One thing that helped a lot was I developed a rails tool (Palmist, http://www.flyingmachinestudios.com/projects/ http://www.flyingmachinestudios.com/projects/) , then I gave a presentation on it at the Boston ruby group. Since then, many interviewers have perked up when I mentioned it because they had either seen it or used it. Hope this helps!
- pageman 18y ago
  Mark Granovetter's Weak Tie in action! :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Granovetter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Granovetter
- catone 18y ago
  On the rails job front, over at Rails Forum we also run a job board for rails positions @ http://www.railswork.com/ http://www.railswork.com/ I've actually seen a fairly steady number of job postings the past couple of months (it's always been a somewhat low volume jobs board -- 3-5 new posts per week, I'd guess -- but the volume hasn't dropped off).
bprater 18y ago
Go to conferences and shake lots of hands. You don't need 150 clients, you need 1 or 2 great clients. Like dating, it's a numbers game. I don't think you have to push your RoR experience, since many business owners won't get it. Find out what problems business owners are having and offers suggestions to solve it, even if it's doesn't include your services.
- krschultz 18y ago
  Like dating, it's a numbers game. Exactly, business and dating have more parallels than people like to admit, it all comes down to forming relationships. Numbers are good, first impressions are better, and solid performance are best. Once you have a track record it is a lot easier, because woman .. err .. businesses always want the guy everyone else has.
- paulsilver 18y ago
  I would strongly suggest having a handful of clients. Currently the two things likely to kill an early consulting / freelancing career are: the client you're working for going out of business, or the client you're working for cutting budgets back to the point where they can't afford you any more. Being spread across a few clients lessens your risk a great deal, but it shouldn't become unmanageable to keep in touch with all of them. [Edit] I should have said - couldn't agree more about the conferences. Whether full on conferences or more community driven events like BarCamps, they're a great place to meet very good contacts.
tectonic 18y ago
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! If you need a Rails consultant, contact me. :) http://andrewcantino.com http://andrewcantino.com
lallysingh 18y ago
In the Wash. DC area, the local Board of Trade had a lot of small companies that wanted to network for each other's services & business. Web devs should do pretty well there, or in similar orgs wherever you are. I did a bit of consulting years ago, for another software shop --- I think the general rule is network in the area that your customers are going to be.
- tocomment 18y ago
  Tell me more.

epi0Bauqu 18y ago

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=162884 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=162884 Craigslist used to work wonders for me.

dmpayton 18y ago

I second this. I currently have a F/T job at a bay-area startup (which I don't want to leave), but am extremely interested in supplementing my income with some consulting/contract gigs.

nonrecursive 18y ago

Tectonic, I was an RoR freelancer for 2 years. Here are sites where I've found jobs: http://jobs.rubynow.com http://jobs.rubynow.com http://jobs.37signals.com http://jobs.37signals.com http://bostonrb.org/jobs http://bostonrb.org/jobs If you also just google "rails jobs" you'll find the other useful rails job sites out there. The best way to find work, however, is to build your network. One of the best clients I had was referred to me by a fellow I happened to have lunch with when I was in NYC for a couple weeks. Another of my best clients was referred to me by a friend. Where are you located, btw? Another way to find work is to find other web development companies and just email them asking if they need help. I've found work this way as well, and have had more success contacting local companies. edit: One thing that helped a lot was I developed a rails tool (Palmist, http://www.flyingmachinestudios.com/projects/ http://www.flyingmachinestudios.com/projects/) , then I gave a presentation on it at the Boston ruby group. Since then, many interviewers have perked up when I mentioned it because they had either seen it or used it. Hope this helps!

pageman 18y ago
Mark Granovetter's Weak Tie in action! :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Granovetter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Granovetter
catone 18y ago
On the rails job front, over at Rails Forum we also run a job board for rails positions @ http://www.railswork.com/ http://www.railswork.com/ I've actually seen a fairly steady number of job postings the past couple of months (it's always been a somewhat low volume jobs board -- 3-5 new posts per week, I'd guess -- but the volume hasn't dropped off).

bprater 18y ago

Go to conferences and shake lots of hands. You don't need 150 clients, you need 1 or 2 great clients. Like dating, it's a numbers game. I don't think you have to push your RoR experience, since many business owners won't get it. Find out what problems business owners are having and offers suggestions to solve it, even if it's doesn't include your services.

krschultz 18y ago
Like dating, it's a numbers game. Exactly, business and dating have more parallels than people like to admit, it all comes down to forming relationships. Numbers are good, first impressions are better, and solid performance are best. Once you have a track record it is a lot easier, because woman .. err .. businesses always want the guy everyone else has.
paulsilver 18y ago
I would strongly suggest having a handful of clients. Currently the two things likely to kill an early consulting / freelancing career are: the client you're working for going out of business, or the client you're working for cutting budgets back to the point where they can't afford you any more. Being spread across a few clients lessens your risk a great deal, but it shouldn't become unmanageable to keep in touch with all of them. [Edit] I should have said - couldn't agree more about the conferences. Whether full on conferences or more community driven events like BarCamps, they're a great place to meet very good contacts.

tectonic 18y ago

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! If you need a Rails consultant, contact me. :) http://andrewcantino.com http://andrewcantino.com

lallysingh 18y ago

In the Wash. DC area, the local Board of Trade had a lot of small companies that wanted to network for each other's services & business. Web devs should do pretty well there, or in similar orgs wherever you are. I did a bit of consulting years ago, for another software shop --- I think the general rule is network in the area that your customers are going to be.

tocomment 18y ago
Tell me more.