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Freelancer/oDesk are terrible middlemen that don't achieve what they promise to. Businesses tend to go there looking for cheap labor rather than value. It's the
by hagbardgroup 12y ago
Freelancer/oDesk are terrible middlemen that don't achieve what they promise to. Businesses tend to go there looking for cheap labor rather than value. It's the white collar version of a boss driving up to the Home Depot parking lot, except with more bureaucracy.
Another thing that freelancers should learn is that the business is high risk, and if you're one late payment from doom, then you have to go get a job, go on welfare, sell plasma, sell hair, or whatever until you can afford the business risk again. It isn't a safe or easy thing and the people who tout the 'gig economy' as if it is should be fed to zoo animals because it leads people like this down ye olde primrose path to penury.
If your wife has some kind of weird medical issue and you're being evicted, you are loaded up with too much risk to freelance. Stupid things like this happen all-the-time and it's not unique to this website. It happens all the time when you sell directly to clients. You either sue to collect, demand contracts for larger numbers that you can sue for, or eat the loss.
There is this concept of balancing risk and reward that is painful to learn because risk isn't easily perceptible or measurable ahead of time.
Also we should beat people over the head with Poor Richard's Almanack repeatedly. Expecting people to read it is probably a little much, but some lessons may be transmitted through bludgeoning according to the experts.
- erikb 12y agoI agree with this comment the most. Freelancing or any kind of direct client interaction is a lot riskier than a normal work contract. If you have a wife with health issues it is not something you should do, even if the alternative is to code in a cubicle for a McDonnalds rate.
- kevinchen 12y ago> Freelancer/oDesk are terrible middlemen that don't achieve what they promise to. A quick look through Freelancer.com's recent Twitter mentions reveals that the author's position isn't unique. Freelancer.com is basically the PayPal of freelancing. https://twitter.com/PuffingDev/status/460192595575336960 https://twitter.com/PuffingDev/status/460192595575336960 https://twitter.com/DJ_NickJoseph/status/459010546806034432 https://twitter.com/DJ_NickJoseph/status/459010546806034432 https://twitter.com/oreakinniranye/status/459657324974866432 https://twitter.com/oreakinniranye/status/459657324974866432
- riffraff 12y agoSince, I am probably missing some cultural subtext: what do you mean with the "Poor Richard's Almanack" line? I tried looking it up but it would seem a generic almanack. While I find those entertaining, I'm confused by how they relate to the topic.
- hagbardgroup 12y agoIt was a book written and updated annually by Benjamin Franklin extolling the practical virtues of prudence, saving, hard work, humility, and so on and so forth. You can read a rambling summary of his views in this essay 'The Way to Wealth': http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/franklin.htm http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/franklin.htm >If you would be wealthy, says he, in another almanac, think of saving as well as of getting: the Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes. Away then with your expensive follies, and you will not have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families... and... >Great estates may venture more, >But little boats should keep near shore. Ben Franklin is known as one of the 'founding fathers' of the United States. He's remembered as an inventor, natural philosopher, publishing magnate, political propagandist, capable diplomat (to France), and orator.