[thelist] mailing lists for developers/contractors - finding more opportunities

Tom Dell'Aringa pixelmech at yahoo.com
Mon Oct 27 13:20:01 CST 2003


--- bruce <bedouglas at earthlink.net> wrote:

> since we've been searching for ways to find contracts...(with
> almost no luck!!!) we're curious.. and thought we'd ask the list...

> would there be any interest in a mailing list/site.. devoted to 
> sharing tools/resources/contacts/etc.. to find contracts and to 
> meet the contracts...
> i gotta believe that there's a need/desire/use for something like
> this... provided it's really useful, and not overrun with spam...
> if you feel there's a need for something like this, let me know
> what you'd like it to be/what you'd like it to have/what you might 
> like to get from it...

Warning, honest opinions forthcoming... I've contracted/freelanced
successfully for 4 out of the last 10 years, including the last two.

What you describe exists in a multitude of formats. Every single one
of the sucks. This thread has been done to death, but a quick
overview:

1 - Offshore bidding, high-school student bidding and just good ol'
American "I'll undercut you til you bleed" bidding means you can have
any contract you can win...for $5 an hour..or less.

2 - Most people (I know I don't) don't need another mailing list to
handle, when most of it WILL end up being spam - or simply other
developers asking you "hey got any work for me?"

3 - "Real" companies - i.e, the companies you WANT to work for (not
have to) don't give out work that way, because they know they won't
get quality for their admittedly low low dollar. They simply don't
hire that way.

Contracting is TOUGH. There are no two ways around it. There is only
one viable answer to getting contract work: Networking. The better
you are at networking and promoting yourself the more work you will
get.

Learn to network and promote yourself. And use every *good* placement
agency you can find. 

My work in the last two years consisted of 40% networking/getting
stuff on my own and 60% agency placements.

There may be other opinions, but this is one from an experienced
contractor who made a living at it.

GL

Tom

=====
http://www.pixelmech.com/ :: Web Development Services
http://www.DMXzone.com/ :: JavaScript Author / Every Friday!
http://www.thywordistruth.net/ :: Eternal Life

"The fun you can have with a bunch of old rocks and a can of yellow paint." (Bonzana Bunny, 1959)


More information about the thelist mailing list