The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting
The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2016-12-18

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 9781521163689

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The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses. Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding Clients We will literally map out the client acquisition skills that are paramount for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete TODOs to achieve competence and we explain some of the abstract theory. Chapter 2: Choosing a Rate How do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate. Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself Educated How do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter. Chapter 4: Closing Deals You've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter. Chapter 5: Being Productive Productivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer. Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining Relationships Freelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients. Chapter 7: Legal Ideas Being a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade. Chapter 8: Making Great First Impressions First impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person. Chapter 9: Getting Paid Okay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay. Chapter 10: Must-know Tax Tips As a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket. Chapter 11: Communicating Effectively Say the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things. Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-time What if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers. Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job In case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers. Chapter 14: Additional Resources Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.

Code for Cash
Code for Cash

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher:

Published: 2017-03-09

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 9781520793320

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Code for Cash will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses.Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding ClientsWe will literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete paths to not only achieving competence, but we will also explain some of the abstract theory.Chapter 2: Choosing a RateHow do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate.Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself EducatedHow do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter.Chapter 4: Closing DealsYou've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter.Chapter 5: Being ProductiveProductivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer.Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining RelationshipsFreelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients.Chapter 7: Legal IdeasBeing a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade.Chapter 8: Making Great First ImpressionsFirst impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person.Chapter 9: Getting PaidOkay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay.Chapter 10: Must-know Tax TipsAs a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket.Chapter 11: Communicating EffectivelySay the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things.Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-timeWhat if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers.Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding JobIn case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers.Chapter 14: Additional ResourcesEveryone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.Chapter 15: Step-by-step guide to finding your first clientLooking for more specific instructions? This optional 30 day step-by-step guide will help.

Freelance Newbie
Freelance Newbie

Author: RealToughCandy

Publisher: RealToughMedia

Published: 2019-02-01

Total Pages: 93

ISBN-13: 1794331328

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Are you ready to jump-start your freelance career? Freelance Newbie has you covered! In this book, you’ll learn practical, actionable steps you can start using today to get your first client by the end of the week. Featuring all the methods, techniques, tips, tricks, and insights you need to succeed, Freelance Newbie was written by a working freelancer whose mission is to help people like you find personal success and financial independence. The material you’ll read here has never been featured at a lower price — you simply cannot get this kind of value for less. We go through everything step-by-step with real-world examples so you know exactly what you need to do to become a successful freelancer. In Freelance Newbie, you’ll learn how to: :• Develop a business plan from scratch• Establish a suitable work environment • Configure your own freelance website to generate quality leads • Determine what services to offer (and what to do if you don't know how to do something) • Figure out an appropriate pricing scheme for your services • Find “starter” clients that pave the way for 5-star social proof and full-paying, long-term clients • Draft effective proposals and contracts• Advertise for free (or very, very cheaply) • Deliver above-average customer service • Efficiently complete client projects — time runs out FAST • And much, much more! This book can also be used as the perfect companion manual to the video course available on Udemy by RealToughCandy.

Code for Cash
Code for Cash

Author: Jay El-Kaake

Publisher:

Published: 2016-12-18

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9781520182681

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// Website for our book: https://www.breakingintoconsulting.comBecome a freelance software consultant: transition from salaried dev to independentWorking as a freelance software consultant is a lifestyle that can be a path to more freedom, a feeling of control in one's life, and a more effective hourly rate for your time.This has enabled me to start new businesses, dedicate time to my hobbies, travel, and stay out (or up) late at night if I feel like it. If you learn the "skill tree", your path toward this lifestyle will be straightforward.Get the book and benefit from:Skills You Can UseI literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop to thrive in the business of software consulting. I give you the step-by-step concrete paths to achieving competence, but I also explain some of the abstract theory. For example, not only will you be able to copy my craigslist ad that I've used to find lucrative clients, but you will understand why it worked and how to write your own variation. Step By Step How To Find ClientsFor most people, getting started can be as simple as finding your first client, coming to terms on an agreement, getting to work, and getting paid (sometimes in advance- using a retainer, strategy described in the book)! In the book, I discuss over a dozen channels that have been effective for me to find new clients; they generated results, meaning cash in my pocket. Not only that, but you also get a full 30-day plan for finding clients. You can repeat it ad infinitum once you complete the initial 30-day stretch - it is a business playbook.Table of Contents1. Finding Clients2. Choosing a Rate3. Keeping Yourself Educated4. Closing Deals5. Being Productive6. Relationship Building7. Legal Ideas8. Dress For Business9. Getting Paid10. Dealing With Clients Who Don't Pay11. Must-know Tax Tips12. Communicating Effectively13. Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job14. Additional Resources15. Step-by-step guide to finding your first client (30 day, 30 point plan)16. Ending NoteAppendix A. AcknowledgementsAppendix B. About The AuthorsAppendix C. Why ConsultingMost importantly, I share how to deliver value to clients. You will charge more and make clients happier!Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community.

Going IT Alone: The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers
Going IT Alone: The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers

Author: Leon Brown

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2016-12-05

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 1783001410

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A detailed guide to self-employment for software and web developers—from identifying your target market, through to managing your time, finances, and client behavior About This Book Discover how to make money with software development skills. Learn how to develop a marketing and sales strategy and develop profitable pricing strategies for your software services and products Gain insights through real case studies and insights provided from industry experts Who This Book Is For Going the self employed route in software development offers many opportunities to develop awareness and skills to enhance your career. Whether you are a student currently studying software development or a veteran software developer already in the industry, Going IT Alone provides you with insights you need to avoid the pitfalls of self employment and to succeed with software projects that are profitable and sustainable. What You Will Learn Identify and understand your target market. Propose the value of what your service or product offers. Build a business model that identifies key entities required to make your software business work. Develop marketing a marketing strategy that targets the right customer segments and produces the sales you need to be profitable. Analyze information to make better decisions and understand your business performance. Understand people through observation and use this to your advantage in project management and negotiation. Improve accuracy of estimates for time and costs of your software projects. Understand the relationship between code and the business strategy. Identify software features from a business perspective, allowing you to prioritise must have features from those that are less important to your profitability. Avoid the trap of increasing software development time and costs from features that provide no benefit or sales increase. In Detail No matter whether you are a student or an industry veteran, self employment adds a new dimension of opportunities to “learn and earn”, whether it be on a full-time or part-time basis. Develop the business acumen and understanding of the link between software patterns and business strategy that you need to become a successful and profitable independent software developer. Discover how to apply your software development skills to entrepreneurship. Decide whether you just want to earn or aspire to build the next Facebook. Supported by real world case studies and input from industry experts, the book looks at the business topics you need to understand to become an independent software developer. From the initial steps of identifying how you can make a profit with your software development skills, through to making your first sale and managing your projects, you will learn how to manage each of the major steps involved in becoming a self employed software developer – whether you decide to go freelance, take up contracting or develop your own product. Written specifically for software and web developers, the book identifies how business issues have a direct impact on code patterns used in software projects. Learn how to build your code to support your business model and with safety features to protect against potential threats that may emerge from the changing business environment. Style and approach This book is a detailed guide to self employment for software and web developers , covering major topics from identifying your target market and business model, through to managing your time, finances and client behavior.

The Wealthy Freelancer
The Wealthy Freelancer

Author: Pete Savage

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2010-03-02

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 1101222859

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Being your own boss can lead to incredible profts - here's how... Whether you call yourself a freelancer, consultant, independent contractor or solo professional of any kind, 'The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle', shows you how to get the clients, income, and lifestyle you deserve. So you can put more money in the bank, enjoy more time with your family and make a great living doing what you truly love to do, free from the burden of employment... Filled with proven ideas and real-world examples from dozens of successful freelancers, 'The Wealthy Freelancer' is essential reading for any solo professional who wants to enjoy a lifestyle that's 'wealthy' in every sense of the word. Here's a glimpse of what's waiting for you inside this book: * Why the typical one-size-fits-all marketing advice rarely works, and a fool-proof system for determining the optimal mix of marketing activities for your specific circumstances and goals. * How to get more prospects to say "Yes!" to the fees that you propose. * Why striving to be the "best" in your field almost never works, and what to do instead. * How to charge more - and earn more - by creating new income streams closely related to your core business. *How to have more time for the life you want and still have a great income. *How to "test the waters" and land freelance work now, even if you're already employed. * Why freelancing has moved beyond creative fields and into mainstream careers such as Engineering, Software Development, Bookkeeping, and more than 160 other professions. * Stories of real-life freelancers who destroy the myth that freelancers barely scrape by. * Dozens more proven tips and strategies to build a more profitable and fulfilling solo business.

The Nomadic Developer
The Nomadic Developer

Author: Aaron Erickson

Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional

Published: 2020-10-07

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0321606418

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Learn the Real Secrets of Succeeding as a Software or IT Consultant in Any Economic Climate! Despite economic cycles, the idea of using technology to make a company more efficient and competitive—or perhaps even reach a new market— is appealing to all but the most desperate and cash-starved companies. More and more often, those companies look to technology consultants to fulfill their needs. There are real advantages to being a consultant. You make contacts with a lot of different people; you get exposure to many industries; and most important, unlike a software developer in the IT department for a brick-and-mortar company, as a technology consultant, you are the profit center...so long as you are billing. Consulting can be hugely rewarding—but it’s easy to fail if you are unprepared. To succeed, you need a mentor who knows the lay of the land. Aaron Erickson is your mentor, and this is your guidebook. Erickson has done it all—from Practice Leadership to the lowest level project work. In The Nomadic Developer, he brings together his hardwon insights on becoming successful and achieving success through tough times and relentless change. You’ll find 100% practical advice and real experiences—his own and annotations from those in the trenches. In addition, renowned consultants—such as David Chappell, Bruce Eckel, Deborah Kurata, and Ted Neward—share some of their hard-earned lessons. With this useful guidebook, you can Objectively assess whether the consultant’s life makes sense for you Break into the business and build a career path that works Avoid the Seven Deadly Firms by identifying unscrupulous technology consultancies and avoiding their traps and pitfalls Understand the business models and mechanics that virtually all consulting firms use Master secret consulting success tips that are typically left unstated or overlooked Gain a competitive advantage by adding more value than your competitors Continue your professional development so you stay billable even during bad times Profit from both fixed-bid and time-and-materials projects Build a personal brand that improves your resiliency no matter what happens

Consulting Software Engineer A Complete Guide - 2020 Edition
Consulting Software Engineer A Complete Guide - 2020 Edition

Author: Gerardus Blokdyk

Publisher: 5starcooks

Published: 2020-01-13

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 9781867302360

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Does Consulting software engineer appropriately measure and monitor risk? How do you gather requirements? Consider your own Consulting software engineer project, what types of organizational problems do you think might be causing or affecting your problem, based on the work done so far? Are the units of measure consistent? Who has control over resources? This exclusive Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment will make you the principal Consulting Software Engineer domain master by revealing just what you need to know to be fluent and ready for any Consulting Software Engineer challenge. How do I reduce the effort in the Consulting Software Engineer work to be done to get problems solved? How can I ensure that plans of action include every Consulting Software Engineer task and that every Consulting Software Engineer outcome is in place? How will I save time investigating strategic and tactical options and ensuring Consulting Software Engineer costs are low? How can I deliver tailored Consulting Software Engineer advice instantly with structured going-forward plans? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed best-selling author Gerard Blokdyk. Blokdyk ensures all Consulting Software Engineer essentials are covered, from every angle: the Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment shows succinctly and clearly that what needs to be clarified to organize the required activities and processes so that Consulting Software Engineer outcomes are achieved. Contains extensive criteria grounded in past and current successful projects and activities by experienced Consulting Software Engineer practitioners. Their mastery, combined with the easy elegance of the self-assessment, provides its superior value to you in knowing how to ensure the outcome of any efforts in Consulting Software Engineer are maximized with professional results. Your purchase includes access details to the Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment dashboard download which gives you your dynamically prioritized projects-ready tool and shows you exactly what to do next. Your exclusive instant access details can be found in your book. You will receive the following contents with New and Updated specific criteria: - The latest quick edition of the book in PDF - The latest complete edition of the book in PDF, which criteria correspond to the criteria in... - The Self-Assessment Excel Dashboard - Example pre-filled Self-Assessment Excel Dashboard to get familiar with results generation - In-depth and specific Consulting Software Engineer Checklists - Project management checklists and templates to assist with implementation INCLUDES LIFETIME SELF ASSESSMENT UPDATES Every self assessment comes with Lifetime Updates and Lifetime Free Updated Books. Lifetime Updates is an industry-first feature which allows you to receive verified self assessment updates, ensuring you always have the most accurate information at your fingertips.

Software Architecture
Software Architecture

Author: Oliver Vogel

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-09-18

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 3642197361

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As a software architect you work in a wide-ranging and dynamic environment. You have to understand the needs of your customer, design architectures that satisfy both functional and non-functional requirements, and lead development teams in implementing the architecture. And it is an environment that is constantly changing: trends such as cloud computing, service orientation, and model-driven procedures open up new architectural possibilities. This book will help you to develop a holistic architectural awareness and knowledge base that extends beyond concrete methods, techniques, and technologies. It will also help you to acquire or expand the technical, methodological, and social competences that you need. The authors place the spotlight on you, the architect, and offer you long-term architectural orientation. They give you numerous guidelines, checklists, and best practices to support you in your practical work. "Software Architecture" offers IT students, software developers, and software architects a holistic and consistent orientation across relevant topics. The book also provides valuable information and suggestions for system architects and enterprise architects, since many of the topics presented are also relevant for their work. Furthermore, IT project leads and other IT managers can use the book to acquire an enhanced understanding of architecture. Further information is available at www.software-architecture-book.org.

Freelance Consultant, The: Your comprehensive guide to starting an independent business
Freelance Consultant, The: Your comprehensive guide to starting an independent business

Author: Richard Newton

Publisher: Pearson UK

Published: 2021-04-22

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 1292360852

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Freelance consulting, coaching, IT contracting and other self-employed professional roles are fast becoming the preferred way to find fulfilling work, generate a great income, and futureproof careers, whilst giving all the benefits and freedoms of being your own boss – but few know how to make it really work. The Freelance Consultant is the comprehensive guide into turning your expertise into a viable, and valuable, business. With independent consultant Richard Newton, you will discover a wealth of insider knowledge as well as a network of other successful advisors willing to share their stories. The Freelance Consultant will explain how to: • Setup, run and thrive in your freelance, consultant or coaching business. • Acquire those vital first paying clients. • Know what it takes to become a successful, differentiated and valuable advisor. • Build your business, define your services and set your prices. • Understand your customers and identify, manage, and retain key clients. • Keep developing and continually improving your skills an growing your business. Turn from amateur to pro with the help of The Freelance Consultant.