How to Work Out What to Charge Clients

Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by jcadam on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:39AM (#16266670)

I don't know. I dabbled with freelancing on the side a few years ago and never did land a gig. The potential clients I managed to get on the phone didn't want to pay more than $30/hour or so (I started off asking for $60). I decided freelancing wasn't a real thing for US-based software developers and dropped the idea.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by bpicolo on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:47AM (#16266756)

As I understand it, one easy rate-factor is having a focused and desirable skillset. Become an expert at something specific and seeing widespread adoption/need - kubernetes, cloud security, whatever - and you can command a lot more. Web design / simple apps are a lowest-bidder sort of deal.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by xapata on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @11:48AM (#16266757)

Depends on the stage of your career. I charge $200 to $400 hourly, depending on the duration of the project.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by jcadam on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @12:08PM (#16266926)

Sure, somehow I'm worth ~$140k/yr (plus benefits, etc) to my current employer as a FTE (who bills me out at a much higher rate to our customers, I'm sure), but I'm in govt contracting - it's a different world.

How to find private sector clients willing to pay good rates? I have no idea.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by xapata on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @01:08PM (#16267417)

It's sometimes possible for a small business (like a single-member LLC) to bid on government contracts. You can try to cut out the middleman.

My personal style is to avoid getting into bidding contests. I've invested years into building my personal network. That means enthusiastically following up with strangers that I meet to turn them into acquaintances and semi-friends. It's exhausting, but has paid off. For example, sometimes I get a call out of the blue from someone I haven't spoken to in 3 years asking me to help with a project.

Don't expect people to sign contracts right away. Give them time. Years, perhaps. Just put the word out there that you're skilled and available for work.

Edit: Also, you need a specialty that allows you to accomplish something useful in a few months by yourself.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by HeyLaughingBoy on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @01:05PM (#16267397)

That must have been a very long time ago, because even in 1998, I remember a friend who was a barely competent programmer making $44/hour and the contracting agency she was working through was charging well above that.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by nicoburns on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @06:13PM (#16269970)

Rates for programming jobs are widely variable. Some people work forn $10/hour.

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Re:How to Work Out What to Charge Clients by jcadam on Tuesday January 30, 2018 @01:48PM (#16267814)

Nope, about 5 years ago.

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