Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development clients?

Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by TekMol on Saturday November 06, 2021 @08:27AM (#29129646)

On Upwork.

I know marketplaces are seen negatively by many here on HN. But I think this approach to work makes total sense.

It is just the most logical thing on multiple levels. First, a structured database of supply and demand. Of freelancers with all their skills and of jobs with all their attributes. Second, to have a standard way to collaborate. All invoices look the same, all reporting looks the same. Makes collaboration so much smoother. Starting a contract is a click. Work gets invoiced automatically. Invoices get paid automatically.

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by ahartmetz on Saturday November 06, 2021 @09:10AM (#29129926)

Isn't the problem with these marketplaces that most projects are for like $5/hour, while rates for "real professionals" are more like $100/hour and (sometimes way) up?

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by TekMol on Saturday November 06, 2021 @09:29AM (#29130029)

I am not sure if I understand your point correctly. Are you implying that clients only hire beginners on UpWork?

I am hiring there and I certainly have to pay way more than $5 per hour. My experience is that the price for software development starts at about $25/hour. That is for a student with a little bit of experience and rather low morale. Devs with actual work experience start at about $50 per hour. Again, morale will be kinda low at that price. For a really smart, motivated dev with a lot of experience, you have to pay more.

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by rl1987 on Saturday November 06, 2021 @11:23AM (#29130984)

Doesn't it matter where is the developer from? There's a lot of places in the world where $50/hr is way above local market rates, but is it easy for a developer outside US or UK to make that much on Upwork?

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by ahartmetz on Saturday November 06, 2021 @10:21AM (#29130409)

> Are you implying that clients only hire beginners on UpWork?

Well, low quality work. Yes. But, unlike you, I have only internet hearsay as sources.

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by Grimm1 on Saturday November 06, 2021 @10:33AM (#29130500)

I wound up not taking it because I had something that at the time seemed easier for me, but I negotiated a $100/hr contract on UpWork just fine looking for some part time work to hold me over on something. This was in the Data Engineering space fwiw.

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by ahartmetz on Sunday November 07, 2021 @02:35PM (#29142676)

Good to hear. Note, I'm a freelancer as well, so my information is only incomplete about Upwork. I know the local (Germany) agencies with the usual rates, 75-100€/h for C++ work.

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Re:Ask HN: Where would you start looking for development cli... by dreadpiratebob on Saturday November 06, 2021 @10:43AM (#29130578)

There is most definitely a higher end market on upwork. I freelance part time there, at between $95 and $299 per hour. (The low rate for stuff that buffs my resume, the high one for deep expertise).

I wrote an article about getting decent rates a while back...

https://highestpayinggigs.com/how-to-get-started-on-upwork/

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