Slashdot Mirror
Finding Programming Work on the Side?
vistaconfig wonders: "I work as a developer for a certain fairly small company. I'm very happy with my work/pay and I wouldn't consider changing my job. However, I find myself bored at night since I never take any work home (as per the boss's orders). Since I'm not capable of working without some kind of motivation, I'm trying to find some kind of a side job that pays whatever money, and has deadlines (that's the only way I can work, unfortunately). There doesn't seem to be a website for side jobs. I'm willing to take something on, but I don't know where to go. How do other Slashdot readers deal with finding the side job in the first place? "
I tend to agree with the comment suggesting that you look for something different, like a life.
... project?
/., of course).
However, if that's not feasible (e.g., maybe you need more money; maybe you don't want a life right now), then how about a pet
You could work on an open source project. Or you could think of an "unmet need" and code the solution, get some angel money, parlay that into VC funding, cash out and criticize the government full time (on
The social pressure to hate your job is strong enough without you badgering the guy. When are people going to learn that programmers are not labourers. We like to program. Most of the time when you ask a programmer why he hates his job he will tell that a woeful tale about poor management and almost always include the complaint "there's no time to do any actual programming!"
How we know is more important than what we know.
I certainly didn't expect this reaction. I do have a "life". I live with a woman. I go out, frequently. I read. I travel. I watch movies almost on a daily basis. What the hell else can I do to have "a life". My "problem" comes down to the fact that I work true 40 hours weeks. I also work from home very frequently, thus taking away the waste of time that is traveling to/from work. I think I'm lucky in that regards compared to other people in my position. I don't work overtime, my projects (at least for now) are managed to the point where I know I will meet my deadlines. Also, call it what you are, but I guess "geek" would be a word that describes me fairly well. I simply like to program. The unfortunate truth is that I can't do it "for myself". I find myself bored with every project I start on my own.
So you don't hate your job, that doesn't mean its healthy to do it 24/7. The topic is something that most people wish would happen, to be allowed to leave work issues at work so they can have a life of their own.
Leave what you do for work at work when you're done at the end of the work day. That way you will continue not to hate your job, you will not begin to loath waking up and having to do it your every waking moment. Use your free time for your interests, for whatever you find enjoyable. If its programming, fine do that but have it be something that is related to your own interests, not what someone who is cracking the proverbial whip at your back tells you to do.
His boss may even realize this and so to keep a happy and healthy employee he tells them not to take work home with them when they are finished work for the day. Most places only make a show of wanting their employees to keep work and their own free time separate.
"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
You could always do a code bounty.
Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
I'll happily load you up with projects if you like. The pay is nonexistant, and the work won't be interesting, but you'll be helping me earn a nice salary and have more free time.
Interested?
Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
Yup, I was in the same predicament that you're in; home after work, and bored out of my skull. So, I started contracting at night working with a small firm writing accounting software, and with a hotel writing banquet management software. One night when I finally got to bed at two in the morning, my wife looked at me and said "you've been so distant for the past six months, have I done anything wrong?" That broke my heart. I realized that I'd come home from work, eat dinner, and head on upstairs to my home office and code all night.
It was also affecting my full time job. I was constantly late, and groggy and grumpy until sometime around lunch. My boss at the time finally got tired of the complaints and gave me an ultimatum: fix my attitude problem or find another job.
I finally realized what an a-hole I'd been to my co-workers and more importantly to my wife. So, I gave up the contracting work.
What I'm trying to say is that instead of burying your head in coding 16+ hours a day. Take some time for yourself after hours. Hang out with friends. Surprise your S.O. by doing something that's fun, offbeat, and different from your normal routine. To sum it up, enjoy life.
-ScottMy other sig is a Glock
While I think the idea of Rentacoder and other bidding sites is good for getting quantity of work through, it's really the wrong type of business model. Basing a service on discounted labour is a short way to make very little money. Not only that, but it de-values your worth. I've been working as an independant programmer for almost 15 years and I've tried a few different ways of finding new work to do, advertising in newspapers, journals, 'door knocking' around businesses with flyers, but by far the best way of getting ongoing well paid work is by referral.
Getting that first customer is the tricky bit, but once you've done that the rule is simple, when the work is either complete or well under way, ask them for a minimum of three referrals for businesses they know personally who may require work, and ask them to put in a good word for you. Always push for three as it covers the odds pretty well and you're nearly always guaranteed new customers. It's difficult to do initially as it feels awkward asking them for that kind of information, but you have to see if from their perspective, they have a valued service that has helped them and their mates should benefit in the same way. I've never had a customer who was not willing to give me referrals in this way.
Fix a rate, do some research into the going rate for your area, don't undersell, don't oversell. After a while you get used to spotting risks, be they technical (in most cases you have to guage the amount of technical risk involved, this will aid in contingency) or political risk.
Don't be afraid to contract other people into the same job with you, just choose people you know, even if they have flaws it's better the devil you know. You can be fussy about the type of work once you have quantity coming through the door, until that point be prepared to do any type of development work.
The discounting thing is the real point though, don't be tempted to do it. Instead of discounting, reduce your services for the same job. Otherwise you'll find yourself doing the same work for one customer at the discounted rate for 10 years and have a hard job trying to increase your rate.
Getting that first customer though, not really as hard as you think. I try to avoid working for friends and family, but if you can get references from friends and family that's the next best thing.
Know your own process. Understand what it takes to go from the handshake to getting paid from an invoice is very important. It's good to know how to gather meaningful requirements, build your own practical specifications, manage customer expectations, managing variations to work and learning to say no at the right time. It's easy to skim over some of these, especially when you first start doing it by yourself, but after a while you realise why they exist and how they can save you time when done right.
A low priority is insurance, professional indemnity is a good one, cover yourself after a while. Not that you're going to be careless about what you do, but the insurance is there for when you get hit out of leftfield. When you get enough income in to pay for the insurance get a broker and invest.
Task Mangler
Actually, since the two accounts were created consecutively, I'd have to guess that this is only one person, so it'd be a sort of "fight club" scenario.