Comments on: Should You Use Job Boards To Grow Your Freelance Business? http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/ presented by Site Potion Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:54:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Clay http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36751 Clay Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:10:45 +0000 http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36751 @Kris: I totally agree. The only way I can imagine competing with bidders who have a lower cost of living is if the project is so similar to something that I've written in the past, that I can reuse nearly all of the code. That means I would need to have an incredibly large and well organized library of code snippets, and/or I would need to spend a lot of time sifting through job postings to find the ones I could turn a profit on. @Kris: I totally agree. The only way I can imagine competing with bidders who have a lower cost of living is if the project is so similar to something that I’ve written in the past, that I can reuse nearly all of the code. That means I would need to have an incredibly large and well organized library of code snippets, and/or I would need to spend a lot of time sifting through job postings to find the ones I could turn a profit on.

]]> By: kristofer http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36750 kristofer Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:46:17 +0000 http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36750 We find a lot of work on freelance job boards. It's true, many potential clients are looking for great work at a discounted price. My experience with freelance boards has been crappy - clients expect way more than they're willing to pay for. It's much better to deal with a client who understands what I can do within the budget. Furthermore, people of other cultures with different living standards are also bidding. I know a brilliant programmer in India selling his skills for $3/hour (that's a lot to him too..) where I'd be losing my shirt at that rate. But the global economy of the interweb may drive the cost of development down on these job boards. It's great for consumers, but what about us bill-paying freelancers? The best bet for freelancers IMHO is to impress local clients so they keep coming back with new ideas. We find a lot of work on freelance job boards. It’s true, many potential clients are looking for great work at a discounted price. My experience with freelance boards has been crappy - clients expect way more than they’re willing to pay for. It’s much better to deal with a client who understands what I can do within the budget.

Furthermore, people of other cultures with different living standards are also bidding. I know a brilliant programmer in India selling his skills for $3/hour (that’s a lot to him too..) where I’d be losing my shirt at that rate. But the global economy of the interweb may drive the cost of development down on these job boards. It’s great for consumers, but what about us bill-paying freelancers?

The best bet for freelancers IMHO is to impress local clients so they keep coming back with new ideas.

]]> By: Clay http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36749 Clay Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:51:01 +0000 http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36749 Raquel, I'm assuming that you were on the board looking at marketing jobs. As tough as it is to demonstrate why you're worth more money as a programmer in that environment, I can't imagine trying to do it as a marketing specialist. Raquel, I’m assuming that you were on the board looking at marketing jobs. As tough as it is to demonstrate why you’re worth more money as a programmer in that environment, I can’t imagine trying to do it as a marketing specialist.

]]> By: Raquel http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36748 Raquel Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:46:28 +0000 http://www.indywebshop.com/bestpractices/2007/12/05/should-you-use-job-boards-to-grow-your-freelance-business/#comment-36748 I tried a freelance job board once at the begininning of my career... woudln't recommend them. My main issue with them is that I think they devalue the work of the individual. I found, on the boards I reviewed, that the price awarded was horribly low. I tried a freelance job board once at the begininning of my career… woudln’t recommend them. My main issue with them is that I think they devalue the work of the individual. I found, on the boards I reviewed, that the price awarded was horribly low.

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