Notes about being a Programmer-Consultant
Posted on 2006-10-05 at 13:54
The hairiest bugbear of an independant consultancy has always been finding the next gig. I've not had any serious problems in that regard. Maybe I'm lucky. Maybe I'm good. I don't know why I keep busy, but I do. Still, I often find myself without work for a week or two on occassion. I'm in that situation now. It's no big deal, really. I plan well. The money comes in erratic waves, but it comes in.
Even accepting that I have taken around 10 weeks off this year, my income is still on par with or better than my peers in the area. About 10 minutes ago, I found out that my next gig might not start until the 16th---meaning two weeks off without pay. Sure, I'd rather have the pay, but 2 weeks off is nice, and I'll enjoy that too.
There's no secret trick to being an independant consultant. If you want to stay employed you must do two things: do a good job and partner with others.
I have a couple of companies that I partner with. They farm me work when they have it. I make them look good by doing a good job. Between all the partnerships I foster, I keep busy. In fact, I find lately that I never look for work on my own. I no longer cold call or drill contacts for work. I just make sure that my partners know when I'm free for work. They find the work. They get the contracts. They handle the billing. I do the programming. It's a good life. It's not for everyone, but it suits me quite well. Now, I have some free time and I'm gonna go enjoy it.