Ask HN: how to get "real" contracting gigs

It might sound trite but for me, the best clients I've found were people I either knew personally or who were introduced to me through an immediate acquaintance. Look around at your circle of connections - someone probably has a problem that you could solve, and they might not even realize it. After floating around on craigslist for a while, my first big client was my father in law, when I asked if he'd thought about making a website for his small business. This later turned into an online marketing campaign that paid my bills for quite a while.

If you need to build a portfolio or have no connections, you can try sites like elance or craigslist - but I wouldn't rely on them for too long. People shopping sites like that are looking for a bargain and probably won't pay what you're worth.

Networking events work wonders on finding new clients. They might start you off with a small project, probably with constraints, but as you grow with them, you will usually have more freedom.

Check with your local Chamber of Commerce for events. Also, go to events that are totally outside of IT, such as construction or travel. Talk to people and tell them what you do. Somebody will have an idea that they want coded up.

I was pleasantly surprised by the clientèle on Craigslist, esp the Bay Area. Meet-Up.com has landed me some deals as well.

I've heard good things about finding gigs on Craigs List too, but I have found all of my work by networking.

1. Network of your friends and ex-colleagues. Meet or call them to say that you are available. They or someone on their network is likely to have some work available. This is your best bet for the first gig.

2. Meet people at networking events.

3. Ask from your earlier middlemen if you can use "non-real" gigs as a reference on your website. "Together with Company X, I helped to build Y for company Z."

4. Be ready to do your first gig way below your price. And do it well. It's really valuable to have one gig under the belt.

5. Pick a niche. If you build just websites, there are several established small web development companies in your area. But if you build websites for lawyers, or build iPhone-versions of an existing websites, you have a better change to become a name that is recommended when people are looking for a right person for the job.

6. Do something small but visible as a spare-time project. It doesn't need to be on your niche, but something that other techies in your area appreciate.

The client has to have a trust that you are the right guy for the job. To get people calling you instead you calling them, you have to build that trust over the time. But you can shortcut it somewhat when people that already know you recommend you to someone.

Personally, I started off with the 'real' clients and then moved on to the position you find yourself in. Personally, the real client's weren't worth the effort. Once I had a good relationship with a few shops, I didn't have to bother with any more marketing and sales thus freeing me up to do billable work.

Of course, this was better for me b/c I hate doing sales. YMMV.

If the reason you want the freedom to choose a technical solution is because you want to use a really good technical solution, it might be a good idea to find a consulting company to work for that takes pride in their tools and practices. Ones that come to mind include Pivotal Labs, Viget Labs, Intridea, and here in Boulder, Quick Left.

If working remotely (i. e. from home or while traveling) is a big part of your reason for contracting, I suggest Intridea, where telecommuting is common and not limited to people at the bottom of the hierarchy. http://intridea.com/careers

Tell your next potential client about your crack staff.

1. Get them to sign a contract.

2. Put ads for 3 developers on craigslist. Send the developers over.

3. You go check on them every day at 10:30 am.

4. At about 11:30 am walk down to the client's office, chat for 10 minutes and then ask "have you had lunch yet?"

5. Take client to lunch everyday. They pay you to take them out to lunch. Just pad the fee enough.

I started off as a private contractor through an agency. I was hired through said agency to work for a large company.

The job went very well, and was rehired directly by that company as a 'vendor' (on their suggestion). More money in my pocket and theirs by cutting out the middle man.

Still there 3 years later, with the flexibility of being able to work on other projects outside.

I might be a good client. Can you point me to some stuff you've done?

ONE and ONLY ONE word: networking. It's the most important factor in getting your initial customers. Once you have those, they are added to your network, and will continue to bring you new work IF you do good work.

Can anyone comment on the intersection between (clients who are happy to interact with you purely over Skype vs. clients who fly you out to deal with the in person occasionally) and (consulting through other companies vs. consulting directly for the client)? Is there any correlation between one property and the other in your experience?

I got my first clients through vWorker (aka Rentacoder) and I completely understand your motivation behind wanting to work with them directly. That's why I made it clear on my profile that I won't accept "3rd party" gigs. It isn't always easy detecting them, but sometimes the language in a job opportunity indicates that the job is being outsourced after being outsourced. (And no, there's no echo in here. I swear!).

I'll generally skip those jobs unless the money offered is good. Then sometimes I'll just ask who I'm dealing with. Because vWorker shows buyer profiles, I'll even snoop around to see what kind of work a buyer has solicited in the past, and if I see a wide range of non-focused jobs, I know I found a "2nd hand" client.