I've always been intrigued by the idea of remote / contract work, but I've always concluded that it requires way too much of the kind of work I hate doing the most (self-marketing). For a normal job, I only have to go through the soul-sucking process of marketing and proving myself once over a relatively short period of time, before spending years doing the kind of work I do enjoy (actual work). I've always wondered whether folks who do contract work like this actually enjoy the self-marketing it takes, or whether the benefits just outweigh this downside for them.
If I could pay someone to do the marketing side for me, it would be a much more attractive option.
My first remote job happened because I hung out in an IRC channel for a technology I was interested in. Technically I was marketing myself or at least networking but it didn't feel that way.
It was just a normal w-2 fte role so there was no concern about being on a contract.
In my experience, it's not really different in that regard. You start working with a group and provide value and then you work with them indefinitely unless someone else reaches out with a significantly better offer.
I suppose that you're marketing to whoever you're working with, but that marketing takes the form of working systems, quick iteration, and good communication. And really, you want to provide all of these whether remote or not.
Honestly, I don't do any self marketing in that respect. I treat it exactly like a normal job. I do almost exclusively contract work, but it's usually full-time hours and contracts typically last 1-2 years.
It's my article =P But I don't market myself in the traditional sense. I just apply to contracts that seem like a good fit. The same as a full-time developer.
Comments
I've always been intrigued by the idea of remote / contract work, but I've always concluded that it requires way too much of the kind of work I hate doing the most (self-marketing). For a normal job, I only have to go through the soul-sucking process of marketing and proving myself once over a relatively short period of time, before spending years doing the kind of work I do enjoy (actual work). I've always wondered whether folks who do contract work like this actually enjoy the self-marketing it takes, or whether the benefits just outweigh this downside for them.
If I could pay someone to do the marketing side for me, it would be a much more attractive option.
My first remote job happened because I hung out in an IRC channel for a technology I was interested in. Technically I was marketing myself or at least networking but it didn't feel that way.
It was just a normal w-2 fte role so there was no concern about being on a contract.
In my experience, it's not really different in that regard. You start working with a group and provide value and then you work with them indefinitely unless someone else reaches out with a significantly better offer.
I suppose that you're marketing to whoever you're working with, but that marketing takes the form of working systems, quick iteration, and good communication. And really, you want to provide all of these whether remote or not.
Honestly, I don't do any self marketing in that respect. I treat it exactly like a normal job. I do almost exclusively contract work, but it's usually full-time hours and contracts typically last 1-2 years.
I guess I was referring to the content of the article, which is all about how the author markets theirself. Is your experience different?
It's my article =P But I don't market myself in the traditional sense. I just apply to contracts that seem like a good fit. The same as a full-time developer.