I think I would agree philosophically, especially about the fact that demand for professional services on a consulting basis is more resilient in a downturn environment than job security or stability.
As you say, things still need to get done, and this way they can be done while paying a consultant less than would be necessary to pay for a full-time employee to handle the task - both in terms of money and opportunity cost. Consultants/contractors do not require benefits, and do not have to be trained or kept continuously busy/paid beyond the requirements of the project, or otherwise organisationally accommodated. Despite the much higher project or hourly rates, this makes consultants eminently more affordable and a wiser economic decision in many situations. I would, however, throw in a cautionary note whose general effect is that freelance consulting as a full-time professional endeavour is governed by the same laws of economics and marketplace realities as any other business endeavour. So, I think my concern is with universalising this path or suggesting that it is for everyone or even for most people. Being on your own as a contractor isn't going to bring automatic money, prosperity, or even survival any more than anything else is automatic. As a successful freelancer, I am confident you already know this very intimately. But I think it's important that people thinking about doing it understand this. Most of what can be said about the sustainability of this approach can be summed up as: "There's a difference between a [successful] business model and 'doing work for money.'" People in the latter category generally end up feeling like they have the worst of all worlds - no security, working twice (or more) as much for half (or less) the money, and 8 different bosses (clients). If you end up in this situation, the "emancipatory" feelings of "escaping" the "slavery of the 21st century" (the 9 to 5) can evaporate faster than you can say "I'd be making more on the unemployment dole." Steve Totaro wrote: > Andy, read the book "Who Moved my Cheese". > > China is or has put an economic stimulus package to the tune of ~$550 > billion. If done correctly, that may help the market, but I figure that > government officials and top businessmen will pocket the cash. > > Anyways, I found that having a "Job" is not for me. I used to think the > way you did and perhaps if it were the old days where people in the US > had job security, a great retirement package, and all the benefits, I > may think differently, but probably not. > > Andy, you need to be a "Freelancer". Freelancer/Consultants usually do > well in economic downturns because while full time people are being laid > off or fired, things still need to get done. As a Consultant, you > charge a much higher price per hour or per task than you would as a > "Full Time Employee". > > The company that contracts you for a project makes out very well usually > and so do you if you can stay busy. > > Anyways, I hope you had enough income to save a bit when you had a "Job" > so you could save a bit. > > It is time to re--invent "Andy" as an expert in his niche. Learn to > sell, you will need to sell yourself, your services, and be able to sit > down with anyone at a company and change your sales pitch depending on > who your audience is. If it is a techie, then technical sales pitch, > CEO get to increased productivity/doing more with less, Accountant > obviously wants to hear about return on investment. > > They are virtually the same pitches, but slightly different, due to the > focus of the audience. An accountant does not want to hear about techie > stuff (usually). > > Bottom line, tighten your belt, spend less, cut costs, find a niche, > figure the most cost effective way to get work, and work on selling > yourself and services. > > Andy, what you really need to do is stop worrying, not only will it > shorten your life, make you miserable as well as others close to you, it > will prevent you from seeing and seizing opportunity. > > If I was picking a contractor, and had two people come in to sell their > offerings, I will most certainly choose the person that didn't seem very > worried. Whoever presents and interacts personally well with me will > get the contract (or even job) providing all things being equal except > attitude and presentation. -- Alex Balashov Evariste Systems Web : http://www.evaristesys.com/ Tel : (+1) (678) 954-0670 Direct : (+1) (678) 954-0671 Mobile : (+1) (706) 338-8599 _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com-- asterisk-biz mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz