Where do you find extra freelance work?
Posted by thomasbbbb@reddit | linuxadmin | View on Reddit | 17 comments
Hello,
Admin here looking for freelance jobs in my spare time. The usual apps don't look so convincing though... Maybe with a paid subscription we get better offers?
Alecegonce@reddit
Bro, you are posting in Linux Admin, meaning you know linux. If you go to a large MSP, I can guarantee you only 5% are brave enough to run a few commands.
That being said. Know your worth. If you are looking for freelance work you are being underpaid.
Or you have a child in the works.... hahahaha
sofloLinuxuser@reddit
I can confirm that this is all facts. I make good money as a Linux engineer at a large company solely because people don't understand Linux and don't understand what a black terminal is that doesn't start with pwsh lol
Im looking for side work as well cuz daycare isn't cheap so these first two answers make me rofl
Hopefully more people give advice on if these paid apps work or not. Considering starting an LLC and picking up short term contracts from recruiters
Yupsec@reddit
I wouldn't bet on it, the freelance work from those apps usually results in peanuts (disclaimer: haven't used them myself but have two coworkers who have and both stopped bothering).
Starting your own side hustle is the way to go, in my opinion. Doesn't even have to be Linux related work. I do installs and cloud admin work on the side for a few small businesses, a couple law firms, and a doctors office. It pulls in roughly 1k to 2k a month and I average 30hrs of work spread out across the month.
Just remember to set boundaries if you decide to take long term customers. I make it clear in the contract what my scope of work is. I am not a help desk; for example, I'm not going to come help you plug in a new mouse or fix a paper jam on that cheap printer.
sofloLinuxuser@reddit
Did you use any platform or tool to drum up a contract or was it something built by learning the game and figuring it out yourself?
Btw this is really helpful
Yupsec@reddit
I was the General Manager for a guy who owned a bunch of shopping centers, so I kind of already knew how to talk to business owners.
The trick was getting in under the MSP's, most businesses can't afford their prices so they end up going with that cousin who "knows computers". One MSP in my area was going to charge a small business $5,000 for a simple office setup, for example. And they wouldn't do it before or after the business's operating hours.
Disclaimer: in the US and different states have different rules on this, from my understanding. You can get LLC information for your area, it will include a mailing address. I wrote up a short, professional letter, that detailed: my experience, my mission statement, and how they could get in contact with me for a meeting. My mission statement is pretty simple but I'll paraphrase it; provide affordable IT assistance with no strings attached. Sometimes I'm willing to trade services if it means getting a repeat customer, i.e. setting up some IoT cameras for a restaurant in exchange for a free date night with the wife.
Wall of text but I hope it helps.
vergulous@reddit
Agreed! This is interesting and something to chew on while considering different options. Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.
sofloLinuxuser@reddit
This is definitely helpful and insightful. Thank you 🙏🏾
vergulous@reddit
How did you get started? Did you contact the businesses you do this work for (basically cold calling), or did you hear through friends/family/etc. that the small businesses you've ended up working with needed some help with cloud admin?
Thank you in advance for any insights you can share - it's super impressive that you're getting some good money for not a lot of time spent per month!
Yupsec@reddit
I put a wall of text on another reply to my comment that details how I got it started.
Most of my new customers now, after about three years, comes by word of mouth. I live in a small city just outside of a major metropolitan area, as a result there's a lot of small businesses that need assistance.
Just a heads up for anyone wanting to start a side hustle, keep it a side hustle unless you REALLY want to do it full time. I still work 40-50 hours a week at my day job, so I actually turn down a lot of work that comes my way if it looks like it will be a whole project. Same applies to long term contracts; the two law firms and the doctors office are all small family practices that respect my time as much as I respect theirs. The rest I have an "as needed" agreement with set hourly rates and an additional agreement that they won't divulge how much I charge them an hour (very important actually, I work with them to make sure they can actually afford me, I don't need Billy to tell Sue that I charge him $30/hr when I charge her $90/hr).
vergulous@reddit
Thank you so much for this info; I will check out your other comment as well. I really appreciate the insight - it is very helpful! :)
thomasbbbb@reddit (OP)
Feeling underpaid, definitely... Let me try a few MSP then :p
derprondo@reddit
I was never approached more than when I worked from a coworking place full of tech entrepreneurs. If you can code for infrastructure (especially IAC for AWS), there are always developers looking for help, but to find them you'll have to mingle with them in person. If you have a coworking place around you, the member fees will pay for themselves.
surrationalSD@reddit
Great tip!!
Slash_Root@reddit
Not really freelance, but a side gig. My Red Hat certs got me into teaching state college classes for an AS program that includes the RHCSA (and even some RHCE) content. The pay isn't astounding, but it is some extra money for vacations/fun without feeling guilty about not saving everything from my day job. I also feel that it is a good resume talking point.
iheartrms@reddit
I've had decent luck after signing up with toptal.com in terms of finding freelance work. MSP and MSSP are good suggestions. Find all of those Windows shops who have a client with that one Linux server which they are afraid to touch.
Spicy_Poo@reddit
If we told you then that's less work for us.
thomasbbbb@reddit (OP)
Hehe true