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Book The Software Engineer s Guide to Freelance Consulting

Download or read book The Software Engineer s Guide to Freelance Consulting written by Jay El-Kaake and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2016-12-18 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Software Engineer's Guide to Freelance Consulting will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses. Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding Clients We will literally map out the client acquisition skills that are paramount for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete TODOs to achieve competence and we explain some of the abstract theory. Chapter 2: Choosing a Rate How do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate. Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself Educated How do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter. Chapter 4: Closing Deals You've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter. Chapter 5: Being Productive Productivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer. Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining Relationships Freelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients. Chapter 7: Legal Ideas Being a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade. Chapter 8: Making Great First Impressions First impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person. Chapter 9: Getting Paid Okay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay. Chapter 10: Must-know Tax Tips As a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket. Chapter 11: Communicating Effectively Say the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things. Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-time What if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers. Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job In case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers. Chapter 14: Additional Resources Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.

Book Code for Cash

    Book Details:
  • Author : Jay El-Kaake
  • Publisher :
  • Release : 2017-03-09
  • ISBN : 9781520793320
  • Pages : 213 pages

Download or read book Code for Cash written by Jay El-Kaake and published by . This book was released on 2017-03-09 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Code for Cash will help teach you to be an effective freelance software consultant, which will enable you make more money, dedicate more time to hobbies, spend more time with your loved-ones and even discover new businesses.Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Finding ClientsWe will literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop and thrive in the business of software consulting. We will give you the step-by-step concrete paths to not only achieving competence, but we will also explain some of the abstract theory.Chapter 2: Choosing a RateHow do some people charge $2/hr and others $500/hr? Where do you fit in? In this chapter we help you choose, justify and even increase your existing rate.Chapter 3: Keeping Yourself EducatedHow do you keep yourself from becoming outdated? How do you keep your skills in demand and the projects coming over time? We'll discuss that in this chapter.Chapter 4: Closing DealsYou've got the interest but now how do you get the client to start working with you? We'll talk about closing sales as an engineer in this chapter.Chapter 5: Being ProductiveProductivity is a critical part of freelancing. Since most freelancers bill hourly it can make the difference between making $100,000/year and $300,000/year. This chapter contains tips to maximize your productivity as a freelancer.Chapter 6: Building & Maintaining RelationshipsFreelance consulting is a relationship-driven business. As engineers however, we tend to shy away from this. In this chapter we will talk about how you can build strong relationships and reduce the amount of time you need to spend selling yourself to new clients.Chapter 7: Legal IdeasBeing a consultant comes with legal implications that can save your butt when things go wrong. In this chapter our very own Silicon Valley Lawyer Richard Burt will give you some tips of the trade.Chapter 8: Making Great First ImpressionsFirst impressions are a primer for excellent long-term relationships that will yield great value to you. This chapter will talk about first impressions as a freelance tech person.Chapter 9: Getting PaidOkay, so you've completed some contracts and now you're waiting to get paid. How do you get paid faster? Can you reduce your risk? We'll discuss these things in this chapter and even talk about how to deal with clients who don't pay.Chapter 10: Must-know Tax TipsAs a freelance consultant, managing your tax effectively will save you a TON of money at the end of the year. In this chapter we'll run through some basic tips that will help you minimize your tax liability so you can keep more hard-earned money in your pocket.Chapter 11: Communicating EffectivelySay the wrong things and you can find yourself staying up late at night on the weekend. Say the right things and you could find yourself making more money and spending more time with your family and friends. In this chapter we'll help you say less of the wrong things and more of the right things.Chapter 12: Freelancing Part-timeWhat if you don't want to leave your current full-time job? What if you're in school full-time, or taking care of children? This chapter will help part-time freelancers.Chapter 13: Going Back to a "Regular" Coding JobIn case you later decide freelancing is not for you, this chapter will help you ease back into a "regular" job without ruffling too many feathers.Chapter 14: Additional ResourcesEveryone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community. You'll even get a direct line to experienced freelancers (including the authors) that can help answer questions any day of the week.Chapter 15: Step-by-step guide to finding your first clientLooking for more specific instructions? This optional 30 day step-by-step guide will help.

Book The Wealthy Freelancer

Download or read book The Wealthy Freelancer written by Pete Savage and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-03-02 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Being your own boss can lead to incredible profts - here's how... Whether you call yourself a freelancer, consultant, independent contractor or solo professional of any kind, 'The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle', shows you how to get the clients, income, and lifestyle you deserve. So you can put more money in the bank, enjoy more time with your family and make a great living doing what you truly love to do, free from the burden of employment... Filled with proven ideas and real-world examples from dozens of successful freelancers, 'The Wealthy Freelancer' is essential reading for any solo professional who wants to enjoy a lifestyle that's 'wealthy' in every sense of the word. Here's a glimpse of what's waiting for you inside this book: * Why the typical one-size-fits-all marketing advice rarely works, and a fool-proof system for determining the optimal mix of marketing activities for your specific circumstances and goals. * How to get more prospects to say "Yes!" to the fees that you propose. * Why striving to be the "best" in your field almost never works, and what to do instead. * How to charge more - and earn more - by creating new income streams closely related to your core business. *How to have more time for the life you want and still have a great income. *How to "test the waters" and land freelance work now, even if you're already employed. * Why freelancing has moved beyond creative fields and into mainstream careers such as Engineering, Software Development, Bookkeeping, and more than 160 other professions. * Stories of real-life freelancers who destroy the myth that freelancers barely scrape by. * Dozens more proven tips and strategies to build a more profitable and fulfilling solo business.

Book Code for Cash

    Book Details:
  • Author : Jay El-Kaake
  • Publisher :
  • Release : 2016-12-18
  • ISBN : 9781520182681
  • Pages : 352 pages

Download or read book Code for Cash written by Jay El-Kaake and published by . This book was released on 2016-12-18 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: // Website for our book: https://www.breakingintoconsulting.comBecome a freelance software consultant: transition from salaried dev to independentWorking as a freelance software consultant is a lifestyle that can be a path to more freedom, a feeling of control in one's life, and a more effective hourly rate for your time.This has enabled me to start new businesses, dedicate time to my hobbies, travel, and stay out (or up) late at night if I feel like it. If you learn the "skill tree", your path toward this lifestyle will be straightforward.Get the book and benefit from:Skills You Can UseI literally map out the skills that are most important for you to develop to thrive in the business of software consulting. I give you the step-by-step concrete paths to achieving competence, but I also explain some of the abstract theory. For example, not only will you be able to copy my craigslist ad that I've used to find lucrative clients, but you will understand why it worked and how to write your own variation. Step By Step How To Find ClientsFor most people, getting started can be as simple as finding your first client, coming to terms on an agreement, getting to work, and getting paid (sometimes in advance- using a retainer, strategy described in the book)! In the book, I discuss over a dozen channels that have been effective for me to find new clients; they generated results, meaning cash in my pocket. Not only that, but you also get a full 30-day plan for finding clients. You can repeat it ad infinitum once you complete the initial 30-day stretch - it is a business playbook.Table of Contents1. Finding Clients2. Choosing a Rate3. Keeping Yourself Educated4. Closing Deals5. Being Productive6. Relationship Building7. Legal Ideas8. Dress For Business9. Getting Paid10. Dealing With Clients Who Don't Pay11. Must-know Tax Tips12. Communicating Effectively13. Going Back to a "Regular" Coding Job14. Additional Resources15. Step-by-step guide to finding your first client (30 day, 30 point plan)16. Ending NoteAppendix A. AcknowledgementsAppendix B. About The AuthorsAppendix C. Why ConsultingMost importantly, I share how to deliver value to clients. You will charge more and make clients happier!Everyone who purchases the book receives an invitation to our Slack community.

Book Freelance Consultant  The  Your comprehensive guide to starting an independent business

Download or read book Freelance Consultant The Your comprehensive guide to starting an independent business written by Richard Newton and published by Pearson UK. This book was released on 2021-04-22 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Freelance consulting, coaching, IT contracting and other self-employed professional roles are fast becoming the preferred way to find fulfilling work, generate a great income, and futureproof careers, whilst giving all the benefits and freedoms of being your own boss – but few know how to make it really work. The Freelance Consultant is the comprehensive guide into turning your expertise into a viable, and valuable, business. With independent consultant Richard Newton, you will discover a wealth of insider knowledge as well as a network of other successful advisors willing to share their stories. The Freelance Consultant will explain how to: • Setup, run and thrive in your freelance, consultant or coaching business. • Acquire those vital first paying clients. • Know what it takes to become a successful, differentiated and valuable advisor. • Build your business, define your services and set your prices. • Understand your customers and identify, manage, and retain key clients. • Keep developing and continually improving your skills an growing your business. Turn from amateur to pro with the help of The Freelance Consultant.

Book The IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering and Technical Fields

Download or read book The IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering and Technical Fields written by David Kmiec and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-09-25 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Helps both engineers and students improve their writing skills by learning to analyze target audience, tone, and purpose in order to effectively write technical documents This book introduces students and practicing engineers to all the components of writing in the workplace. It teaches readers how considerations of audience and purpose govern the structure of their documents within particular work settings. The IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering and Technical Fields is broken up into two sections: “Writing in Engineering Organizations” and “What Can You Do With Writing?” The first section helps readers approach their writing in a logical and persuasive way as well as analyze their purpose for writing. The second section demonstrates how to distinguish rhetorical situations and the generic forms to inform, train, persuade, and collaborate. The emergence of the global workplace has brought with it an increasingly important role for effective technical communication. Engineers more often need to work in cross-functional teams with people in different disciplines, in different countries, and in different parts of the world. Engineers must know how to communicate in a rapidly evolving global environment, as both practitioners of global English and developers of technical documents. Effective communication is critical in these settings. The IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering and Technical Fields Addresses the increasing demand for technical writing courses geared toward engineers Allows readers to perfect their writing skills in order to present knowledge and ideas to clients, government, and general public Covers topics most important to the working engineer, and includes sample documents Includes a companion website that offers engineering documents based on real projects The IEEE Guide to Engineering Communication is a handbook developed specifically for engineers and engineering students. Using an argumentation framework, the handbook presents information about forms of engineering communication in a clear and accessible format. This book introduces both forms that are characteristic of the engineering workplace and principles of logic and rhetoric that underlie these forms. As a result, students and practicing engineers can improve their writing in any situation they encounter, because they can use these principles to analyze audience, purpose, tone, and form.

Book Soft Skills

    Book Details:
  • Author : John Sonmez
  • Publisher :
  • Release : 2020-11
  • ISBN : 9780999081440
  • Pages : 502 pages

Download or read book Soft Skills written by John Sonmez and published by . This book was released on 2020-11 with total page 502 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For most software developers, coding is the fun part. The hard bits are dealing with clients, peers, and managers and staying productive, achieving financial security, keeping yourself in shape, and finding true love. This book is here to help. Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual is a guide to a well-rounded, satisfying life as a technology professional. In it, developer and life coach John Sonmez offers advice to developers on important subjects like career and productivity, personal finance and investing, and even fitness and relationships. Arranged as a collection of 71 short chapters, this fun listen invites you to dip in wherever you like. A "Taking Action" section at the end of each chapter tells you how to get quick results. Soft Skills will help make you a better programmer, a more valuable employee, and a happier, healthier person.

Book Going IT Alone  The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers

Download or read book Going IT Alone The Handbook for Freelance and Contract Software Developers written by Leon Brown and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2016-12-05 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed guide to self-employment for software and web developers—from identifying your target market, through to managing your time, finances, and client behavior About This Book Discover how to make money with software development skills. Learn how to develop a marketing and sales strategy and develop profitable pricing strategies for your software services and products Gain insights through real case studies and insights provided from industry experts Who This Book Is For Going the self employed route in software development offers many opportunities to develop awareness and skills to enhance your career. Whether you are a student currently studying software development or a veteran software developer already in the industry, Going IT Alone provides you with insights you need to avoid the pitfalls of self employment and to succeed with software projects that are profitable and sustainable. What You Will Learn Identify and understand your target market. Propose the value of what your service or product offers. Build a business model that identifies key entities required to make your software business work. Develop marketing a marketing strategy that targets the right customer segments and produces the sales you need to be profitable. Analyze information to make better decisions and understand your business performance. Understand people through observation and use this to your advantage in project management and negotiation. Improve accuracy of estimates for time and costs of your software projects. Understand the relationship between code and the business strategy. Identify software features from a business perspective, allowing you to prioritise must have features from those that are less important to your profitability. Avoid the trap of increasing software development time and costs from features that provide no benefit or sales increase. In Detail No matter whether you are a student or an industry veteran, self employment adds a new dimension of opportunities to “learn and earn”, whether it be on a full-time or part-time basis. Develop the business acumen and understanding of the link between software patterns and business strategy that you need to become a successful and profitable independent software developer. Discover how to apply your software development skills to entrepreneurship. Decide whether you just want to earn or aspire to build the next Facebook. Supported by real world case studies and input from industry experts, the book looks at the business topics you need to understand to become an independent software developer. From the initial steps of identifying how you can make a profit with your software development skills, through to making your first sale and managing your projects, you will learn how to manage each of the major steps involved in becoming a self employed software developer – whether you decide to go freelance, take up contracting or develop your own product. Written specifically for software and web developers, the book identifies how business issues have a direct impact on code patterns used in software projects. Learn how to build your code to support your business model and with safety features to protect against potential threats that may emerge from the changing business environment. Style and approach This book is a detailed guide to self employment for software and web developers , covering major topics from identifying your target market and business model, through to managing your time, finances and client behavior.

Book JavaFX Developer s Guide

Download or read book JavaFX Developer s Guide written by Kim Topley and published by Pearson Education. This book was released on 2010-09-24 with total page 1543 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Updated for JavaFX 1.3 The JavaFX platform makes it possible to write applications that can be deployed across devices ranging from cell phones to desktops, with little or no change required. JavaFX applications are written using JavaFX Script, a new and easy-to-use scripting language. Kim Topley’s JavaFXTM Developer’s Guide thoroughly covers the JavaFX language and its core libraries and shows you step by step how to develop and deliver JavaFX applications for the desktop and for mobile devices. It provides complete coverage of all aspects of the language, including Language syntax Tools you can use to develop, debug, and deploy JavaFX applications User interface classes Animation How to play audio and video How to use RESTful Web services and databases to retrieve the data for your application How to create custom components Transformations User interface basics, attributes, events,and controls JavaFX and networking JavaFX development with NetBeans and Eclipse Packaging and deployment Topley highlights critical topics that other books gloss over, presents detailed examples that stretch JavaFX to its limits, and shows you exactly how to build on the skills you already have. Whether you’ve been focused on HTML/XML/CSS Web development or Java Swing, this book will help you get outstanding results with JavaFX.

Book Head First Software Development

Download or read book Head First Software Development written by Dan Pilone and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2008-12-26 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides information on successful software development, covering such topics as customer requirements, task estimates, principles of good design, dealing with source code, system testing, and handling bugs.

Book Head First IPhone and IPad Development

Download or read book Head First IPhone and IPad Development written by Dan Pilone and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2013-12-18 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides information on using iOS SDK tools to create applications for the iPhone and the iPad.

Book Guide to the Digital Industry

Download or read book Guide to the Digital Industry written by Bubble Jobs and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2014-09-30 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This in-depth and helpful guide provides a wide range of resources and advice for anyone considering a career in the digital industry. Resources include a detailed overview of the various job sectors in the digital industry as well as key growth areas, CV tips, job seeking advice and an extensive glossary of digital terms. This Guide To The Digital Industry is written and published by Bubble Jobs, the multi-award winning job board and career portal for the digital sector.

Book Your First Year in Code

Download or read book Your First Year in Code written by Isaac Lyman and published by . This book was released on 2019-09-17 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Starting a career in programming can be intimidating. Whether you're switching careers, joining a bootcamp, starting a C.S. degree, or learning on your own, Your First Year in Code can help, with practical advice on topics like code reviews, resume writing, fitting in, ethics, and finding your dream job.

Book Consulting Software Engineer A Complete Guide   2020 Edition

Download or read book Consulting Software Engineer A Complete Guide 2020 Edition written by Gerardus Blokdyk and published by 5starcooks. This book was released on 2020-01-13 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does Consulting software engineer appropriately measure and monitor risk? How do you gather requirements? Consider your own Consulting software engineer project, what types of organizational problems do you think might be causing or affecting your problem, based on the work done so far? Are the units of measure consistent? Who has control over resources? This exclusive Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment will make you the principal Consulting Software Engineer domain master by revealing just what you need to know to be fluent and ready for any Consulting Software Engineer challenge. How do I reduce the effort in the Consulting Software Engineer work to be done to get problems solved? How can I ensure that plans of action include every Consulting Software Engineer task and that every Consulting Software Engineer outcome is in place? How will I save time investigating strategic and tactical options and ensuring Consulting Software Engineer costs are low? How can I deliver tailored Consulting Software Engineer advice instantly with structured going-forward plans? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed best-selling author Gerard Blokdyk. Blokdyk ensures all Consulting Software Engineer essentials are covered, from every angle: the Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment shows succinctly and clearly that what needs to be clarified to organize the required activities and processes so that Consulting Software Engineer outcomes are achieved. Contains extensive criteria grounded in past and current successful projects and activities by experienced Consulting Software Engineer practitioners. Their mastery, combined with the easy elegance of the self-assessment, provides its superior value to you in knowing how to ensure the outcome of any efforts in Consulting Software Engineer are maximized with professional results. Your purchase includes access details to the Consulting Software Engineer self-assessment dashboard download which gives you your dynamically prioritized projects-ready tool and shows you exactly what to do next. Your exclusive instant access details can be found in your book. You will receive the following contents with New and Updated specific criteria: - The latest quick edition of the book in PDF - The latest complete edition of the book in PDF, which criteria correspond to the criteria in... - The Self-Assessment Excel Dashboard - Example pre-filled Self-Assessment Excel Dashboard to get familiar with results generation - In-depth and specific Consulting Software Engineer Checklists - Project management checklists and templates to assist with implementation INCLUDES LIFETIME SELF ASSESSMENT UPDATES Every self assessment comes with Lifetime Updates and Lifetime Free Updated Books. Lifetime Updates is an industry-first feature which allows you to receive verified self assessment updates, ensuring you always have the most accurate information at your fingertips.

Book Inside the Technical Consulting Business

Download or read book Inside the Technical Consulting Business written by Harvey Kaye and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1997-12-04 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Join the thousands of professionals who have already gotten Insidethe Technical Consulting Business -- and discover how to channelyour technical know-how into an exciting career as an independentconsultant. This Third Edition of Harvey Kaye's bestselling guidegives you the focused, no-nonsense help you need to start and runyour own consulting practice in today's ultracompetitiveenvironment. What's inside: Setting up your consulting business.The lowdown on finances, record-keeping, office space, taxes, andchoosing the form of business organization that's right foryou. Insider's guide to proposals and contracts. Gives plenty ofexamples to use in your own consulting practice. Marketing secrets your boss never told you. Tips on creating demandfor your services and keeping your clients coming back for repeatbusiness. PLUS ALL-NEW MATERIAL ON: * Creating your personal strategic marketing plan. A step-by-stepguide to developing and maintaining your competitive edge. * Learn from the pros. "Meet the Pros" interviews show howsuccessful consultants handled some of the very problems you'relikely to encounter. * Building successful client relationships. The inside scoop onkeeping clients happy while protecting your own professionalinterests. * The technical challenges of consulting. A consultant's primer onproblem-solving, coping with the information explosion, andorganizing for maximum productivity.

Book Developer Hegemony

Download or read book Developer Hegemony written by Erik Dietrich and published by BlogIntoBook.com. This book was released on with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It’s been said that software is eating the planet. The modern economy—the world itself—relies on technology. Demand for the people who can produce it far outweighs the supply. So why do developers occupy largely subordinate roles in the corporate structure? Developer Hegemony explores the past, present, and future of the corporation and what it means for developers. While it outlines problems with the modern corporate structure, it’s ultimately a play-by-play of how to leave the corporate carnival and control your own destiny. And it’s an emboldening, specific vision of what software development looks like in the world of developer hegemony—one where developers band together into partner firms of “efficiencers,” finally able to command the pay, respect, and freedom that’s earned by solving problems no one else can. Developers, if you grow tired of being treated like geeks who can only be trusted to take orders and churn out code, consider this your call to arms. Bring about the autonomous future that’s rightfully yours. It’s time for developer hegemony.

Book The Computer Consultant s Guide

Download or read book The Computer Consultant s Guide written by Janet Ruhl and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1997-07-31 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE COMPUTER CONSULTANT'S GUIDE If you're serious about striking out on your own as a computer consultant, you don't need a pep talk. You need reliable, authoritative information that will prepare you for the realities of independent consulting. You need to meet experienced consultants who have learned from their own successes and failures and who can teach you what it takes to develop a consultant mentality, attract and hold clients, set realistic prices, collect your money, run a business on your own, avoid tax problems, and much more. In this Second Edition of The Computer Consultant's Guide, Janet Ruhl introduces you to more than 150 practicing computer consultants. In their own words, these professionals tell you how they feel about their work, what problems they commonly encounter, which real-world solutions worked for them, and which didn't. You'll even get to listen in on disagreements over touchy subjects such as when to discount rates and whether to insist on a written contract. You'll hear both sides of every question and decide for yourself which approach is right for you. The Computer Consultant's Guide doesn't stop there. In excerpts from in-depth interviews with leading consultants, Ruhl addresses a host of important issues that will affect your day-to-day life as a consultant and could make or break your future: insurance requirements, effective image building, marketing techniques that work, and managing the client relationship. New information in this Second Edition includes tax requirements and standard business practices for Canadian, U.K., and European consultants; and new tips and tricks from working consultants as well as ideas on how to use the Internet and World Wide Web to support and enhance your business. This practical, down-to-earth handbook also includes updated resource lists, extensive up-to-date information based on Janet Ruhl's popular Web-based Real Rate Survey, IRS rules for establishing independent contractor status, and the ICCA's model consulting contract. If you're serious about becoming a computer consultant, or even if you're just thinking about it, this book gives you a clear picture of what you're up against, prepares you to meet the challenges of launching your business, and helps you avoid the common errors that most fledgling consultants make. No, you don't need a pep talk. You need The Computer Consultant's Guide, Second Edition. "Read it twice and heed every word." — CompuServe Magazine "Belongs on the reading list of all prospective and current computer consultants." — Library Journal "250 pages of solid advice for anyone considering the consulting life." — Software Development "I took the leap [into consulting] 11 years ago, and I wish I had had The Computer Consultant's Guide for advice. . . . Janet Ruhl's recommendations fit my experience right down the line." — Harry Green, President Pacific Netcom Inc. "An excellent reference for the newcomer. . . 'old pros' will want a copy as well." —Deborah Sampson, President Independent Computer Consultants Association The Computer Consultant's Guide, Second Edition, offers valuable guidance on every aspect of starting and managing a successful computer consulting business. It points out potential problems, solid solutions, and valuable resources, and covers everything you need to know to: Set up your business and establish your image Master essential business and marketing skills Find and manage the highest paying clients Set fees and bid on the big jobs Handle important tax and accounting issues Work through brokers with confidence