Computer Jobs Survival Guide An Independent Contractor Approach

Origin of this Talk * Written 2. 5 years ago as: “How to be an Independent Consultant” * Revised and updated * What techies need to know about IT jobs 2

How did I become an Independent Consultant (IC) ? Evolved from an FTE * IC since 1988 * 1 -person shop by choice Contract Programmer * DBA : Oracle, DB 2, SQL Server * SA : Unixes, Windows Consultant * * User Group Founder / past Pres. (IDUG, MWDUG, CAMP) Author (books & articles) Presenter Management Consultant 3

Why am I Giving this Talk ? 2 Consulting Paradigms Traditional Contracting versus Open Consulting Proprietary Open Secret information Open negotiation for negotiating power for trust relationships Competitors Cooperation / Coopetition Strength thru secrets Strength thru working together Direct Marketing only Indirect Marketing (“Pay me now!”) (“Sow seeds, reap the harvest later”) Trade Secrets Sharing knowledge Competitors (ICs, No competitors contract firms, FTEs, (just difficulties like 1706, Headhunters customers, everyone!) and Brokers!) 4 Gimme, gimme ! Give to get

Why am I Giving this Talk ? Because I practice open consulting Open Consulting -- a contracting business based on specific attitudes and behaviors differing from those of “traditional” consulting. Open Consulting -- a consulting paradigm some consider impractical but one that, in fact, works great for some people 5

Outline 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Definitions How Employees are like contractors IC Business Models What are Your Goals ? Legal Status of your firm Rates CP Firms, Brokers, Recruiters IRS 1706 and AVLs How to Sell Yourself Contracts, Payroll, Insurance, Finances, Retirement 11. Getting Gigs / Jobs 12. Resources 6

Definitions FTE = Full Time Employee PTE = Part Time Employee W-2 = Employee 1099 = How non-employees get paid Corp-to-Corp = How corporations get paid IC = Independent Consultant CP = Contract Programmer or Contract Programming Consultant = Advice giver Mgmt Consultant = Advice giver to management Pure IC = IC gets their own gigs Brokered IC = IC goes through a Broker to get gigs Broker (aka Bork) = places Contract Programmers Recruiter (aka Headhunter) = places FTEs Contract Firm (aka Body Shop) = Broker, Headhunter, CP Employer 7 Big 5 Consulting Firm = Actg firm with all FTE CPs

“We’re All Contractors Now!” 1990 Today Employee Disposable resource (ie “contractor”) Implied Deal : “You don’t screw up, we don’t fire you” Implied Deal : “You’re here only as long as we choose to keep you” Company-provided career planning (ie career path) Self-directed career planning (ie career path) Defined benefit plan Defined health plan Self-directed retirement (401 k) Selectable benefits Company-directed training Self-directed training Rule 1: They employ you because it pays them to! Exercise : Calculate your cost and your benefit to your company 8

Knowing Your Rate is Vital $ $ Rule 1: They employ you because it pays them to! Exercise : Calculate your cost and your benefit to your company $ $ Employee: Know the internal labor rate at your company (“Hey boss, what do I use as an hourly rate in cost-estimating this project ? ”) $ Contractor : Know your rate to the client (see the contract between your company and the client) $ 9 $ $ $

Who Moved My Cheese ? “He knew it was safer to be aware of his real choices than to isolate himself in his comfort zone. ” by Johnson & Blanchard, p. 75 “Companies don’t take care of you, you take care of you. ” 10

Be a Realist Rule 2: The job market works the way it works + Figure it out + Work it to your advantage ------ You can’t change it Fight it and you suffer It does not care what you think It does not work the way it should It does not care what you think the best product is 11 Note: if you’re Bill Gates ignore this foil. . .

Rule 3: There are many ways to be an IC Based on different. . . Business Models Goals Values Kinds of Work Etc. 12

There are many ways to be an IC DBA Partners Tech Trainer “Expert” Partnership get contracts thru vendor Permatemp w/ special Expertise Solo Contractor thru Broker others Small Contractor Firm Pure IC 13

Business Model Parameters Number on Payroll one Breadth of Expertise narrow (1 product) Getting Gigs on own Travel local Engagement Length weeks a few many 1 topic (eg DBA) generic via contract firm or broker regional months national international yearly “perma-temp” Rates piecemeal typical DBA / SA expert or “Name” 14

Business Model - Example #1 Technical Niche Specialist * Tech support in small shop for obsolete niche technology * Makes 2 * FTE salary + 10 years there (“perma-temp”) + Very customer focused -- When this client goes away ? * Has saved $$ * She’s very smart, will certify on new technology while on “downtime” 15

Business Model - Example #2 Contract Programming Thru One Broker * Senior developer * FTE w/ CP firm => IC on 1099 w/ Broker * Gets gigs via 1 trusted Broker + + No effort to get gigs Choice of gigs Choice on travel Flexibility -- Pays big % to Broker 16

Business Model - Example #3 Technical Trainer * Started as FTE CP in CP firm (C++ & Unix => Java & web) * Then worked thru Brokers, did not like them * Did Training on the side * Evolved into specialty training for certification * Now travels to teach a couple courses / month + Flexibility to raise her kids while making reasonable $$ 17

Business Model - Example #4 Hands-on Contracting plus Indirect Marketing for self-placement * Works as a hands-on technician * Places self thru Indirect Marketing (IM) (gains visibility through public activities) * Indirect Marketing examples: web forums, writing, presenting, developing web training, user groups, etc. + Indirect Marketing garners respect & contacts + Likes both programming & IM activities -- Time commitment to cover both those areas 18

Business Model - Example #5 Solo PC/LAN Support Guy * Works for a dozen small businesses (autoshops, churches, dental offices, local realtors. . . ) + Lots of work available !! (vendors ignore this market) + Great freedom of action + Clients trust him totally -- No peers to talk to (works alone at clients) -- Customers don’t always understand all that’s involved in doing this work -- SMBs pay low 19

Business Model - Example #6 Experts Contracting thru Vendor * Claim “expert” status on 1 software product (published articles, speeches, books, UGs) * Tight with software vendor + referrals thru the vendor -- dependency -- vendor kickbacks + High Rates ($200 -> 500/ hour) + Short Contracts + Travel * S-Corp (partner-controlled, 6 people) 20

Why be an IC ? What are Your Goals ? + “Be my own Boss” ==> more control over worklife / life ==> be an entrepeneur + More interesting Work ==> greater choice of gigs + More Money ==> get paid for overtime ==> be a techie but make mgmt $$ + It’s your Passion ==> techie passion ==> entrepeneurial = build a company + Alternate Lifestyle ==> work when you want + Ego ==> have people listen to you ==> “make your own rules” + ________ ==> fill in the blank with your goals Exercise : make your own rank-ordered Goal List Self-awareness is key ! 21

Why be an IC ? What are Your Values ? * Being an IC is not inherently better or worse. * It depends on your goals, values, likes and dislikes. * Your personality type is another factor. Exercise : be sure you’re making your own decision, not your peers’, your parents’, or your spouses’ ! Self-awareness is key ! 22

Why be an IC ? The Overlooked Downsides -- Stress -- Uncertainty “aaargh !” -- Greater time commitment -- Becoming a “business person” (being a “computer freak” isn’t enough) -- Getting gigs -- Tax and legal complexities -- Managing your own benefits, retirement, etc. 23

Ways to Work Vendor IT Shop FTE PTE Contract Firm Brokered IC Pure IC W-2 (hourly) 1099 Corp-to-Corp PTE Corp-to-Corp 1099 W-2 (salaried) For Illinois business booklets 24 and legal forms see www. ilsos. net

Forms of Business (aka, the Legal Status of your business) These drive everything: 1. Taxes Non-corporate 2. Liability Sole Proprietorship + You took no action + Simplest tax filing -- Unlimited liability LLC (Ltd Liability Co. ) Partnership -- Common property -- Unlimited group liability 25

Forms of Business 1. Taxes Corporations 2. + Limits Liability Subchapter C -- Taxed Twice + Large Companies Corp Employee Subchapter S + Taxed Once + < 50 Employees 26

Rates * The contractor version of employee’s salary * There are no “rules” * Everything is negotiable * Know typical rates Knowledge is the key ! * Know client’s target rates 27

How To Compute Rates 50 weeks / year * 40 hours / week = 2000 hours / year So: $40 / hour = $80, 000 / year And: If you make FTE Salary of $80, 000, your Rate is $40 / hour (ex-benefits) Your Rate to Employer is : $40/hour + Benefits Average IT work-week = 48 hours If your Salary is $80, 000 and you work 48 hours, you should be paid $96, 000 ! 28

Rates Vary By. . . What you do DBA / SA Support PC / LAN Support Training Help Desk Super Tech Architects Specialists lower “Name” Experts $$$ Documentation Entry Level Positions higher Design Architects Management Consultants 29

Rates Vary By. . . Where you do it Small Shops New Architects York Rural areas Depressed areas Big cities lower Low-tech areas Many other countries Large Shops $$$ High-tech centers higher Education Silicon Valley 1 st world nations Government Non-profits 30 Big Business

How Much You Gotta Make ? * 2 * FICA ( 2 * 7. 5 = 15% ) * Benefits * * Retirement (SEP-IRA or 401 K) Health Insurance (go Group) Disability Insurance “ “ Other (employee health club, dental, etc. ) * Corp Fees * * * Tax prep Insurance (General Liability) Unemployment Comp Corp filing fees Etc. * Bench Time ? Assuming 1 -person S-Corp. . . Good Rate = 2 * FTE Salary 31 Marginal = 1. 5 * FTE Salary

Rates and Salaries ? computerworld. com realrates. com Sources informationweek. com earthweb. com dice. com infoworld. com itworld. com Many others including: careerbuilder. com, salary. com, careerjournal. com, opm. gov/oca/payrates. . . 32

How Contract Programming Firms Work 1 President/ Founder “Join us, Buffy” Billing and Legal Treatment 3 Brokers / aka “VP”s W-2’s (salaried) W-2’s (hourly) 60 Contract Programmers 1099’s Corp-to-Corp 33

How Brokers Make Money The Broker makes the spread between what client pays and what you’ll accept. $100 What Client pays What Broker makes $50 What CP gets $200, 000/yr $100, 000/yr Most Brokers key on reducing your rate ! Are this Broker’s services worth $100, 000 / year ? Brokers get 10 - 60 % typical 33% 34

Why You Care About the Broker’s Mark-up Some contractors like to say. . . “I don’t care what my broker makes as long as I make __$$__. ” Big Mistake ! 35

Why You Care About the Broker’s Mark-up (1) The spread may be too large (you’re making less than you could) (2) Client bases all retention decisions on their cost (not what you’re making!) Example: Time to reduce contractor costs ! Assuming all are equally useful. . . Client Pays: IT Pro Gets: Susie SE $225 $60 You (brokered) $100 $60 Joe “Pure IC” $80 Who they gonna keep ? Hint: It ain’t gonna be you ! Even though Joe makes more than you do! (and why does Susie SE accept a rip off ? ) 36

How Recruiters Make Money Upon placement, the Recruiter makes either : (1) Agreed-upon fee (2) Percent of new FTEs 1 st-year salary Example: New FTE’s 1 st-year salary = $90, 000/yr Recruiter @33% makes = $30, 000 The Employer pays the Recruiter, ==> the Recruiter works for their interest ! Recruiter is not your friend nor do you pay him. Do not disclose your negotiating thoughts to the Recruiter ! Recruiters get $10 k - $40 k per placement (20% - 33%) 37

Why are many Brokers / Recruiters Unethical ? * They do real work, they deserve to get paid * But their pay is sometimes outrageous as is their behavior ! (see “What You Are Paying Your Agent For, ” Sept 2000, In Contract Professional at www. cpuniverse. com By Andrew Zanevsky Why ? Client Techie * * No startup / entry costs No capital required No manufacturing costs (pure profit potential) It’s all convincing (1) Client and (2) CP * Each placement really counts ! (eg: place 3 FTEs you make $60 k this year, place 6 and you make $120 k ! ) * This brings out the greed in some people * Superior knowledge yields manipulative power 38

Example Sleazy Broker / Recruiter Practices * * * * Selling resumes “Enhancing” your resume w/o your knowledge Presenting your resume to a client without your permission Page Flipping Stealing / selling company phonebooks Selling IT staff lists Stripping references Bogus resume cross-references Misrepresenting (lying) to either Client or CP (esp. about Rates or the Work to be done) Expenses never reimbursed Non-payment Suing you as a form of intimidation Keeping you “on the line” by sending you Credit-check your broker: to an inappropriate interview www. experian. com @ $20 - $30 Abusive contracts Abusive non-competes “Jennifers” and “Guys” 39

Why Brokers Predominate * IRS 1706 : a Rider passed w/ 1986 Tax Act by special interests * Designed to force all IT workers to : Be employees * To enhance role of CP Firms * Easier for IRS to collect taxes Book on 1706: www. icca. org $27 * Legally Ambiguous * Allows IRS to “reclassify” IC as an “employee” ! * Burden of proof & penalties are on the “Employer” * Practical result -- (1) Many companies will not do business w ICs (1099 s and S-Corps) (2) Brokers / CP Firms flourish !! (3) Approved Vendor Lists (AVLs) Client IC Client Broker or CP Firm 40 IC

How to Handle 1706 * Understand the “ 20 Questions” * Have multiple clients -or* Stay at each client <= 1 year * Pay your taxes scrupulously (use Enrolled Agent / CPA) * Form multi-person IT firm Umbrella Firm : * Employer of record * Billing, Admin services * Group-rate benefits * Use Umbrella Firm Client Umbrella Firm IC See: http: //rmpcp. com/ or www. pacepros. com 41

AVLs * Shields IT shop from potential IRS 1706 Liability * Liability is the real reason for AVLs (even though everybody says it’s a cost issue) AVL Brokers ICs Client CP Firms ICs Subcontracting is an artificially created mess 4!2

IT Professionals Lose ! H 1 B IRS 1706 IT Labor is: * * Young Non-political Unorganized Lobby-less in DC UCITA Offshoring L 1 Outsourcing “Special Interests are the greatest threat to democracy in America” -- President Jimmy Carter “Wish we had one” -- Joe IT Professional 43

Hiring -- IT Manager’s Viewpoint Rules : * Deluge of applicants * But still expensive to hire & train Results : => Keyword matching on resumes (by machine and HR) => Tiny % of applicants will get interviewed X Non-conformant talent is over-looked X They don’t realize there’s a 10: 1 effectiveness ratio between candidates ! X If you’re just a resume in the pile, you lose X If you don’t know how the game works, you lose 44 X You need “human contact” to get hired

2 Hiring Responses FACILITATORS GATEWAYS * * * “Is this person good? If yes, how do I hire her? ” * Deal-makers * Problem-solvers The “Rules” people “I just work here” Require exact skills match HR IDENTIFY & KEY ON THE FACILITATORS ! 45

One Way to Sell Yourself 10 seconds Your Calling Card = quick “Trump Card” Rule : Specialization sells Exercise : Summary : “Who I am and 2 minutes what I can do for you” Define your Calling Card Prioritize, define your 3 -part pitch 10 minutes Resume : “Here’s proof of what I can do for you” 46

One Way to Sell Yourself -- Example Calling Card-- “Hi, I’m Bob, a certified Oracle DBA with 8 years hands-on experience” Summary -- “I noticed you use 9 i under AIX. You must be kidding. I specialize in performance issues like those you face because I just did a major performance analysis on an AIX data warehouse last year. Are you having any issues with slow-running queries? ” Resume-- it’s carefully worded and well thought out, it was in your hand, and now you’ve put it in hers. 47 Bob “forgot” to mention that the data warehouse he worked on was still on Oracle 7… he’ll mention that later. . .

Human Contact is How to Get Hired Most people hire who they know -+ Limits risk + Reduces time + Easier * 60% of jobs filled through Networking (Challenger, Gray & Christmas) * You must key on personal contact 48

Business Cards * Hand them out judiciously * IT pros often don’t… because of “recruiter” behavior Talk with person No Yes Bork ? “good luck!” Trade cards 49

Resumes + Purpose -- meet their needs (not “describe yourself”) (it’s not about you) + Gets you an interview, doesn’t get you the job! + Specialization sells => Customized resumes + Buzzwords sell -- Verbose -- Spelling Errors -- Wrong format -- Too long ? Know it it’s computer scanned, tailor your resume for it ? Be careful about web posting 50

Certification ? Joe SA * Industry trend * Vary by the Cert : * Cost * Difficulty * Marketability See certmag. com, and brainbuzz. com Determine a Cert’s value to your career before you start working towards it * Enforces -- Vendor-dependency -- Specialization (at expense of generalization) -- Keeping up-to-date is a chore * Becoming a requirement for some IC roles (sometimes a Trump Card) If you are Inexperienced -- use it for instant credibility If you are Experienced -- it’s just another hoop to jump through 51

Certification ? Joe SA Understand how vendors view Certs ! -- It commits you to their technology (since few people certify with > 1 product among competing products) -- It mates your career to their product -- They believe that this ensures you will promote their product (and be their unpaid salesperson) -- They can use “cert upgrades” as leverage to try to force product upgrades -- You are giving them some power over your career 52

You Need a Longevity Plan * Average contract consultant lasts 6 years * * By age 40, * < 22% of IT technicians still do technical work Why ? ----+ + Technical change Burnout Business model change Industry change Choice Career evolution Change will happen, be prepared to handle it! Involuntary Voluntary 53 * As per Computerworld

How Skills Become Obsolete -Example 1983 Primary MVS DOS 1993 Unixes 2003 Linuxes OS/2 Windows (desktop & server) VM Linuxes 2 ndary MVS Unixes DOS Obsolete Exercise: map your chart for OSs, DBMSs, Pgming Languages, etc. MVS VM OS/2 DOS 54

Skills for Optimal Success Rule: Technical skills plus other skills yield greater success than technical skills alone Technical Skills Corollary: Technical skills are only the necessary precondition for larger success Business Skills (Taxes, liability, finding clients, selling yourself) Personal Skills (Psychological, Sociological, Leadership) New Technical Skills 55

Contracts You have legally agreed to what your contract says ; Nothing anybody says matters. * They are serious * You better understand them Or pay a lawyer to understand them for you. * Everything is negotiable * 2 -party versus “brokered” or “subcontracted” (3 -party) “Offensive” provisions are commonplace, negotiate out the worst: * * * Non-compete Non-disclosure Unlimited Liability Location of adjucation Severability Software warranty See sample contracts at realrates. com and icca. org 56

Contracts * It’s always trickier to negotiate a 3 -party deal than a 2 -party deal * You always want to negotiate directly with the customer, if you can. You don’t want info filtered by a 3 rd party with their own agenda. Which looks simpler to you ? You Customer 57 You Broker Customer

Insurance 1 -person Corp * General Liability (GL) ($400 - $600) See www. ccbsure. com www. techinsurance. com Larger Corp * * * * Errors & Omissions (E&O) Workman’s Comp Employee Liability Fidelity Bond Other Bonds Company Auto Etc. ($ thousands) 58

Why Liability Predominates $0 cost to Plaintiff to launch lawsuit Yes Plaintiff wins Defendant pays $$ to plaintiff, plaintiff shares with lawyer No $0 cost to Plaintiff Defendant pays $$ for legal fees Contigency Fee System makes the U. S. the Land of Lawsuits. Law Suit Lotto : no cost to play, and you just might win ! 59

How Do You Pay Yourself ? * S-Corp => Corp Accounting, plus 4 quarterly tax filings plus year-end Alternatives = Do it yourself PC-software H&R Block CPA Enrolled IRS Agent all income Your SCorp expenses payroll “I didn’t know!” You FICA (2 * 7. 5%) Fed WH Tax State WH Tax 60 All Corp accounting must be separate from your personal finances

Finances & Retirement * Learn how to invest (or pay someone to do it for you) * Investments determine how well you’ll live after retiring Vehicles : * * * * SEP-IRA Supplemental SEP SAR-SEP 401 K “I quit !” Regular & Roth IRAs Annuities (Fixed and Variable) Stocks vs Bonds vs Cash vs Real Estate vs Etc. 61

How to Get Gigs / Jobs Pay Someone to find them Brokers (Recruiters) Direct Marketing Indirect Marketing * Do what Brokers do * Do what Brokers (“Be your own bork”) can’t do * Clients come to you due to your visibility gig me, baby ! 62

How to do Direct Marketing ID Companies * Where * Its business * Its structure ID their Technologies * * Software Hardware Size IT dept. structure ID Contacts * Who * Titles / positions / roles * Phone #s / email addresses Create/maintain Relationships * Takes time * Difficult due to changes 63 * The hard part !

Where to get Direct Marketing Info Lists : * Local business directories * Purchase IT magazine mailing lists * Other lists (eg: conference lists, proceedings, user groups, software vendor lists, hardware vendor lists, lotteries, etc. ) Online : * Online discussion groups & boards (automated scanning) * Company websites * Job websites * Popular techie websites Print : * Newspapers (Sunday Tribune) * IT trade magazines Face-to-Face : * Conferences, User Group meetings, Trade Associations, 64 industry meetings, networking events, etc.

Indirect Marketing (Marketing through Visibility) * * * Move around within a long-term client Teach a class Participate in online forums Write magazine articles Be quoted in magazines Write for web zines Give presentations Be a user group leader Develop freeware / open source software Write a book Informal networking (FTF at conferences, user groups, etc) * IC letter to employment ads - printed / online 65

Indirect Marketing -- How to Keep a Long-term Client (Transfer around within 1 client) * Be best on your team * Have a reasonable rate * * * Work for all managers Make no enemies Appearances count Results count (not “reasons” aka excuses) Manage your emotions Sociological & psychological insights key Long-term survival is a sociological endeavor 66 -- “Contract Survivor, ” H. Fosdick in Contract Professional Feb 2001 at www. cpuniverse. com

Indirect Marketing -- Pay low + Satisfaction high -- Teach a Class Institutions Vocational * Biz partners, leads, CPs Research * Company co-founders My experience : -- 0 leads ? Yours ? 67

Indirect Marketing -- Internet Discussions Functions as your public job interview * Pick right forum (topic, audience, activity-level) * Don’t flame / be professional (managers do not hire opinionated flamers!) * What you say could be held against you (eg: you say “DB 2 sucks” then later apply for a job at IBM) * You’re not talking to a person, you’re talking to the world ! Experience -+ + + -- Good leads Friends and learning, too! Easy, fun Brokers/Recruiters scan them 68 -- Spam

Indirect Marketing -- Networking Must be a two-way interaction Some people consider networking a one-way street but this doesn’t work (for long) You gotta give to get Getting a job today requires the personal touch 69

Indirect Marketing -- Write Magazine Articles How to Get Published -* Call editor with your idea * Match the style, length, content of what they print * Be Accurate; respect their deadlines * Editors will rewrite your English * Improve with practice Experience --- Pay poor -- Some declined due to web + Satisfying + 1 - 20 leads / article (depends on magazine) 70

Indirect Marketing -- Be Quoted in Magazines How to Get In -* * * Be a “real IT contact” for a staff writer Respect their deadlines Return their calls fast! Be quotable Be up on imminent announcements Just call a journalist who wrote a story, give your reaction, tell him you’re quotable Experience -+ Makes you “the expert” + Good leads -- Disruptive to your schedule 71

Indirect Marketing -- Write for Web Zines How to Get Published -* Send editors an email and describe your idea -- Not refereed, lack status -- Readership varies -- Pay poor + Satisfying => Suggest Print/Zine combo Experience -+ Some leads ? Your results ? 72

Indirect Marketing -- Give Presentations A Public Job Interview * Users Groups * Conferences * For-profit organizations + Great visibility + Establishes you as an “expert” Experience -+ Good Leads ? Your results ? 73

Indirect Marketing -- Be a User Group Member + Pick a group that does what you want to do + Raises your profile + Instant peer group + They have forums / online presence -- Unpaid time commitment Experience -+ Good Leads + Personal development too ? Your results ? 74

Indirect Marketing + + + -- -- Be a User Group Leader High visibility Instant credibility Online presence (be a Sysop / moderator) Time intensive (unpaid) Experience -+ Great Leads + Personal development + Speaking skills + Leadership skills ? Your results ? 75

Indirect Marketing -- Develop A Freeware Product A Product displays your talents plus provides the foundation for your company ! (If you’re a Web Developer, make your resume a “wow” website) Example successes from the Oracle world: * Alertview * TOAD * Statspack Viewer 76 For a very few people, this is a great approach

Indirect Marketing -- Develop Open Source Software + + Show off your abilities Instant peer group A real reason for social interaction Become part of a community while you gain new skills -- Unpaid If this suits your personality, it’s a great approach ! 77

Indirect Marketing -- Write a Book How to Get Published ==> Contact Publishers + Expertise (“She wrote the book on it!”) + Satisfaction -- Effort Required -- Pay -- Quickly Obsolescent # of authors $$ 1 2 3 4 # books written # of authors 78

Resources for ICs -- Associations ICCA (Independent Computer Consultants Association) The only association for ICs (and also others as “associates”) Membership is by firm www. icca. org www. icca-chicago. org (Subject to change, Dues $175 - 275 / year Chicago $30 - $40 / meeting check their websites) They hold an annual conference NASE (National Association for the Self-Employed) www. nase. org Not IT-specific 79

Resources for ICs -- Associations The Programmer’s Guild Association plus a lobby effort http: //programmersguild. org/american. htm The Software Contractor’s Guild Matches people with gigs http: //scguild. com/ 80

More Resources for ICs Websites for Contractors Forums Umbrellas Associations Magazine Illinois Law Gigs etc www. realrates. com http: //pub 21. ezboard. com/bopenitforum http: //rmpcp. com/ www. pacepros. com www. icca. org www. nase. org http: //programmersguild. org/american. htm http: //scguild. com/ www. cpuniverse. com www. ilsos. net www. 1099. com www. guru. com Magazine Contract Professional at www. cpuniverse. com -- You can read their back issues online 81

More Resources for ICs Spend 4 hours reading these forums and you’ll know way more than most IT jobseekers learn in a lifetime www. realrates. com http: //pub 21. ezboard. com/bopenitforum 82

More Resources for ICs Books * Janet Ruhl * Computer Job Survival Guide * Answers for Computer Contractors * Computer Consultant’s Workbook * Computer Consultant’s Guide * Herman Holtz * How to Succeed as an IC * The Business Plan Guide for ICs * Consultant’s Guide to Getting Business on the Internet * Gerald Weinberg * Secrets of Consulting * Peter Meyer * Getting Started in Computer Consulting 83

To Learn More. . . No Yes FTE ? Read Ruhl’s Computer Job Survival Guide Read Ruhl’s IC books -or. Peter Meyer’s book Check out websites like realrates. com & others listed. Do some googles. 84

? ? ? Questions ? ? ? 85