How to become a LabVIEW contracter

[jyang72211]

Hi all,

I would like to get some LabVIEW contract work, so that I can work at home for a few extra buck.  I use LabVIEW extensively at work, but I guess I can't get enough of it, so I need to do some LabVIEW at home as well.  I have a few questions in regards to how to get started.  See below:

1. Where do LabVIEW contractors usually find their work?

2. Do LabVIEW contractors buy the LabVIEW developer suite with their own money to get started?  It is kind of expensive (~$4000), and I don't think I can use the license from my work place.  Is there a cheaper legal alternative?  What do LabVIEW contractors usually do?

3. Are there groups out there that I can join where I would get match up to some LabVIEW work once in a while?

Yik

[pallen]

Hi Yik,

There are a couple of message boards right here that you should check out.  In the special interest section there's LabVEIW developers seeking employment.  As well as LabVIEW job openings.  

I'd suggest posting your desire for some contract work along with a summary of your experience, where you are, and possibly your expected rate in the first board.  Check back on the second board frequently to see if anything new pops up.  Cruise through that board to get an idea of the types of jobs that have been posted there in the past. 

Try Googling around for public or private tender sites.  

There is a site called labviewjobs.com   But I haven't used it, and don't know much about it other than it's there.  

Putting LabVIEW Contract Jobs into Google just gave me 7800 results.  

Without your own copy of LabVIEW, you'll need to find employers that already have their own copy.  Or ones that are willing to absorb the cost of  one in the job they're having done.  

I'd setup profiles in all the big job search engines like Monster etc.  Those profiles are searchable  by employers and recruiters.

Good luck

[jyang72211]

Thanks!

[Ray.R]

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jyang72211 wrote:

Hi all,

I would like to get some LabVIEW contract work, so that I can work at home for a few extra buck.  I use LabVIEW extensively at work, but I guess I can't get enough of it, so I need to do some LabVIEW at home as well.  I have a few questions in regards to how to get started.  See below:

1. Where do LabVIEW contractors usually find their work?  If you're good, then it's usually referrals.

2. Do LabVIEW contractors buy the LabVIEW developer suite with their own money to get started?  It is kind of expensive (~$4000), and I don't think I can use the license from my work place.  Is there a cheaper legal alternative?  What do LabVIEW contractors usually do? Get the clients to buy LabVIEW and use their license for their project(s) only.

3. Are there groups out there that I can join where I would get match up to some LabVIEW work once in a while? Look for local NI-LabVIEW User Groups

Yik

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[Ben]

Getting teh project and doing them is in my case the easy part. Getting customers to pay and negotiating the terms is not so easy. Be very careful what you sign up for, I have read to many horror stories about one-person shops getting locked-into a project that never ends.

Note: the following is not a plug for my company in any way!

I am a wimp when it comes to contracts. If they think they want more, I give it to them. One of the great things about working with an established alliance partner is I seldom have to talk money and its my boss that says "No more money, no more work." They (management) get all of the signatures before I ever talk to them and there is a limit established prior to VI 1 getting wired. When I am done, I can always talk to them to see how things are going because I only helped and never had to say no ("... with or without the mistle-toe, I'm in a holiday mood." (I Can't Say No, Oklahoma, Rogers and Hamerstien).

So be careful what you sign up for.

Ben

[pallen]

Of course, the never ending project isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

(as long as you're being paid) 

[Ben]

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pallen wrote:

Of course, the never ending project isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

(as long as you're being paid) 

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Ben

[Ray.R]

A major lesson to learn and like everyone else, you probably won't listen to the advice..  But i shall give it anyway.

NEVER SIGN A FIX PRICE CONTRACT.  DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

^^^^

Did you see the caps!  They were intentional.

Imagine a fix price contract for 1 week of work, and along the way after working on it for a couple of weeks, it is up to everyone's interpretation of what the work that should be done.  And then the week becomes a month, and maybe more but you only get paid for a week.

Think it never happens?  Think again..  Or read carefully:  It does happen.  To people with any amount of experience.  Clients will dry you up like a raisin before and they will never show compassion.  

Contracting work is fantastic as long as you learn to recognize the good clients versus the bad ones.  The bad ones WILL insist on a fixed cost contract, and after you send them your first invoice, you may learn why...  The lack of money.  So send invoices frequently and with tight payment terms (15 days). 

Until you've had a few battle scars, say NO to fixed price contracts, because you may have a hard time fighting or dealing with the client.  And they are not worth it anyway.. Why work for headaches?   

Instead, play it smart and work for money & fun. 🙂

[DianeS]

Another life lesson to add:

Get everything in writing.

Everything.

Not just your contract terms, but get a detailed written statement of work, which lays out exactly what they want the code to do.  And every time the customer changes the specifications, get that in writing too.  AND, have it written into your contract that every time they change the specs, you provide them with an updated estimate...and you don't resume work on the project until everyone has signed off on the changes, your estimate included.

I've been fortunate in that I have mostly contracted with larger companies who had procedures in place for specification changes.  I've also been fortunate in that most of the small companies with whom I have contracted have been pretty reasonable folks who wanted to do the right thing.  If they didn't know precisely what they wanted, we dealt with that in a mutually satisfactory way.  However, I did learn about the dangers of undocumented specification creep the hard way.

Just something else to watch out for.

[jyang72211]

Contracting work sounds complicated in terms of the policy side of things.  I wish everybody would just pay hourly.