Asklemmy @lemmy.ml SomeJob123 @sh.itjust.works 1 yr. ago

Part time tech work?

Following another thread a few days ago someone's comment is stuck in my head:

Quick background: I've spent about 20 years in technology. I've been an in-house dev for a traditional company. I've been a sales engineer for a small software company. I then went to a FAANG and spent 10+ years as a sales engineer, software engineer and engineering manager. The last year+ I've been on a self-funded sabbatical to try to figure out what I want to do next. I just... haven't done a whole lot of figuring.

I'd strongly prefer something part-time, and also strongly prefer something that's nearly 100% remote.

Ideas that have come to mind:

Software sales engineering (again)
Technical Project Manager
Entry level dev work
Get certified to be a SalesForce administrator
Something something DevOps?

I think I'd like something where there was a queue of work to pull from and just get some shit done. Over the last 5-10 years it got exhausing having to be involved in mostly long-term planning and not get the pavlovian "oh I just closed another bug" itch scratched. Though I guess that somewhat eliminates the TPM idea?

For any of the above, or something else, I don't even know where to start. Are there decent temp agencies to work for who can farm you out? Do they deal with part-timers? I could probably work my network as well to try to find something.

4 comments

It's a slow grind, but I suggest consulting. It sounds like you have a diverse set of skills that could be of use to some companies.

My method is to apply to jobs that I can tell barely need to hire someone. A small juice company hiring a full time web developer? lol, no. A shoe store that needs a network admin for 50k??! bro.

I apply to these jobs and instead of applying, I sell. I have a website setup that has projects, certs, resume, git, art projects (digital). It all shows I can do a lot of different stuff. I talk to them about their actual need, and suggest that an ad hoc relationship should work (if it could)

I have some clients at $150 a month and 2 hrs per month, plus $75/hr after 2 hrs. I have some clients at $1500 a month, and 20 hrs per month. More like $200/hr beyond agreement. I assess on case by case basis.

I have 12 clients. I have a guaranteed $5000+ a month. I don't work that much. Sometimes I have to cancel plans to work an emergency all nighter (if I fucked up...)

I have outsourced work before as well.

It's taken me since 2019 to get here. I've tended a lot of bar since then to make ends meet, but it's working now.
Career wise I find myself in a similar position. Roles in my niche skill set are largely offshore or contract positions now. I don't like the idea of management. I love doing what I do... fixing bugs, investigating complex problems, not talking to people for days!!

I have been debating trainer or tester roles. There is also Scrum master as a possibility but I think that would be too regimented for me, there doesn't seem to be much scope to adapt the scrum model for different situations - at least the way my employer does it!

Just some ideas, I don't have much good advice as I'm spinning my wheels without a clear direction at the moment.
I honestly had my sights set on doing some sales and consulting based on the ERPnext platform, an open source solution that uses Frappe. I am still working out some of the wrinkles but I am wondering there might be a business opportunity because ERPnext looks like it could literally be game-changin.
Back in the day, this job was a contract test position, or if you were lucky a technical trainer.

I am in a similar position, and really wishing I could go back to my technical training gig. My ideal would be contracting fall-to-spring, summers off - working in climate. Feels like there's got to be some seasonal work in an industry growing so fast...