When I converted my job into a 1099 gig, a lot of my stress went away.
This was because I
The actual day-to-day client work was easy and I worked with a fun team.
But, what if I hated the actual client work?
Going 1099 would have certainly helped, but the project would not have been sustainable and I would have had to find a new gig.
If you don’t like the actual work you’re doing now, you will need to solve that problem in addition to the 1099 problem.
It’s easy to attribute our frustrations to the wrong thing.
If you have a bad client, and you go 1099 thinking that will make you feel better about the client, it won’t. At least, not for long.
If you don’t like the actual technical work you’re doing, going 1099 but doing the same type of work won’t make you happy. You need to go 1099 and find work you enjoy.
Sometimes going 1099 IS the solution though. If you like the work, you like the clients, but you just don’t like working for anyone else and think you should be better compensated, going 1099 is the right way to do it.
Be honest with yourself about WHY you feel frustrated and address the real problem.
If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book:
Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
Negotiating your escalation rateSource If you negotiate a rate on a sub-contract with multiple option years, you may be wondering if you are stuck with that rate for the duration of the contract. The answer is...no. Typically, there are built in rate escalations for option years. Say your rate is $100/hour at the start. If you have a 2% rate escalation built in, the next year your rate will be $102/hour, the following year it will be $104.04, etc. Before you sign the sub-contract, you should...
When you tell the recruiter you're only interested in going 1099Source If you're looking for a 1099 gig, one of the keys to success is getting in touch with prime PMs. But it's often hard to identify them and make an introduction. One way to get to them is to simply go through the job application process. This involves applying for a job or agreeing to a phone screen with a recruiter, and then working your way through the interview process until you talk to a PM. The thing is, recruiters are...
This doesn't workSource In Chris Voss' book about negotiation, Never Split the Difference, he writes about a technique to help get people to respond to e-mails. -- "There’s nothing more irritating than being ignored. Being turned down is bad, but getting no response at all is the pits. It makes you feel invisible, as if you don’t exist. And it’s a waste of your time. We’ve all been through it: You send an email to someone you’re trying to do business with and they ignore you. Then you send a...