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I'm nowhere near semi-retired, and I'm not doing freelance work, or even
straight technical writing anymore, but I definitely calculate how much I'm
willing to take based on the job, and the vibe. For my most recent
assignment, I took a big pay cut, after making the most I had ever for the
job before that. I even I turned down another job at the same high hourly
rate because the place and the consulting firm gave me a bad vibe.
The place I landed gave me an opportunity to make a sideways move into
Knowledge Management, which is a better fit for me right now than straight
technical writing. More creative, more fun. I also got an amazing vibe from
may perspective co-workers. So, although the commute and the pay were not
great, the job was a perfect fit, and I've never regretted it, after
two years. Now I'm jumping into another KM job closer to home, and back
within what I would consider a more standard range for me. And because they
really wanted me, they were willing to got to bat with their management to
get me the higher rate, even though it was above what they budgeted.
Also, you have to remember that you might have a ton of experience, and be
a truly senior tech writer, but maybe they don't need that. They would be
fine with a mid-level person with energy and ideas. So if the job is
straightforward, 25 years experience doesn't get them any more value than
someone with 10 years. The key is determining if your experience warrants
the salary.
That said, there are a few consulting companies that have called me with
offers so low that I've actually laughed.
On Wed, Sep 4, 2019 at 3:01 PM Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
> Since going into semi-retirement, I have arrived at a method that will
> be totally useless to most people here. It's a complex mix based on the
> job requirements, the commute will be, flexibilty of work schedule, how
> much I can work remote, length of job and whether it's the time of year
> when I need to be home to tend my garden or want to avoid having to
> drive in snow.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> On 9/4/2019 5:08 AM, Sion Lane wrote:
> > How does one go about figuring out your hourly or daily rate? Obviously
> one can be derived from the other, but how do you come up with a figure to
> start from?
>
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