John,
Can you send me a copy of that too? Thanks. vanderson@imailbox.com


>Hi Kevin ---
>
>I am emailing you a demo of a skills testing program I tested for a recruiter. It has a very good VFP/FP test. It will help you assess your level as a developer. That being said:
>
>I would recommend that you initially work with a contracting service and let them handle contract negotiation, marketing, et al. before trying to handle those things yourself. After a while (12-18 mos) you will get a better feel for the non-technical ends of the business and will also be exposed more through your work.
>
>Finally, bear in mind that really good VFP developers are not too common. Price yourself accordingly: If you believe that you are moderately skilled, you could contract out at $30-50 per hour with a contracting service. Later, on your own, you should be able to command $60-100/hour and maybe even more if specialized work.
>
>Also, other technical skills you have and some non-technical skills can be a plus. Are you bilingual? A good database person? Do you have certification in non-technical areas (CPA, et al)?
>
>> I have been programming for approximately two years now with Visual Foxpro, and I am starting to feel confident enough in my skills to make a go of it on my own as a consultant or as a member of a consulting team (the latter being preferrable). The only problem is that I don't have a lot of knowledge in how to proceed with something like this.
>> I have questions that need answering such as what is a fair hourly rate for a consultant and how should I measure my skills to accurately rate myself as a programmer? And what are standard types of contracts that are signed between consultants and the companies that they work for? More specifically, within a contract, what sort of risk should the consultant shoulder in the agreement and what risk should the employer shoulder?
>> If anyone would like to offer a small treatise on the this topic, I would be most grateful.