The future of tech is freelance
I don't want to give ten years of my life to one company. I want to work 20h per week on one project and 10 hours on another while spending more time on my side projects or outside of work.
Here are some of the reasons why I think freelancing is a growing trend in tech:
Company independence
With the recent tech layoffs in 2022 and 2023, people see now more than ever that there's no reason to be loyal to one company. You’re always just one email away from being without a job. It's a business transaction – you provide your services and the company pays.
Instead of investing ten years of your life working for one company, wouldn't it make more sense to work on multiple projects and build a strong personal portfolio and network in the process?
Location independence
The whole conversation about remote work. Some companies support it big, some not at all. And they change their minds all the time.
When freelancing, no company can say that you must come to the office. You are your own boss and you decide for yourself.
Of course, work is not the only factor – some of us have kids who go to school or there's something else that ties us with a specific location – it's still one of the most important aspects.
Async communication
Too many meetings without a clear goal. Chatting on Slack all day and not getting any deep work done. People are getting tired of giving their whole day to work.
While there are projects where you still need to communicate with an existing team, freelancing is more goal-oriented than a full-time job and lets you communicate more flexibly.
More excitement
It can be hard to be excited about the same product for a long period of time. And I think people – seeing that the whole life is not about work and money – are starting to make excitement an important part of their lives.
Then, not only are your results better but also your life is more fun.