2 ms·
Same here. I've gone for long periods working primarily for one or two clients, and 1) I made more working part-time than the employees did full-time, 2) I got
by mercer 11y ago
Same here. I've gone for long periods working primarily for one or two clients, and 1) I made more working part-time than the employees did full-time, 2) I got all the 'fun' new projects while the employees spent a lot of their time doing maintenance and bug-fixing (which they only asked me to do occasionally once I was a 'trusted' contractor), 3) I could go on vacations pretty much whenever I wanted.
There are plenty of downsides, of course, but it's a far cry from the initial fear I had of a life of constantly hunting for clients and constantly playing the 'is my client an asshole / will my client pay / is my client a micro-manager'-roulette.
- askafriend 11y agoMind expanding on some of the downsides that you've experienced?
- mercer 11y agoFinances (billing, quarterly taxes, yearly taxes), lack of colleagues (I feel at best a semi-colleague if I'm somewhere long enough), lots of costs, some hidden or vague (insurances, office space, travel, laptop, utilities, etc.), possible dry spells / less job security (not an issue yet, but still), no perks (paid learning, conferences, outings), proposals and discussions about how much things cost, even with longer-term clients. And of course the fact that I can't rely on the more 'default' paths of promotions, specializing, etc. I have to choose to grow, or I just keep doing the same thing or risk falling behind. I don't find all these downsides. For example, I'm rather happy to not have to be around the same group of people day in, day out. Or to feel forced to go to some work event and be a 'team player'. But still. Sometimes I think I miss it, at least.