From the outside, working for yourself looks scary these days: we’re in a recession, and you hear stories of tech downsizing left and right. “You should try to hold on to a steady, salaried job instead.” No, I don’t think so. Let’s examine what happened in previous significant downturns and what that means for us … Continue reading “Isn’t freelancing risky during recessions?” Maybe not!
When I talk to other developers who are thinking about working for themselves, one common objection is this: "I don't want to deal with that admin crap; I just want to code!" And when consulting agencies and contract brokers ask you to join them, they will use this as a selling point as well. "We take … Continue reading “But the admin and paperwork!” Relax. You got this.
Early on in my career, networking seemed like a magical salesperson's skill set. I imagined networking was attending boring, vaguely business-related events, where people in blazers stand around and attempt conversation with total strangers before they exchange business cards and deals. Basically: the least appealing activity imaginable to an introvert nerd like me. What is … Continue reading “Ugh, what even is networking?” Five ways to meet people (for coders and introverts)
The software development sector goes through cycles, just like any other profession. We’ve had a boom for the last ten years, and before 2023, many developers had not experienced a real downturn during their careers. But there are cycles for us, just like any other industry. The Dot-Bomb crash twenty years ago and the current … Continue reading The feast-famine cycle: how to handle downtime
When you're going independent as a freelancer, you are starting a small business. You have to do more than just coding now: clients have to be invoiced, payroll has to be run, taxes have to be paid, and more. All that fun stuff! Well, perhaps fun for professionals: the accountants. You need to find one, … Continue reading How to find a good accountant
