Whether you’re hesitant to make the jump from salaried to contract work, or you’re just having trouble navigating your freelancing practice, going it alone can be overwhelming. The list of pros and cons can be a long and jumbled mess that just leads to more problems to solve and options to weigh. Whatever your pain point is, it helps to see how others in your shoes have found success as independent software professionals.
We asked a handful of Gun.io developers a little bit about how they got into technology, where they were in their career when they joined Gun.io, and why they chose to use a freelancing platform.
Level up an existing freelance practice
The blocker: A self-taught programmer was spending more time on admin and client acquisition tasks than on their projects or with their family.
The goal: Gain support in managing and finding quality clients, outside of the ones they had acquired through social media and Linkedin recruiters.
The outcome: After joining Gun.io, they’re engaged on a full-time basis and are free to focus on their work and balance their personal life at the same time—all while the platform handles client relationships.
Get paid what you’re worth
The blocker: A computer science major had been working in a W2 on-site role, using contract work to supplement their income with an interest in freelancing full-time. They averaged less than 3 freelance engagements per year, all with local clients they acquired through word-of-mouth.
The goal: Acquire clients through more streamlined channels to sufficiently fill their pipeline with work in more competitive markets to freelance full-time.
The outcome: After joining Gun.io and setting their own rate—rather than a rate that was constrained by their local market—they started work on a full-time contract engagement with a client outside of their timezone, significantly increasing their income.
Spend less time vetting clients
The blocker: A self-taught programmer had been freelancing for 5+ years on their own and with a platform, but struggled to engage quality clients they acquired through browsing other freelance platforms and networking on LinkedIn.
The goal: Proactively verify a client’s quality prior to accepting a project to mitigate late payments, poor team fit, and unclear expectations.
The outcome: After joining Gun.io, they’re able to fill their pipeline with pre-vetted clients and offload the additional lift of ensuring timely payment, facilitating communication, and establishing contract details with clients.
Interested in putting these use cases to the test? Learn more about working with our platform.
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