I have had several lead roles as a freelancing consultant over the last few years. Product owner, software architect, software lead. I try to communicate a lot, write down my strategies and thereby make myself replaceable. This way I can change assignments when conditions change (project entering new phase, change of directions, or purchasing goes for a drive to cut expenses) and the client gets improved progress, process, culture and way of working in return, without fears of making them too dependent on a consultant.
People reach out to me on roughly weekly basis with new leads, so finding a new gig is easy. I treat new contacts with mild distance and careful interest, and greet old colleagues that know me well with greater warmth and interest. But I also make it clear that when I'm on a contract, I want to leave the current client with some firm usable deliverables before I consider any other options. Typical assignments are 6-24 months.
Typical rate: currently roughly 100 EUR/h, increasing by roughly 10% annually. 12 years experience in my field (embedded software, specialized within automotive). Western Sweden.
For info, labour laws are pretty strict in Sweden, so employing somebody is a great expense and risk for the employer. Contracting has thus become pretty common (often 30% of the workforce; sometimes more).
I have had several lead roles as a freelancing consultant over the last few years. Product owner, software architect, software lead. I try to communicate a lot, write down my strategies and thereby make myself replaceable. This way I can change assignments when conditions change (project entering new phase, change of directions, or purchasing goes for a drive to cut expenses) and the client gets improved progress, process, culture and way of working in return, without fears of making them too dependent on a consultant.
People reach out to me on roughly weekly basis with new leads, so finding a new gig is easy. I treat new contacts with mild distance and careful interest, and greet old colleagues that know me well with greater warmth and interest. But I also make it clear that when I'm on a contract, I want to leave the current client with some firm usable deliverables before I consider any other options. Typical assignments are 6-24 months.
Typical rate: currently roughly 100 EUR/h, increasing by roughly 10% annually. 12 years experience in my field (embedded software, specialized within automotive). Western Sweden.
For info, labour laws are pretty strict in Sweden, so employing somebody is a great expense and risk for the employer. Contracting has thus become pretty common (often 30% of the workforce; sometimes more).