I burnt out, quit my job – any advice on moving to freelance/consulting?

Question

I've been working as a software engineer for close to 7 years now, ended up burning out pretty bad after a long period of impossible deadlines and lots of pressure at work, so I decided to quit.I did not look for other work - really needed a break, and luckily cost of living in my country is pretty low so I could afford it.2 months later I feel much better and I would like to get back to working, though I would like to have more direct control over how expectations and deadlines are set - so I thought that freelancing would be good way to get that.I'm wondering if I am thinking in the right direction here, and also how the situation is on the freelance market currently, I did some reading up and I hear that AI has caused a lot of competition/spam on Upwork and other platforms.

codegeek · Accepted Answer

Depends on the type of person you are. Are you ok with uncertainty of not having projects in pipeline all the time ? Are you ok to go a few months without work while other months being intense with strict deadlines ? Do you like to work with multiple clients with different needs etc ? Can you switch context quickly ?The answer to these questions will help you determine what should be your next thing. But just fyi, freelancing doesn't mean there are no deadlines. In fact, quite the opposite. However, you do have the option of being selective (if you get to that point) and that can be a good thing.

orionblastar · Answer

Learn to use AI to assist you. Make it an advantage to you rather than a competition. I got burnt out in my job too, it was too stressful and I developed mental and physical illnesses that made me miss work by being in a hospital, and getting fired for missing too much work.

willmeyers · Answer

> impossible deadlines and lots of pressure at workFreelancing/consulting has unfortunately a lot of this. It helps if you start within your existing network, but once you branch out it gets stressful trying to please your clients.

shoo · Answer

There are many older threads about consulting and freelancing here on HN, often with good advice from experienced people. You can find them with a google search like "advice freelancing site:news.ycombinator.com"

GianFabien · Answer

I've been contracting for a long time. Clients always have deadlines, mostly unrealistic ones. In my experience, business always prioritizes making or saving money ASAP.What has worked for me is to work hard and fast. Deliver the results. Then take time out. This cycle works for me, because it typically takes some time to secure the next contract. When working on a contract, I don't have time to look for the next one.