After working in professional software engineering for three decades, from global telecoms companies to banks, insurers, energy companies, SaaS, startups, and scale-ups, I thought it was time to share some home truths. I’ve worked as an external (contractor) for the majority of that time, preferring to manage my own career, find work that suits me on my terms, and stay for as long as the project demands. While this choice isn’t for everyone and it’s not necessarily an easy path to leadership, it’s definitely a valid way to build an interesting and varied career for yourself, and nothing is impossible.
In these times of job uncertainty, I find my approach was probably quite ahead of curve. So now, in my fourth decade of software engineering, I am still finding jobs for myself, working with recruiters and agents, and deciding where I want to go next. Inspired by this post by Reuven Lerner, I thought I would share my top 33 tips and tricks for being a freelancer in the world of software engineering in 2026. Unlike Reuven, I don’t focus on running a business as an entrepreneur; I tried that but didn’t like it. These are purely freelancing tips!
Contracting, consulting or freelancing as an individual is not easy. It can be tough out there! I start with a few home truths about recruitment agents and agencies, then move on to how to shape your engagements for a happy, fruitful job search and project execution. Remember – there are always two sides to every coin – every situation is different, so you need to be quick-witted and able to deal with ambiguity! With those caveats, let’s strap in.
- Most importantly, remember that recruitment consultants are not your friends. They are middlemen who are there to advertise and sell your labour to clients. Remember that they profit by selling your labour and that the relationship must go both ways. Don’t feel pressured to take a role if you’re not sure about it.
- Don’t look for a good agency, but stay open to working with good individuals within those agencies. The chances are that these individual agents will move on by the time you need their services again. Treat them with respect and professionalism, and always expect the same in return.
- Know your worth. Do your research. Know what type of role you’re applying for and ask around your peers for market rates. You can ask people you currently work with or other freelancers.
- Do not ever pass on any references (names of previous bosses) to agents. This is an old trick they use to get contacts from you that they will use and abuse. If they insist on this then do not work with them.
- You should always ask middlemen what their percentage or rate will be so that you can find out what you’re being charged to the client. The client has a perception of you and your skills based on how much they are paying. If you’re unaware of how much you cost them, you have no idea of what level of service they are expecting.
- A good agency will not flinch when you ask them to divulge their rates. If they are hiding them from you, then don’t work with them.
- In the market, specific skills trump generalists for the most part. Specific skills are also easier to place as many Job Descriptions (JDs) are specific to a skill or set of skills.
- That being said, good generalists can be transformational. I’ve worked as a specialist, and that can pay very well, but being a generalist allows you to provide more and longer-term value to a client.
- Don’t forget your core skills got you to where you started contracting, these will always be a useful go-to if you’re struggling to land a new contract or client.
- While it can be tempting to tailor your CV for every role, as a contractor, it’s usually better to keep one version and stick to it. It’s easier to sell yourself to a niche than it is to multiple niches or role types simultaneously.
- If you’re not getting calls, then try refreshing your skillset or improving yourself in other ways. I usually like to do a certification in something (AWS or security) every few years to show that I’m putting in the effort.
- Stay up to date with the latest industry news. This keeps you on top of the latest happenings, which you can use in your work. Show obsession, and you’ll be able to share this with your clients.
- Be honest with yourself and your clients about what you can accomplish in a given timescale. Don’t put yourself under too much pressure by over promising. The old adage “Under-promise, over-deliver” is a good one to remember.
- Guide your boss when they are struggling themselves. Sometimes you need to be able to help your direct boss (or their boss) out of a situation that the project has landed in. You can use your experience and an objective opinion to help them out and they will definitely appreciate that.
- Be generous with your time when it comes to passing on knowledge and ideas to those you work with. Set an example and remember you are representing yourself as your own business.
- Sometimes other engineers don’t like consultants being there for various reasons, jealousy over how much you’re getting paid, feelings of inadequacy, worries for their own future. Don’t take criticism personally, it’s usually just coming from a place of fear.
- That being said, if others make life uncomfortable for you for more than a few days, then do say something and try to get to the bottom of it by working with those that have a problem. If it’s still not resolved then go to the bosses. Ill-feeling in a team can fester and cause longer term problems.
- If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, then say something sooner rather than later. I’ve started at clients where it’s obvious to me from the first day that I’m not a good fit so I will negotiate a very early exit rather than pushing through with the work. While this can be painful, it is better in the long term for both sides.
- Corporates often work with multiple consultancies these days, so it’s not uncommon for you to be working alongside consultants with little experience who are being charged out for more than you’re making. It’s your call how generous you want to be with your time with these individuals but bear in mind if they know what you know, you might not have a job anymore. This is about building your business, building your brand and giving more specialised knowledge and personalised support than any big consultancy can do.
- Invest in yourself by reading and writing. Reading books that are aligned with your interests can help give you that edge at work. Writing helps refine your thoughts into ways you can action them.
- Find a conference you like and attend it. Pitch a talk once a year. Get up in front of people occasionally to share something that you’ve worked on.
- Practice talking by recording yourself or starting a podcast. The more you practice, the better you become at forming thoughts on the fly. This in itself gives you more confidence.
- Try to understand and define your preferred way of working and share this with clients. For example, if you prefer to be mostly unsupervised or need a lot of direction, make sure you make this clear from the start of the interview process.
- This means explaining how you like your day to day to be. Are you comfortable working in a scrum team, do you prefer to be supervised closely or are you happy to be left to your own devices for a while. How do you measure success in this project? Are you sociable or prefer to work on your own? How many times a week are you expected to be in the office?
- Use your network. LinkedIn is a great way to stay in touch with old friends and colleagues. When you’re looking for work, don’t be afraid to set yourself to open on LinkedIn and even post the “Open to Work” banner for a while and make a post about it. You never know who is looking at your profile.
- Give something back to the community. Put yourself out there. Join a community and be an active part of it.
- Don’t undervalue yourself when it comes to rate negotiations. Once you start lowballing, it’s sometimes hard to stop. Know your worth.
- It’s better to wait a little longer to find the right fit at the right rate than just take something for the sake of it. If you can afford to hang around financially a little longer, then make that call for a better overall result.
- The relationship you have with your direct boss is vital. In a permanent role if you’re struggling with your boss for a period this can usually be recovered. When you’re contracting and your relationship breaks down then things usually end pretty quickly.
- Try not to get involved in the politics of a situation at work, instead use the organisational levers to stay professional at all times and make individuals responsible for their actions. Often coming into complicated situations you can make them more complicated but a calm approach, understanding the rules of engagement can help.
- Find an accountant you can trust. Accounting partners should take the load off your shoulders. If you find yourself doing too much administration, then shop around.
- Always keep a financial buffer for those times when you’ll be out of work. It will happen no matter how good you are at what you do.
- Enjoy the good times and make sure you celebrate them with your peers, friends, and family. You work hard at your business, don’t be afraid to enjoy it!
Anything else that you think I missed? Let me know what you think!
Richard Bown is a writer and freelance software engineer. He is the author of HUMAN SOFTWARE a novel where small-town folk go up against AI and heartless corporate profiteering. Find out more and buy at humansoftwarebook.com
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