I Officially Quit My Permanent Job

After 2 years in tech, I've made the leap to freelancing. This was always the goal when I decided to switch to a tech career. In other industries, becoming independent is much harder, but in tech, the path to freelancing is more accessible. Having worked permanent roles my whole career, I've always been curious about life outside the corporate ladder. There are so many ways to make a living, and I think experiencing freelancing is valuable for personal growth.

Leaving the Best Company I've Worked For

My previous startup was honestly the best company I've ever worked for. The engineering team was incredibly skilled, and everyone was genuinely nice. The job was fully remote with complete flexibility and no core hours.

I only worked there for 10 months. I really wanted to stay longer, but with inflation being what it is these days and the Japanese yen being so weak, I had to make more money.

The Job Hunt

I used agencies to find freelance work, and they were upfront with me: it's tough to land freelance roles with only 2 years of experience. Most companies want 3+ years for freelance developers, so my chances were slim.

I created my resume anyway and kept interviewing with companies that showed interest. After 6 interviews, I received offers from 2 companies. I chose the role based on the tech stack, which was exactly what I wanted to work with.

Freelance Life So Far

The current work is great. It's fully remote, and I'm earning significantly more than my previous job. The trade-off is handling taxes and insurance myself, but I think learning this administrative side is valuable life experience anyway.

The pay will be unstable, and I'll always need to keep my resume and portfolio updated. Contract renewals will be a constant concern. But honestly? It's exciting to work with different companies rather than being tied to just one.

Gratitude for My Previous Team

I worked at 2 tech companies before making this transition. The engineers at my second company were exceptionally skilled, and I learned so much as a developer. I wouldn't have been able to land a freelance role in just 2 years without that experience.

I really appreciate everyone I worked with. They helped me grow more than they probably realize.

Looking Forward

This is just the beginning of my freelance journey. I'm excited to see where it takes me. I'll get to work on many codebases and projects. I also want to try getting global clients next year.