Not many people realize that engineers can be freelance workers. In fact, many engineers choose to go this route for a variety of reasons. At Austin Nichols, we know that there are a lot of engineers out there considering the freelancing route. We have some advice for those engineers who might be looking for freelance positions.
Why Do Engineers Want to Freelance?
Every freelancer will have a different answer to this question. There are a lot of benefits to working as a freelance employee, and freelancers in the engineering field often speak of many of these benefits, including the ability to be selective with projects.
Many engineers get assigned projects that they aren’t really fond of but are required to complete. Freelancing allows engineers to have more control over the tasks that they take on. Additionally, engineers are able to do numerous different jobs per year, which can be a welcome change for engineers who don’t like working on the same projects all of the time.
Another reason that engineers choose to freelance is that it allows them a better work-life balance. Being able to spend more time with their families can be a major deciding factor in starting to freelance.
Working remotely is often desirable, as well. In some cases, there are positions that allow engineers to complete projects entirely or partly from their homes or wherever else the freelancer desires.
Some engineers don’t actively choose to freelance. When jobs are hard to come by, it might be time to get creative. This is the time that some engineers start to freelance to bring in money for their families until they can get a full-time position or in addition to a full-time position.
Since freelancing tends to work with engineering fields, many engineers are starting to consider freelancing as a viable option, but many don’t know where to start looking.
How Can Engineers Find Freelance Jobs?
Engineers can find freelance jobs in numerous ways. There are freelancing jobs posted on regular job websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. Much like a full-time position, freelancing gigs are posted on these boards for engineers to browse through and apply for any available positions.
Freelancing websites are another avenue that engineers can take if they are looking for freelance work. , that post writing and design freelancing jobs are also home to engineering freelancing gigs. While engineering jobs may not be as plentiful, with some searching, engineers are bound to find some good opportunities. Freelancing websites are often highly competitive, though, so it is important to keep checking for new opportunities regularly, or you are likely to miss out.
However, one of the easiest ways for engineers to find freelancing jobs is to work with a technical recruiter. A technical recruiting service like Austin Nichols can help engineers track down freelancing jobs that they are qualified for without the hassle of filling out dozens of applications. In fact, when engineers work with a technical recruiting service, they can avoid constantly reaching out to various companies directly. Instead, a recruiter will help make contact between the two parties.
When using a recruiting service, freelancers are given access to jobs that they may not otherwise be able to find. While not all of the jobs will be freelance opportunities, if you let your recruiter know that you are only looking for these types of jobs, they can help you find freelancing gigs.
To learn more about Austin Nichols, give us a call today at 816-471-5575.
