After 22 years working on different companies as a developer, scaling positions up to System Manager (I also worked as a Corporate Controller), I decided that my main interest area was Software Development, so I started a new company with a friend to provide IT services in Mexico but due to I was the minority shareholder (20% vs 80%) I couldn't decide about the direction our company will take, so we decide to split up and I started to work as a freelance 100% oriented to software development. This is how I decides to became a freelance.
Since the beginning, I have got all of my projects by word of mouth recommendations because I fulfill the clients' business needs on time, under budget, and with quality, however I discovered that my contact network was to small to give me projects for the rest of my life and my current contract is almost up, so it became urgent to start looking for projects out of my network, but the results were really poor. My search has included not only projects but places where focused on professionals who offer their services as freelancers, however win a project requires a significant amount of time and effort, and get a consistent pay rate that matches your market value is difficult, because not all clients can afford a senior developer.
While I've been looking other freelancing platforms TopTal IT developers group appears, as a provider of talented freelancers to very important companies and as a provider of very important companies to freelancers. All in one. I know that only a very small percentage of the applicants get in, but in the other hand, if I get in and I do what I know how to do (business software development) with quality and commitment TopTal will provide opportunities for me as a long term work.
I'm really excited for the opportunities that TopTal could give me, so I'm going to get ready for the interview process and to keep my bet to be a freelance in this very important and competitive market. Be a freelancing is difficult, but with companies like TopTal this task does not become more difficult but more interesting, so if you are a freelancer and want to get excellent opportunities to show your work, TopTal is the right way.