Hunting around for a Ruby on Rails contract in the current economic climate has proved quite a trial. Even with four years web development experience, a degree in Computer Science from a top University and some on-line case studies, I looked for about ten weeks before finally landing a contract. I’m working on a large project with a major retail client, bringing in Ruby on Rails expertise to a department new to the technology. As it happens, I have now have two contracts on the go, which proves that the freelance / contract lifestyle is very unpredictable, and probably wouldn’t suit everyone.

The project was on and off for about a month. In the current environment, clients are jittery; shopping around for cheaper deals and able to hold-on for more experienced developers. In the end, a bit of perseverance, a rate-cut and an offer to try-out for a day was what secured the deal.

During the drought, I had been considered for about five Ruby on Rails contracts, all of which fell-through. In hindsight, I’m sure I was pitching in a bit too high: the guys I was standing against in interviews were consultants who ran their own Ruby on Rails companies; and everyone is feeling the pinch. I wonder whether many I.T. workers actually receive the remuneration that ithotjobs.co.uk says they should, but its still high and there are some innovative projects out there.

In the meantime, I spent some time on my entrepreneurial music project, in which I worked on a method of collaborative image manipulation for use on album cover art. I tried a co-working space, and spent a few days at the Skiff in Brighton.

For those who haven’t tried, or are considering trying a co-working environment, I shall relate some of my experiences. The Skiff is a little office in the middle of the North Laine area in Brighton, the part with all the funky shops that looks a little bit like Camden highstreet. It used to be the offices of Linden Labs, the creators of Second Life, but now houses a flux of freelancers, consultants and developers, most of whom are working on a freelance basis. It is adorned with bright IKEA furniture, beanbags and reeks of geek. Before the end of my first day I was persuaded into obtaining a Twitter account, and now a score of followers know that I’m on my way home.

The friendly and open atmosphere is positive. I’m meeting and greeting, sitting in on frivolous free workshops and even getting a little work done. Every time I return, some new innovation is attempted. Wipe-clean wallpaper, the ambient background noise of the Star Trek enterprise on speaker (which is noisy) and the various relationships you can be: a crew-member, a mate.

I paid a pricey £150+VAT for the privilege of a desk that I could visit up to some limit; imagining that I would spend a great deal of time there procuring new contracts. In the end, I had a near-miss (one of the five) due to the client opting for another agency, and a pack of Moo cards. Not bad for one week, but perhaps still an unproven concept. Its the sort of thing I think you have to try yourself to see whether it benefits or not.
My experience overall having been six months working for myself is that contracting is not easy. The importance of networking, building up a list of contacts and being visible on the Internet are vital. In hindsight, I hadn’t expected to invest so much effort in finding contracts; and its a constant activity. If its updating the C.V., to uploading it to the various job sites, responding to job alerts or talking to the I’m-your-new-best-friend recruitment agent: its not the creative or logical task I want to be doing.

So why am I doing it? Ultimate flexibility. I am organising an audition this weekend for a singer, to find musicians to collaborate with on a music project. I spent awhile recently preparing for it, and it couldn’t have happened if I was on a permanent job. Working for myself somehow gives me the feeling, even if it might be only an illusion, that I am steering my own ship, and that feels right compared to being a crewman on someone else’s. Fortunately, I don’t have any commitments or depdendents, which would change things; and I’m not in debt (apart from my student loan). It’s refreshing to work for a professional agency, with competent people, and not having to be involved in the politics nor the wranglings over the trivial details of projects. With contracting, its like a gig: I turn-up, perform, go home. With a permanent job, you inevitably get caught up in notions of careerism: having an influence or a legacy.

I can say that one big mistake that I’ve made in the past is allowing the concept of independence to cause the grave error that you can do everything by yourself. One of the reasons why I haven’t actually launched my music subscriptions website is that I have been director, developer and artist. To put only one hand on something isn’t wise and doesn’t usually lead to results. Whether its their parents or a major hedge fund, the people who seem to truly succeed are those who have some kind of backing. With contracting, I’m temporarily joining a group of people who collaborate with one another. With co-working, I’m immersed in an environment of like-minded people, like a support-group. On my music and entrepreneurial projects, I have been too solitary: my hope is that stemming from contracting, free-lancing and co-working, there will be the right people to finish the job.

I wonder whether any other freelancers have similar experiences and perspectives? Anyway, off to bed because I’ve got to get up in the morning.