In today's market as an engineer should one go full time at a growing startup? Should one run their own company? Should one freelance and add value to multiple products?
What is the tradeoff between full time employment and freelancing for many companies? This is a question I've had on and off for the last few years working. In the past I've done full time employment at a growing startup with the odd side gig that would be a few weeks of part time work on an application or prototype.
The work has always been liberating; allowing for deep dives in new technologies, building products in diverse verticals, and having the pleasure to work with different product managers and technical coworkers.
The one downside to going full time as a freelancer is not only being an engineer but a full time business owner. There are times when you need to make sure there are projects coming through the pipeline, contacts completed have been paid, taxes owed are kept up to. In a sense going full time freelance is like running a business of one with all things included.
In the past freelancing has been very attractive and liberating but the barriers of single handedly finding work and ensuring all aspects of the contract go well is almost a full time gig in of itself.
That is where Toptal comes into the picture, providing a marketplace for employers and freelancers to matchmake and make the best choices for their individual needs. Toptal to me becomes an advocate for both freelancer and company in the entire process. They provide a place for the Web Development Community to go to, to thrive, and to build great products.
Who wouldn't want a full time advocate in their corner to ensure success of projects and a steady of supply of projects to work on.
To me Toptal is a no brainer.