Any Java freelancers out there?

Posted: September 16th, 2008 | Author: Pierre Olivier Martel | Filed under: Freelance, Java | Comments Lately, I made the switch from making a living out of Java consulting to become a full-time freelancer. My motivations for doing so were, among others, mainly dictated by the need to :
  • Work more from home (no more grey cubicles and old 15 inches CRT monitors for me!)
  • Have a more flexible schedule (sometimes inspiration comes in the middle of the night)
  • Work on multiple projects at the same time
  • Take time to learn new technologies, participate in conferences and start a blog
So far I haven’t been disappointed except for one thing : I can’t seem to find much freelancing Java opportunities. Now, I’m just starting out as a freelancer and it is way to soon to draw any conclusion but I’m beginning to doubt. Is java freelancing possible?

Now don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of java consulting opportunities. I still get a lot of phone calls for Java contracts but being on-site is always a non-negotiable requirement. From what I can see, PHP seems to be more suited for freelancing. It’s the technology of choice for smaller web development companies and the bigger companies working with Java won’t allow their code to get out of their walls or simply want to keep a closer eye on their contractors by making them work at the office.

I’ve always found PHP a little messy for serious development. I am now intensely learning Ruby on Rails in the hope that it might be easier to make a living freelancing with this technology (and also because it’s a lot of fun!). But it’s a long shot and I’m not sure where it’s going to lead.

So how about the other freelancers out there? Any of you doing Java? Who are your clients and how do you find them? Are you allowed to work from home? Are you working in team or on your own?