A story about someone who gained practical experience and went independent through my direct contract projects
Hello, this is Masu.
I usually work as a freelance engineer, taking on jobs directly from companies without going through agents (companies that mediate projects) or SES firms, handling web development, AI utilization, and business process improvement.
I have summarized how I ended up working this way in my self-introduction.
In this article, I will write about why I don't keep the direct contract projects I receive to myself, but instead outsource them to engineers I trust.
What I do
Although it fluctuates depending on the time of year, I am generally connected directly with 3 to 5 companies in parallel, receiving consultations on development and business improvement.
These consultations are often not in a fixed format like 'please build this,' but rather vague inquiries like 'can this task be automated?'
From there, I listen to their needs, organize the problems, and break them down into small development tasks if necessary. I am usually the one who handles client negotiations, such as acting as the point of contact for the company, aligning requirements, and negotiating terms.
On top of that, I ask engineers who seem to be a good fit for the content to work on it as subcontractors, and we proceed together. This is because I want the people who join to focus as much as possible on the development itself.
I have summarized here what kind of direct contract projects I have actually taken on and how I have shaped them.
I am often asked, 'How do you get direct contracts?' but I don't do any special sales activities; it is the result of gradually building trust with business owners I met at study groups and events.
The reason I ask for help through outsourcing is that I have come to feel that I don't want to keep the work generated from direct contracts within myself alone.
Thankfully, the number of consultations from companies has been increasing. However, there is a limit to what I can take on by myself. I have strengths and weaknesses, and my time is also limited.
On the other hand, there are engineers around me who have real ability but find it difficult to move to the next step because they lack routes to projects or opportunities for practical experience.
Companies want to meet reliable engineers. Engineers want to find good work that leads to the next step.
I believe that if I can stand in between and connect the right people with the right work, it will be a good situation for both the companies and the engineers.
Of course, I am also involved as part of my own work. It's not just about being idealistic. But rather than holding onto projects by myself, if I proceed like a team with people I trust, we can do more, and it also leads to the next career step for the people involved.
I want to gradually create that kind of flow.
For example, something like this happened.
This is a story about an engineer I met at a study group.
At first, it wasn't like they suddenly asked, 'Please give me a project.'
They said, 'I'm working with PHP at my current site, but it's mostly a minor framework, and I'm a bit worried about whether this is okay.'
They also said, 'I'm studying Laravel and React, but I don't have practical experience, so I don't know how to connect that to my next step.'
That consultation was how it all started.
At the time, they were working for an SES company at a client site where it was difficult to increase their rate.
Although they had PHP experience, their skills were skewed, and they wanted to work with Laravel and gain experience in React.
But because they lacked practical experience, they couldn't get onto those projects, and because they couldn't get onto those projects, they couldn't gain the experience.
It's a vicious cycle common in the engineering industry.
What left an impression on me was their attitude rather than their technical skills.
They were honest about asking when they didn't understand something, and they were properly putting in the work to study outside of business hours.
Talking to them, I felt, 'I think it would be fine to move forward with this person.'
So, from among the projects I had contracted directly with companies, I decided to have them work with me as a freelancer on the parts that used Laravel and React.
I handled the condition negotiations, but they handled everything from upstream processes like organizing requirements to implementation and delivery, including communication with the company.
They completed the delivery properly, and that experience allowed them to list React practical experience on their skill sheet.
Using that as a foothold, they then went on to join a React project on their own.
Even with the same way of working, because there are fewer companies in between, the way conditions are viewed and how the next consultation is received changes.
There is also more room to think and choose for yourself regarding rates and how to proceed.
After that, they became independent as a freelancer with a rate of about 700,000 yen per month.
What changed was their own effort.
However, if that small project could be one of the triggers to break out of that cycle, I couldn't be happier.
When I received the message, 'Thanks to you, Masu-san, I'm going independent,' I was as happy as if it were my own success.
Since having this experience, I've started to feel that it's a bit of a waste to 'do the work I've acquired all by myself.'
Of course, there are jobs I do myself.
But if it's a job that can be the next step for someone else, I want to hand it over in a form that can be properly entrusted.
That person gains practical experience, moves on to the next project, increases their rate, or becomes independent.
If I can create that kind of opportunity, I thought it would be much more rewarding than keeping it all to myself.
What we can do together isn't just about moving projects forward.
Within my network, I sometimes introduce suitable business owners or think together about how to acquire work.
What kind of people I want to work with
Technical ability is, of course, important.
But I value the peace of mind in communication just as much.
They reply properly. They keep their promises. They don't leave things they don't understand as they are. They take an interest in the other party's work.
It makes me even happier if they are the type of person who thinks together with me from the consultation stage, saying things like, 'We should organize this part first,' or 'We could try this part on a small scale.'
It is okay if you are not confident in your current skills.
The person I mentioned earlier was also on the 'want to grow from here' side at first.
Instead of jumping straight into a large direct contract project, we will think together about a way to start small.
Let's talk once first.
It is perfectly fine if you are not looking for a project right now.
In fact, rather than jumping straight into work talk, I would be happy to hear about what you have done so far and which direction you want to head in the future.
Whether there is work we can do together immediately depends on the timing.
However, if we talk once, I can remember you when a consultation comes from a company next time, thinking, 'Oh, I want to reach out to that person.'
That is how the work with the person mentioned earlier began.
I want to gradually create a flow where good work generated by companies properly reaches good engineers.
▼ I will not throw you into a project suddenly. Here is how we proceed.
▼ What to send when consulting is summarized here.