Why are Programmers Terrified of Self-Employment?
Most programmers have considered self-employment at one time or another, but fear grips them when they think about how to even get started. When I began working for myself 7 years ago, I had no idea how to transition to being self-employed, but I knew I couldn't stand working for corporations any longer. In this episode, I'll share the most common fears any programmer faces when they think about what it might be like to work for themselves. And for each of these fears, I'll offer some perspective on how I did it, and you can too. With the uncertainty of the software industry today (and really any tech job), relying on corporations for employment over our entire career may not be wise in the long run. I hope this episode offers some hope that self-employment isn't impossible as a programmer. But there is no escaping that you'll need to face your fears head on - and overcome them! Join my Patreon: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles The Thriving Technologist career guide: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide You can also watch this episode on YouTube. Chapter markers / timelinks: (0:00) Introduction (1:38) 1. 3 Reasons Programmers Fear Self-Employment (1:44) 1.1 Financial Uncertainty (2:46) 1.2 Lack of Business Skills (3:54) 1.3 Comfort With Current Tech Job (5:46) 2. How To Overcome Self-Employment Fears (5:54) 2.1 Financial Planning and Savings (9:02) 2.2 Gradual Skill Development (11:53) 2.3 Start Small and Build Confidence Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com