1. Worked for around eight years as an employee at a few places, including a couple of startups. Ended up with a lot of Java experience.
2. Realised I wanted to restructure my life to work less (but still make good money) and travel/have fun.
3. Spoke to various people and found that contracting through a consulting company (not recruiters, but a team of like-minded programmers) was the way to go, rather than pounding the pavement to look for contracts. The company takes its cut, but I still end up with $80-$95/hr, and they find the work for me.
As for experience: Big Corp Inc. wants contractors who can get up to speed very quickly. You tend to get pigeonholed based on technology, so if you get the assignment as a "J2EE guy" and you don't have a lot of experience, then you look pretty dumb. Spend time working as a normal employee first and really become a good programmer.
As for work duration: generally, the contracts are open-ended and I am terminated when a project gets cancelled or whatever.
I specify up front that I will spend the bulk of my time working from home and that I am taking holidays from time x to time y. The company that subcontracts me out is based in Silicon Valley, as is Big Corp and friends, and I live in western Canada, so this isn't usually an issue. I fly down once in while to hang out.
So to sum up: get experience - learn to be a good programmer who has a reputation for getting things done; learn what big companies want in terms of technology; find a company with good connections who will contract you out, possibly as a team with other people; be up front about your lifestyle but work hard to integrate with their project schedules.
I think there are plenty of software consulting groups around, particularly in the Valley. Google is your friend on this one, or if you're a local, just ask around.
I was referred to the company I now work with most, but I found the last bunch of guys I was with via Craigslist.
1. Worked for around eight years as an employee at a few places, including a couple of startups. Ended up with a lot of Java experience.
2. Realised I wanted to restructure my life to work less (but still make good money) and travel/have fun.
3. Spoke to various people and found that contracting through a consulting company (not recruiters, but a team of like-minded programmers) was the way to go, rather than pounding the pavement to look for contracts. The company takes its cut, but I still end up with $80-$95/hr, and they find the work for me.
As for experience: Big Corp Inc. wants contractors who can get up to speed very quickly. You tend to get pigeonholed based on technology, so if you get the assignment as a "J2EE guy" and you don't have a lot of experience, then you look pretty dumb. Spend time working as a normal employee first and really become a good programmer.
As for work duration: generally, the contracts are open-ended and I am terminated when a project gets cancelled or whatever.
I specify up front that I will spend the bulk of my time working from home and that I am taking holidays from time x to time y. The company that subcontracts me out is based in Silicon Valley, as is Big Corp and friends, and I live in western Canada, so this isn't usually an issue. I fly down once in while to hang out.
So to sum up: get experience - learn to be a good programmer who has a reputation for getting things done; learn what big companies want in terms of technology; find a company with good connections who will contract you out, possibly as a team with other people; be up front about your lifestyle but work hard to integrate with their project schedules.
It also helps to not have kids.