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Why I'm Selective About Freelance Work

I'm open to freelance, but I take on very little of it, and only the right projects. Here's the honest reason.

  • #freelance
  • #personal

You might have spotted the little "open to freelance work" badge on my home page. It's true, I am. But I want to be honest about what that means, because I take on very little freelance, and I'm picky about the projects I say yes to. Here's why.

The day job comes first

I have a full-time job as a Senior Engineer, and I like it. It's where most of my energy goes, and it's the work I'm proudest of, even if a lot of it lives behind an NDA. Freelance happens around the edges of that, in the evenings and the odd weekend, so I'm never going to take on something that competes with the day job for attention. That wouldn't be fair to either.

So does everything that isn't work

The bigger reason is simpler. Outside of work I've got a wife and three daughters, and a motorbike I'd quite like to keep riding. That's where my spare time goes, and honestly, that's where I want it to go. I'm not looking to fill every evening with more code.

So freelance has to earn its place against the things that matter more to me. That isn't me being difficult, it's just being honest about the trade.

What that means if you want to work with me

It means I'm selective, not unavailable. If you've got a project that's a good fit, I'd genuinely love to hear about it. A few things help:

  • A clear scope. I do my best work when we both know what "done" looks like.
  • The right kind of work. Front-end, React, Next.js, accessibility, performance. The things I'm actually good at.
  • A bit of patience. I'm fitting this around a full-time role, so I'll be upfront about timelines rather than overpromise.

If I don't think I can do a project justice, I'll tell you, and I'll try to point you somewhere better. I'd rather say no than do half a job.

If it's the right fit

Then get in touch. I take on a small number of projects because that's the only way I can give them the attention they deserve and still be home for bath time. If that sounds like the kind of person you want building your thing, drop me a message.