The Coronavirus pandemic definitely transformed the business world in a myriad of ways. Not surprisingly, the engineering world also saw some effects due to these massive changes ushered in by COVID-19. Arguably the biggest shift involves the transition to remote working, with many engineers now located in their home office. This advent of the gig economy also allows engineers to work as consultants instead of a full-time employee.
To navigate your career path in a changed world, check out these insights on thriving in this new normal. Staying flexible and keeping your skills sharp ultimately ensures continued success as a professional engineer.
Leveraging Remote Working to Forge a Better Work/Life Balance
Like other technology professionals, engineers now take advantage of working from home to balance their personal and professional lives. The Great Resignation also applies to these engineering professionals, as evidenced by a 30 percent turnover rate. This same study noted burnout as a major reason for looking for other opportunities. Ultimately, companies need to continue remote working policies post-pandemic for a better chance of retaining their staff
Still, excellent opportunities abound for professional engineering talent. The demand for engineers is projected to increase by 300 percent over the next five years. This strong need means any engineer enjoys options if they want to work from home. As noted earlier, working on a contract basis instead of a full-time employee is also possible.
Is Becoming a Freelance Engineer in Your Future?
As highlighted above, the pandemic forced many companies to quickly transition to a remote employment model. This rapid switch also required them to migrate technical infrastructures to the Cloud to enable their remote staff. A benefit from this approach is wider candidate pools which helps them source in-demand tech talent, including engineers.
As a result, more engineers and other technology professionals began freelancing for the first time in their career. Not being tethered to an office provides engineers with significant flexibility. If this approach interests you, expect multiple opportunities to work on interesting projects and broaden your experience. While some risk exists compared to the shelter of full-time employment, more engineers now prefer a freelance career approach.
In the end, freelancing gives you the chance to discover what really makes you tick as an engineer. You also gain the ability to focus in areas where your passion truly lies.
If you need advice on taking your engineering career in a freelance direction, connect with the team at Venteon. As one of the top technical staffing agencies in the Midwest, we provide both freelance and permanent opportunities for engineers. Schedule a meeting with us to discuss your future.
