I think freelancing is dead. To sum it up, employers, including startups that'd dry up their runway in 1 to 3 years, are demanding developers go full time and onsite.
As if they really could give job security. That's the frustrating thing. They're making you jump through hoops for work that, save them being acquired, won't last.
Yes, exceptions exist. But the new norm is that. And norm means being able to have some sense of reliability, not some person's luck. Yes, I ask recruiters to look around for remote opportunities and they try to help, but the good paying jobs are back in SF and want me in the office. Full time.
Nope, no gigs. No one wants 3 months, 6 months.
Yeah, I've heard all the talk about consulting. To me, it's just more growth hack / NLP talk about value that doesn't represent the realities of being a developer in our market these days. Startups shun the thought of outside experts or opinions, unless it's a SAAS tool. These CTO's, even if they don't know better, see advice from an outside expert as losing control. I think this is because they want employees who they can mold in their image, rather than someone who could help them in a pinch.
The other thing is hiring happens a lot slower. A lot of these places keep passing over qualified candidates because they feel they have so many options.
And no, employers aren't winning either with the lack of flexibility they have. Going remote opens up yourself to a ton of candidates. They're ultimately isolating themselves from skilled workers with experience. It's completely understandable to not want to be in SF and to accommodate working remote if you're a seasoned programmer.