> $300k/yr (in the US) is near trivial to make annually as a consultant, $400k/yr is where most capable software engineers should be, and yet few get there for reasons I attribute to lack of self confidence
It's not "near trivial" if few get there.
I've done consulting myself and I've networked with a lot of consultants. I see a lot of people moving back to full-time jobs because they pay more for less stress a lot of the time. Some people thrive in consulting positions, but many quickly realize that normal jobs are a pretty sweet deal in 2021.
A lot of consultants like to point to their high water mark compensation and imply that it's their normal rate. In reality, consulting work can be extremely hit or miss. Making $300K one year doesn't mean you're going to make $300K every year.
Consulting can be a good fit for people who have strong diplomatic, communication, self-marketing, and business skills, but it's not an easy button $300K/year job for someone who just likes to write code.
> I see a lot of people moving back to full-time jobs because they pay more for less stress a lot of the time.
If you find that job, it’s a keeper. I find consulting to be less stressful than employment. Not worried about being online during certain hours or the office politics, etc. Also, my code still has to work and be pushed to production. If anything the more levels of abstraction between me and the client just produces more stress and slows down the process.
It's not "near trivial" if few get there.
I've done consulting myself and I've networked with a lot of consultants. I see a lot of people moving back to full-time jobs because they pay more for less stress a lot of the time. Some people thrive in consulting positions, but many quickly realize that normal jobs are a pretty sweet deal in 2021.
A lot of consultants like to point to their high water mark compensation and imply that it's their normal rate. In reality, consulting work can be extremely hit or miss. Making $300K one year doesn't mean you're going to make $300K every year.
Consulting can be a good fit for people who have strong diplomatic, communication, self-marketing, and business skills, but it's not an easy button $300K/year job for someone who just likes to write code.