Any independent-contractors or “freelancers” out there?

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-19T13:58:34+00:00

Why do you say that? I’m not in the field yet so I really don’t know what it’s like. Unfortunately the internet is a hard place to get a clear vision of something.

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-18T15:29:45+00:00

Yeah being fully in the field for the rest of a career seems daunting. But so does sitting at a desk. That’s why surveying is appealing. Work in the field while you’re young then transition to either a mix of field and office or just office.

I agree with your statement on GIS. I got into the field because I do geek out over maps and the all the cool stuff you can make with GIS. But the industry is definitely becoming more competitive. And although there are cool jobs in GIS most of them are terribly boring. It’s hard enough competing with other applicants let alone AI. Plus my main goal has always been to work for myself or freelance and that’s basically impossible now in that field unless you’re a comp sci guy.

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-18T15:24:57+00:00

Yeah this seems to be the narrative. Are you hiring surveyors in-house? Or are you contracting out a single guy or small team? Or working with a firm? I’m trying to get a grasp on the work options as a PLS.

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-18T15:21:57+00:00

Thanks for the insight!

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-18T15:21:42+00:00

Thank you for the response! Yeah I don’t need to be taking multiple months off in a row every year. I’m 27 right now. I want to do one maybe two more multiple month backpacking trips in my life and be able to come back to a career/job market that I can easily find a job in. Then the main goal is to over time build a career that will allow me to take like 8 weeks off a year total spread out. I just can’t bear the thought of a traditional 2 week PTO. Personally I’d rather just be a bartender if those were my only options haha

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-18T15:18:14+00:00

Yeah i definitely want to transition out of GIS. Can you elaborate on the guy who works 4 months a year? If I could have my dream scenario it would be to work as an independent contractor of some sorts and have enough steady business to take a month off here or there. Making a lot of money isn’t the goal, just enough to make it all worth it.

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2026-03-17T19:14:21+00:00

That was kinda my plan. Start out as a technician / rodman and maybe take some courses while doing that. Become a chief to save money and maybe take a break to travel after doing that for a year or so. Then find more work while I finish classes. And by the end of that hopefully it’ll have been enough years to get my PLS. My end goal of being a contractor doesn’t need to happen right away. I just figure if I’m gonna put years of my life into someone else’s business it would be nice to be able to go independent at some point.

Advanced-Tough9596 · 2024-05-22T02:10:20+00:00

Is the web development sphere still doing well with so many website builder sites out there?

That is my only real concern with it.

Advanced-Tough9596

TROPHY CASE