A freelance singer records songs at an internet karaoke bar in Chengdu, Sichuan province. [Photo by Lyu Jia and others/For China Daily]

Real-life stories such as Fan's can be found in many fields.

After working as a server developer at a leading domestic gaming company in Shanghai for one-and-a-half years, Chen Shenghan, 25, quit his cushy job even though it brought him a decent 15,000 yuan ($2,158) in monthly salary and promised a decent career.

Instead, two years ago, Chen returned to his hometown Kunming, Yunnan province, to work as a freelancer. "I don't want to manage other people or be managed by others."

Chen is currently working for two major long-term clients (a domestic company and a Malaysian firm). Chen's freelance income is not less than his full-time job salary.

Chen said a clear career goal is a must for a freelancer to be successful. For Fan, the key is to be a keen observer of the latest market trends.

Chen said: "The job responsibilities which used to be shouldered by colleagues are now all mine. But the good thing is, I can choose my own technology roadmap. The long-term goal for me now is to develop products of my own. Only in this way can I make sustained profits."