Ask the freelancers at your company how they got the job. It's probably through some agency, probably more than one, if your company hires a few freelancers.
Then contact those agencies. Don't ask the freelancers at your company to get a direct contact, they probably have clause in their contract that forbids them to poach employees of their customers.
> Do you happen to have an idea on how to hit companies up and offer myself as a freelancer?
You can do cold outreach. Identify a contact and send a message.
Leveraging your personal network is more effective if you can. Freelancers who come through references are more trusted.
Note that if you go through a freelancing agency you won’t be getting the hourly amount they bill your company nor anywhere near it. The amount you get could range from around 80% of what they bill down to 20% depending on the arrangement.
Hit up the freelancing firms staffing your company, they probably work for others in different industries too. Note they’ll take their cut, but you’ll probably still get paid more than your current hourly.
Do you happen to have an idea on how to hit companies up and offer myself as a freelancer?
It seems there are non-IT departments that I could help out with getting their AI innovation in order.