Traveling the world, sipping wine while we work, and enjoying life: that’s how most of us imagine the freelance workers. The truth is, most of the freelancers do live like that! So if you want to become a freelance developer or programmer: it’s not surprising. It is, in fact, a pretty excellent decision! But there is a big question awaiting you: how to start as a freelance web developer?
Most of us know only the already established freelancers, who have a couple of projects per week and high-paying clients. When you ask: “How much can you make freelance programming?” they answer with a proud smile: “From $70-120 thousand a year.” And that’s it: your heart is beating faster, and all you think about at night is how you’re going to become wealthy without even going to an office.
But we didn’t witness how the successful freelancers got there. It seems like their success came overnight, which makes our understanding of the freelance work pretty biased. That is why we will show you the path of becoming a freelance developer or programmer from scratch.
How to start as a freelance web developer: 5 General Steps
Now that you have set your mind on freelancing, we welcome you on board. It is time to understand how you get your way across it. Let’s start from the first step:
1. Know what you want
One of the fundamental steps when becoming a freelancer is to have a clear vision of your freelance work. Do you want to be a full-time freelancer and completely abandon office life? Or maybe you want to keep some stability, so you prefer to work for a reliable company and then freelance during your spare time. Most importantly, try not to be one of those freelancers who have no idea how their freelancing schedule will look. They are usually confused and have stepped into the freelancing gig just to give it a try.
Here is some bad news for you. If you just give it a try, it will not work. You need to put into it commitment and hours of practice and be ready that the first few months will be pretty harsh. However, do not let that scare you off. Just keep your vision in mind, and work for your goals, and in a short time, you will see the results.
2. Beware of the difficulties
If you’re wondering how to be a successful freelance developer, the answer is simple: have more than one option. Many freelancers might tell you that they work with a single client for years, and they prefer to position themselves only in their target market. Well, the sad truth is that in the virtual world, anything can happen. Your client might leave you simply because you started to work with a more expensive hourly rate, or you might get some of your principal projects canceled at the last minute.
If you don’t want these things to upset you and ruin your career, beware of their existence. Try to work as a freelancer in more than one market and even open profiles outside of freelancing platforms. Build your network and make it as large as you can. This way, you are never dependent on only one app or one client.
Having multiple options is the freelancer’s best way to make sure you never get out of work. So, create various portfolios and open different accounts. Use some marketing tools to gain more clients, and you’re good to go!
3. Learn time management
No, really, learn it. When you’re a freelancer, you don’t have anyone watching over your shoulder to make sure you’re doing your work. Although it seems annoying in the office, it helps many not to get distracted by other stuff. Remember the scenario we mentioned earlier? (The one with the wine bottle traveling the world.)
The bad news is that although it sounds incredible to sip a glass of wine while working, the chances are high that it will also get you a little tipsy and distract your working. In general, managing your own time is pretty tough. When you are your boss, it is more tempting to treat yourself with longer breaks. cool person
However, there are a lot of time management methods that you can use to make the work easier: for instance, the so-called Pomodoro technique. The main idea of this technique is to divide big tasks into smaller parts. Then, you work 25 minutes on one task at a time and take a five-minute break afterward.
And so on, until you fully complete the task. This technique mainly helps when you feel overwhelmed by the volume of work and hence start to procrastinate. Dividing tasks into smaller parts subconsciously makes it easier to work and focus. Plus, treating yourself with five-minute breaks makes the process easier.
4. Know your clients better
Our top freelance developer advice is not to jump straight to coding. One of the significant factors in any freelance work is to understand who your client is. What is their business? What type of service do they expect from you? You cannot write quality code without being aware of your client’s business mission and functionality. important
Try to have calls with your clients, ask them about their business goals. This general understanding of the field will add more value to your work and make your clients come back.
However, if you feel like your clients don’t want to take too many calls, take another approach. Try to research their company yourself. Find them on social media, or dig deeper into their websites.
5. Constantly develop your skills
Finally, our last tip is to constantly work on your skills. If you want to conquer the market, you need to be a lifelong learner. Always stay updated with the trends in the industry and study new skills. One of the best things about coding is that you can learn it yourself, online. Remember, freelancing is your business in a way, and the more you invest in it, the more you will take out. So take those extra courses, spend the additional time and become a freelance developer whom everyone will envy.
Now you have your complete guide on how to start as a freelance web developer. Forget about the excuses, and jump into the freelance gig as soon as you can. We promise you will enjoy it!
Don’t know from which platform to start? Check ithire.com where you can find all the best freelance developers in one place.
