If you are a programmer, chances are you have considered the option of becoming a freelancer. It pays more than a full-time job. It gives you the creative freedom to choose exciting projects and allows you to work at your own pace.
What else does one need? However, the tiresome task of firstly making a professional profile and then marketing yourself on various online platforms to get a job is what (most probably) would have stopped you from becoming a freelance programmer. Although the fear of not getting a programming job online is valid, all one needs to do to get a job is be smart about the process of searching and networking with the right kind of clients.
There are numerous online platforms for freelancers. However, we recommend beginners to start their search on the most popular and the safest ones. For example, Upwork and Toptal are the two most frequently used websites for freelance programming jobs. They allow freelancers to create their profiles and then search for relevant jobs.
On these web pages, the recruiters can also personally choose the candidates they want to work with. However, it is highly unlikely that a recruiter will choose a beginner, so we recommend leaving a message to organizations with job openings with a brief write-up about yourself and your qualifications.
Additionally, try using LinkedIn to score projects. The platform isn't really for finding projects. However, if used smartly, can land you on big projects and connect with lifetime clients.
The digital market has a lot of individuals looking for freelance programming jobs. Most of them have relevant experience and high qualifications. Therefore, we recommend you start from level zero. Do not be picky about the jobs or the payment offered.
It would be best if you had experience and recruiters knew that. They will, therefore, offer the least amount of payment on most occasions. However, you must get the experience, build up a strong resume and skillset, and choose the jobs you like. Until then, it is better to do any and every kind of work you get.
As a beginner looking for freelance programming jobs, you should not be focusing on a stable, long-term project. Rather, look for small projects that you can do in a month or two and then jump to the next project. Not only will this enrich your resume, but it will also help you understand what kind of programming-related work you love the most.
Is it that you are interested in frontend web development or backend development? Do you like to work on iOS or Android? You will only get answers to these questions once you get relevant experience in all these. Hence, small projects that do not demand time or commitment are best friends of beginners looking for freelance programming jobs.
Although the process may seem scary initially, once a programmer gets hold of it, they can easily build up a good reputation and a freelancing career. All it requires is patience and effort.
