![\"start](\"https:\/\/simpleprogrammer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/How-To-Start-a-Freelance-Programming-Career-square.png\")
Are you tired of boring 9-5 office jobs and looking for a little more freedom? Maybe there\u2019s something about going into the office every day that has you looking for alternative, more remote programming career options. Whatever your reasoning may be, starting a career in freelance programming can be the answer you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
Freelancing and working remotely can be a very lucrative way of making money and building a successful career, that is, so long as you work for it.<\/p>\n
Freelancing is not, I repeat, is not<\/em> an easy endeavor. While there\u2019s a lot of freedom that comes with being your own boss, there are also a ton of responsibilities you must pick up from the start. No longer is someone else there to hold your hand or walk you through the process.<\/p>\n You become your own boss.<\/strong> Heck, you\u2019re the CEO, COO, CFO, and head of PR. It\u2019s you who has to pay the business taxes, hold a business license, and promote\/advertise your business\u2019s services. You do it all!<\/p>\n And if you fail, you<\/em> fail, and you<\/em> have to pick yourself back up and push on.<\/p>\n Now, if you\u2019ve read all that and are still interested in becoming a freelancer, then congratulations! You\u2019re on your way to becoming a successful freelance programmer for hire.<\/p>\n Below are some tips to get you set up to begin your career. If you are completely new to programming, I\u2019d suggest learning a thing or two about the basics of programming before implementing any of the advice offered in this article. If you\u2019d like to jump start your education, here is a course on how you can quickly learn the basics of programming<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s begin!<\/p>\n The first thing you need to do when beginning your freelance journey is find your niche. A niche is essentially a subset of the general market that is defined by its own set of characteristics. In other words, your niche is the specific genre of programming you want to work in or find yourself working in the most.<\/p>\n This specialty can be anything from game or mobile development to cybersecurity or even bitcoin. And the more specific you get, the more of a specialist you become.<\/p>\n By niching down<\/a>, you\u2019ll be able to gain experience faster, become more efficient in your niche, market yourself with ease, and become more referable to other potential clients.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry if you can\u2019t decide on your perfect niche just yet. It\u2019s okay to take your time and try out a few different areas of programming to see what best fits you. People change up their niche all the time, so take it slow if need be, do your research, and have fun while you do it.<\/p>\n Having an online portfolio is key to your freelance programming success. Gone are the days of binder portfolios and basic resumes (although you\u2019ll still need one of those, too<\/a>). If you are serious about going freelance, then an online portfolio is the best way to showcase your work to potential clients.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to include your best work examples and highlight any specific skills you have that would be attractive to potential clients. These can range from languages you can code in to operating systems and tools you have experience using. You\u2019ll also want to include any positive referrals you receive from previous clients. This helps sell you<\/em> to your clients and makes you stand out as a highly respected professional in your niche.<\/p>\n There are many different ways you can go about making an online portfolio<\/a>. There\u2019s the basic option of creating a free, personalized website and throwing all your work on there for clients to see. There are also freelancing websites you can use to create and build a free programming portfolio (more on them down below).<\/p>\n After a while, you may want to consider buying your own personal website domain to showcase yourself as a more professional and serious programmer.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re a freelancer, you no longer have the luxury of having work assigned to you. Now you have to go out and find that work for yourself.<\/p>\n To do this, every great freelancer needs to have sharp communication skills. Not only do you need to know what you\u2019re talking about, you need to know how to network and sell yourself\u2014your programming services come later.<\/p>\n Sure, you could be the best programmer in the world, but if you can\u2019t convince the client that you<\/em> are someone worth investing in, you\u2019ll never achieve lift-off.<\/p>\n Good communication skills also come in handy when handling a difficult client or diffusing a heated situation in which you and your work is being scrutinized.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to improve your communication is by working on your soft skills.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n These can range anywhere from keeping yourself proactive and organized to understanding the user perspective and maintaining a positive outlook.<\/p>\n Simple Programmer\u2019s own John Sonmez has written a book about developing your soft skills<\/a> where he shows you how to boost your freelance programming career by adding some soft skills to your tool belt.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t feel you have the experience to land those high-paying freelance programming jobs, don\u2019t worry. There are plenty of freelancer sites you can use to find immediate work that will help you build up your online portfolio.<\/p>\n You can find a multitude of jobs ranging from absolute beginner to ace-level expert. In no time you\u2019ll see your portfolio grow, and you\u2019ll hit that expert level sooner than you thought possible.<\/p>\n Some great sites for freelancers include:<\/p>\n Signing up for a freelancing site is a quick and easy process. You could even get started with your first programming job today!<\/p>\n I got the first project I applied for after signing up with Upwork. So long as you can prove your worth and have the proper soft skills in place, you\u2019ll be able to score clients quickly and easily.<\/p>\n While these sites may not be for everyone, or may only act as a temporary solution to build up your online portfolio, they are definitely a great way to jump start your freelance programming career.<\/a><\/p>\n Keeping up with your niche and similar niches around yours is the best way to stay one foot ahead of the competition at all times. You also never want to fall behind. With how fast technology changes and upgrades, the hottest commodity could become irrelevant a literal month after its release, so it\u2019s wise to stay on your toes.<\/p>\n Follow relevant programming blogs, Google the latest trends, join some Facebook programming groups, and subscribe to a few technology magazines and newsletters. Any of these is a great way to make sure you are always in the know.<\/p>\n And who knows, maybe you\u2019ll learn something like a new skill or coding technique that could add extra value to your business.<\/p>\nFind Your Niche<\/h2>\n
Build an Online Portfolio<\/h2>\n
Expand Your Communication Skills<\/h2>\n
Sign Up with Freelance Sites<\/h2>\n
\n
Stay Up-to-Date with Current Technology Advancements and Trends<\/h2>\n
![\"start](\"https:\/\/simpleprogrammer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/update.png\")
Now that you\u2019re all set with your work and on your way to attracting clients, the last thing you need to do is keep yourself up-to-date with the newest technology advancements and trends in the world of programming.<\/p>\n