It goes without saying that you are
likely to earn more as a freelance software developer than you would in a
full-time job in any Software
Development Company. It doesn't matter if you are new to freelancing
regarding technical skills or you are transitioning from full-time work –
regardless, it would be hard to convince a client that you are the most viable
candidate for the project.
Becoming a freelance developer has
lots of perks among which being your own boss, remote working, and time
flexibility tops the chart.
If you are working with a company as a full-time employee,
do not leave it instantly to become a freelance developer until you get the
grip of freelancing. It is not easy to land projects if you do not have a
stable client base. Therefore, the ideal scenario is to slowly transition into
becoming a freelancer in order to maintain a stable income stream.
But that is far-fetched! You have to
begin with building a client base first so that you can land software
development projects regularly. If you have been facing problems in getting
projects, we have compiled a list to help you increase your chances to land
software development projects:
Overcome your distractions
Freelancing
means that you have to be active at all times. In this digital age, it is
difficult to stay away from distraction even if you are employed as a
full-timer. Social media networks and internet surfing takes a major chunk of
an employee’s shift hours. Thus, when you choose to become a freelance
developer, it is essential to overcome distractions. This way, you can
conveniently boost efficiency and increase your productivity levels by nearly
50 percent.
Build an online portfolio
As a freelancer, it is crucial to
have an impressive online portfolio that creates a lasting first impression. If
you have recently entered the freelancing world, there are 90% chances that you
are going to lose a software development project to an experienced freelancer.
As clients are heavily investing to get their software development projects
done by freelancers, they do not want to experience issues by giving it to a
new freelancer.
It is true that experience matters a
lot when you are freelancing. However, the only thing that may give you an edge
over other freelance developers is your online profile and portfolio. In most
cases, a client does not want to choose an experienced freelancer and pay a
hefty fee, instead would want to offer same work to freelancer at a lower rate,
if their online portfolios are impressive.
Therefore, it is essential to have a
convincing portfolio if you want to increase your chances of landing a software
development project.
Work on open source projects
Most of the clients looking to hire
services of a freelance developer do not have a good software development
background. But, some potential clients belong to the same field and industry.
Thus, they only want to work with freelancers who are either experienced enough
or have a strong portfolio that assures they are fit for the project.
If you are a new freelance developer,
contributing to open source projects is an excellent way to build your
credibility and show off your skill set.
Patience is a virtue to adopt
The key to land freelance software
development projects is by keeping patience. Many times your proposals or bids
are not getting enough traction or response from the potential clients. This
does not supposedly mean that you are not good enough. There are rare chances,
nearly five percent on average, to get a positive response from the client.
Therefore, be patient if your proposal is not getting a response. Things take
time, so wait for a few days or weeks once you have sent the proposal.
Research is your best friend
It is important to do your due
diligence if you want your potential client to hire you for a development
project. You should have a proper understanding of the project, requirements of
potential client, your strengths concerning the project, and how can you offer
more value.
Tags:
Software