How to become freelancer developer

Freelancer

                   A freelancer or freelance worker is a term commonly used for a person who is self-employed and is not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance workers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary agency that resells freelance labor to clients; others work independently or use professional associations or websites to get work.

ADVANTAGES OF THE FREELANCE LIFE

• Flexible working hours : The ability to work the hours you want is a huge advantage for most people. Family commitments and school runs, part-time study, or simply your internal body clock’s unique cycle may mean that you prefer to work early in the morning, or late into the evening.

• Flexible work location : Work from any location

• Choice of projects : As a freelancer, once you’re established, you’re in control—you have the opportunity to refuse projects or clients.

• Being in charge : The feeling of strength and autonomy that comes from being in charge of your life’s direction is a major drawcard.

• Constant education : Freelancing can allow you the flexibility to spend more time on research and planned education than would a normal nine-to-five job.

• Variety of projects : Wide variety of projects you have the opportunity to work across multiple industries and switch your focus between large and small projects

DISADVANTAGES OF THE FREELANCE LIFE

• Financial insecurity : Easily the biggest disadvantage for many people is that ocean effect upon the bank balance. This problem can largely be avoided by understanding, controlling, and being acutely aware of your cash flow.

• Loneliness : It’s not uncommon for freelancers to feel absolutely cut off from the rest of the world, especially if they’re single and working from home.

• No Fixed schedule : Blurring of home and work times

• Wearing all those different hats :  This can, of course, also become an issue when your clients start thinking they can call you anytime.Wearing all those different hats selling, marketing, bookkeeping, dealing with legal matters, debt collecting, and the like.

• Loss of salaried benefits : Freelancers are susceptible to letting themselves down when it comes to health benefits, holiday planning, superannuation, and insurance.

Skills Required for Freelancing

• Technical Skills : For a developer, possessing technical skills means that you’re technically competent in your language or languages of choice: PHP, Ruby on Rails, Microsoft .NET, and the like. Consider your areas of weakness, and research what’s involved in strengthening these areas—you’ll probably find that they’re easier to fill out than you thought.

• Business Skills : It’s vitally important to have, or at least be aware of, the fundamentals of business before you consider running your own. If you plan to succeed, you’ll need a solid understanding of cash flow, marketing, time management, customer service, and other areas.

• Organizational Skills : Your ability to be well organized, or at the very least to keep on top of those dreary administrative duties, will be paramount to your success. Start by reading personal productivity books and blogs, and research the different techniques of organization.

• Interpersonal Skills : You may think that the freelance life would suit the shy or socially inept recluse, beavering away alone. Unfortunately, however, an aversion to social contact could limit your opportunities more than you think.

• Productive interaction with clients and prospective clients, not to mention your suppliers, will become a crucial part of your success, so embrace human contact and be personable.

Successful Freelancer Personality Traits

Typically, though, these are the predominant personality traits and abilities you’ll be likely to find in a successful freelancer:

• Ambition

• An aptitude for problem solving

• Courage

• A mature outlook

• A high level of communication skills

• A strong work ethic

• Perfectionism

• A professional attitude

• Self-confidence

In real-life terms, this means that to be a successful freelancer, you should be able to find resonance in many of the following characteristics; ideally, you:

• Believe organization includes keeping the workspace tidy and planning ahead

• Form short-term and long-term plans, preferably detailed on paper

• Remain calm and able to work through issues in times of stress

• Are able to handle a high level of responsibility

• Understand that research goes beyond a two-minute Google search

• Appreciate the role of financial planning

• Are passionate about design or development, or both

• Understand that budgeting means planning ahead, not spending every cent as it comes in value your health as important, so that you exercise and get regular checkups

• Consider freelancing because you believe you can be successful, not just to escape your current job

• Understand selling and embrace the process

• Have a good support network of family and friends

• Acknowledge that cash flow is vital to success

• Appreciate that education is a continual process, not a once-off effort to gain a qualification

• Plan towards gaining a work–life balance, and not work round the clock

• Realize that customer service is about empathy and understanding, not just saying sorry after the fact