9 Ways to Become a Successful Freelance Programmer

Becoming a freelance programmer is quite a lucrative prospect, especially for people desiring freedom and the ability to dictate their own life. It is also quite desirable for those with a creative streak and the ability to manage time effectively. However, it is not that simple to become a successful freelance programmer. This career path requires a substantial investment of time and resources. But the potential returns on success are also proportional to the hard work required.

Who is a Freelance Programmer?

A freelance programmer is one who fulfills the designing & development requirements of clients or companies, on a contractual basis, through his/her programming skills. A freelance employer is self-employed and thus he has the advantage of selecting the clients, working hours, work domain, project type, etc. based on his own preferences.

Let us tell you that the average annual salary of Freelance Programmers is around $70,000 and in India, the average annual salary is approx. INR 8 Lakhs.

9 Easy Steps to Become a Freelance Programmer:

So now, that you know what’s the exact job done by the person in this role then take a look at some of the steps, which are helpful in becoming a successful freelance programmer:

1. Learn the Required Programming Languages: 

This is the fundamental requirement for becoming a successful freelance programmer. It is important to learn multiple programming languages as that will help in taking on multiple projects and increase your reach among prospective clients.

2. Expand Your Communication Skills: 

Communication skills are an essential part of freelance programming. It is very important to communicate with clients in order to get a sense of what they require and deliver that as per specifications. Also, communication skills are essential in forming professional ties to retain clients in the long term.

3. Set Basic Working Rules: 

Some basic working rules are required to become a successful freelance programmer. The most important rule is to have a fixed schedule that is strictly adhered to. Also, a fixed basic pay rate for clients is required. Moreover, a rough schedule of meetings, updates, deadlines, etc. should be fixed with the clients before the commencement of the project for optimal results.

4. Build Your Online Portfolio: 

An online portfolio is necessary for a freelance programmer as it is an introduction to prospective clients. It can be used to showcase past projects as well as testimonials for them. Moreover, an online portfolio should include interaction opportunities such as links to social networking accounts.

5. Learn Content Marketing: 

Content marketing is extremely helpful in finding prospective clients. Online content marketing involves creating an online presence. This may include a portfolio website, a blog, an account on LinkedIn, etc. Offline content marketing involves meeting people face-to-face and utilizing word of mouth as well.

6. Know Your Target Audience: 

It is very important to establish a target audience and get to know them very well. This involves understanding the location, industry, age, gender, etc. of the target audience. Then a connection can be created with the target audience using various services such as blogging, Email, YouTube, etc.

7. Contribute to Open Source Projects: 

Contribution to open-source projects can be used to build credibility for prospective clients. This can include working on the issues of already existing open-source projects or creating your own open-source projects. Either way, open-source projects provide credibility and are an excellent booster for your portfolio.

8. Stay Abreast of Current Technologies and Languages: 

It is necessary to stay abreast of current technologies and languages to remain relevant. This can be done by subscribing to publications, joining online courses, reading newsletters, etc. on the required topics. All of this helps in obtaining industry-relevant skills which in turn leads to more clients and increased potential for earning.

9. Learn to Communicate and Network: 

We never know who is in need of getting their business online, which needs software knowledge be it programming or debugging development. There are plenty of businesses making social media a platform that is in need of a website, which surely needs programming even if using WordPress or other CMS(Content Management System). 

Meanwhile, if you want to gain proper knowledge about freelance developer take a look at this article: How to become a Freelance Developer

Finally, becoming a successful freelance programmer requires a lot of patience, a great work ethic, and a strong network of clients. To all this happen you must be a reliable and skilled person who works for a less-paying gig, as there is a lot of competition in programming. There is no age factor, whoever is passionate to build and bring to reality through writing can eventually get into programming no matter what career you were stuck in.