June 4, 2008 at 12:07 pm12 simple rules not to degrade in freelance
Very often, freelance is accused of being a dead end in the development of a specialist (while freelance programmers are often put as an example).
Like it all comes down to solving the same type of non-complex tasks, and complex tasks are not trusted in freelance. Such conclusions can be read in almost any discussion of freelance and not from one person.
That is why I would like to raise this topic again today and list my advice on what a freelancer should do so that he constantly moves forward, rather than stagnating and degrading. In other words, how not to get bogged down in the routine of monotonous and small projects.
I must say right away that there are complex projects in freelance, only most of them are never laid out in open form on exchanges, etc. They come right into the right hands, to trusted freelancers. The main problem today in freelance is that qualification of most freelancers simply physically and technically does not allow them to “swallow” a complex project and, naturally, the project will not be trusted to such people. For truly professional performers - there are orders, there have been and will be - this is an axiom. And in freelance it is even easier to stand out for professionals against the background of most of the freelancers.
I agree with the opinion that if a freelancer does not develop, but only makes money, sooner or later it will lead him into a dead end, when it will be difficult for him to get a job, because the payment will be much less than his earnings in freelance, and progress in He has no freelance.
So, without delay, my advice for freelance programmers:
The rules are quite simple, almost all of them are very easily projected onto any area of freelance and work not only in the field of programming in freelance.
Like it all comes down to solving the same type of non-complex tasks, and complex tasks are not trusted in freelance. Such conclusions can be read in almost any discussion of freelance and not from one person.
That is why I would like to raise this topic again today and list my advice on what a freelancer should do so that he constantly moves forward, rather than stagnating and degrading. In other words, how not to get bogged down in the routine of monotonous and small projects.
I must say right away that there are complex projects in freelance, only most of them are never laid out in open form on exchanges, etc. They come right into the right hands, to trusted freelancers. The main problem today in freelance is that qualification of most freelancers simply physically and technically does not allow them to “swallow” a complex project and, naturally, the project will not be trusted to such people. For truly professional performers - there are orders, there have been and will be - this is an axiom. And in freelance it is even easier to stand out for professionals against the background of most of the freelancers.
I agree with the opinion that if a freelancer does not develop, but only makes money, sooner or later it will lead him into a dead end, when it will be difficult for him to get a job, because the payment will be much less than his earnings in freelance, and progress in He has no freelance.
So, without delay, my advice for freelance programmers:
- Before the start. Do not go to freelance without having worked for 1-2 years in teams in the office. Without understanding the process of working in teams - there can be no talk of the development of a specialist (I will explain why further)
- At the beginning of the journey. For the first six months, you will need to work for a reputation, so that later you will be able to set higher prices based on your reputation and experience.
- Filter projects. As soon as you have a reputation - do not take it all in a row, for which they simply pay a lot of money. Try to take the project harder, more interesting each time, so that for example 25% of this project you don’t know how to do, to have to rack your brains, look for solutions
- New information. 2-3 hours a day devote to self-education in the specialized field
- Experience exchange. Try to work as a team as often as possible with other people from your area - this is important for sharing experiences. This is where the experience of working as a team in offices comes in handy - many things in one form or another are used in remote work conditions
- Avoid stagnation. Advance in your knowledge, try to go one step higher - to appear in one project as an executor, in another as a manager (get good experience working with people and with customers) or a database designer
- Novelties. Take an interest in new products in your area - try to “touch” them with your own hands, no matter what it costs you - for this you have to earn enough (hello again freelance reputations) to have access to new technologies
- Observe the regimen. Do not work more than 6 hours a day - this is detrimental to your health. 6 hours a day is enough for work
- Relaxation. Take more rest so that your brain is ready to learn new things almost every day.
- Reality. From time to time I advise you to start working on a project where the employer needs your presence in his office with his team. You can even independently offer this type of cooperation on projects in the top offices of your city. Such a visiting freelance. Very useful for sharing experiences with office colleagues and gaining new knowledge.
- Goals. Set goals for a month, a year, two years in advance and move towards achieving them. An excellent goal can be both the launch of your project, and the development of business English
- Future. Never stop there - go further, deeper. Decide who you want to be in 5 years, let's say and go to this goal.
The rules are quite simple, almost all of them are very easily projected onto any area of freelance and work not only in the field of programming in freelance.