Ask HN: Once you have the skills, how do you start getting freelance jobs?
Hi all,
First a little background: I started teaching myself CSS, HTML, and JQuery 8 months ago, and after a lot of hard work I feel I'm at a point where I can confidently deliver great work for a client (UI/design/build).
But how do I start getting jobs? It seems like many of you here do freelance work full-time. When you were starting out, how did you find your first jobs?
It seems like once you're started, referrals lead to referrals and it gets easier. I just can't figure out how to get the momentum started.
Thanks in advance!
Dan
6 comments
This depends on what you want to do. Web development can be anything from installing Wordpress with themes, which can be done by one person with little skills, to large complex sites with teams of people with a wide array of specialties (Facebook for example.)
The money tree starts with the guy who lands the gig from the client. That guy will then either do everything himself (or with an in-house team) or do some parts and then parcel out the rest to other contractors. If you can sell, the you don't even necessarily need web development skills. You can simply land the gigs and sub-contract out everything. Sub-contractors could even hand work out to more sub-contractors.
Where you get work depends on where you fit within this scheme. As a CSS / HTML / Jquery guy you are considered a "front-end" developer. Note that that doesn't make you a designer or a UI guy. Those are totally different areas which you haven't mentioned. CSS / HTML / Jquery has NOTHING to do with being able to deliver good designs. You are simply a coder. You will likely be handed all your designs.
If you aren't doing the selling at the root of the money tree then you somewhere along the sub-contractor track. However, you still need to be able to sell. You still have a client. Your client is going to be another developer.
Now that you know who your customer is. You now need to locate that customer. The developers you will be working for can be anywhere along the money trail. They might be agencies which generally handle marketing strategy for the client and directly sub contract out all the parts. They might be development shops which receive designs from the agencies and handle all the building. They might be solo designers who do generally do as much as they can but hand certain parts off when they are overworked. I have worked with all of the above.
All these people will likely be hanging out in places such as CMS forums, web development forums and social networks such as Twitter. They talk to each other to get help with what they are doing. For example, if they need Jquery help, they will go to a community where they can get help on Jquery. Aside from help, they will also go to places where they can discuss general happenings in the industry. If they are passionate about Jquery, then they may show off things they have done in Jquery. If they are unhappy about the direction of Jquery, then they may want to talk about that. You get the point.
Your job is to start locating these various communities and participate. You need to help people, engage in conversations and show off things you have done. Collectively this process is building your authority. It's a PR game. The more people see your face, the more they hear you talk about intelligent things, the more of an authority you will become. Eventually you will start to receive offers to do gigs for people.
Once you start doing work, then you are building a network. Your network is your bread and butter. The larger your Rolodex, the more secure your future. This is where your work will come in from in addition to all the above mentioned activities. As you bring in more work from your Rolodex, you can do less of the other stuff, but never quit. I have at time worked with certain developers almost exclusively for periods and I have been in totally new ground for periods. I have found that for me, always exploring new ground is better for building those networks.
To do everything described above, you need something to stand out. Just being an HTML / CSS guy isn't very sexy. How are you going to show that off? Your personal projects and portfolio (this is the portfolio you have before you are really even getting work) needs to be pushing the envelope a bit. Developers specializing in nothing but spitting out HTML / CSS are a dime a dozen. There is a lot of noise there to overcome. As you get closer to the bleeding edge, you have less noise. Become and expert there.
What's leading edge? I don't specialize in those areas so you might know better than me. Know HTML 5, CSS3 and all the other related buzzwords that you see in Hacker News. In the JS (Jquery) world there is a lot more you can do to impress. You can build Jquery plugins, become expert with building apps in Node (then you get into server side programming which is a whole different ballgame) and work on building great UI's. You could also begin to specialize in things like UI or design if you see something you like better.
Also keep in mind that this is all a business. Customer managemment, business management and sales are all more important than the technical skills. This is a long and stressful track, just like any business. Make sure this is something you really want to do. Contract developer is sort of like restaurant owner in that it's an idea that everyone comes up with. There are so many other businesses you can get into that you can do totally online that would likely be more interesting and likely more lucrative. Consider this, you aren't likely to ever get rich from doing web development for other people. The people with the great chance of being rich is the people you are building for, the client from which the money tree grows. ;)
The money tree starts with the guy who lands the gig from the client. That guy will then either do everything himself (or with an in-house team) or do some parts and then parcel out the rest to other contractors. If you can sell, the you don't even necessarily need web development skills. You can simply land the gigs and sub-contract out everything. Sub-contractors could even hand work out to more sub-contractors.
Where you get work depends on where you fit within this scheme. As a CSS / HTML / Jquery guy you are considered a "front-end" developer. Note that that doesn't make you a designer or a UI guy. Those are totally different areas which you haven't mentioned. CSS / HTML / Jquery has NOTHING to do with being able to deliver good designs. You are simply a coder. You will likely be handed all your designs.
If you aren't doing the selling at the root of the money tree then you somewhere along the sub-contractor track. However, you still need to be able to sell. You still have a client. Your client is going to be another developer.
Now that you know who your customer is. You now need to locate that customer. The developers you will be working for can be anywhere along the money trail. They might be agencies which generally handle marketing strategy for the client and directly sub contract out all the parts. They might be development shops which receive designs from the agencies and handle all the building. They might be solo designers who do generally do as much as they can but hand certain parts off when they are overworked. I have worked with all of the above.
All these people will likely be hanging out in places such as CMS forums, web development forums and social networks such as Twitter. They talk to each other to get help with what they are doing. For example, if they need Jquery help, they will go to a community where they can get help on Jquery. Aside from help, they will also go to places where they can discuss general happenings in the industry. If they are passionate about Jquery, then they may show off things they have done in Jquery. If they are unhappy about the direction of Jquery, then they may want to talk about that. You get the point.
Your job is to start locating these various communities and participate. You need to help people, engage in conversations and show off things you have done. Collectively this process is building your authority. It's a PR game. The more people see your face, the more they hear you talk about intelligent things, the more of an authority you will become. Eventually you will start to receive offers to do gigs for people.
Once you start doing work, then you are building a network. Your network is your bread and butter. The larger your Rolodex, the more secure your future. This is where your work will come in from in addition to all the above mentioned activities. As you bring in more work from your Rolodex, you can do less of the other stuff, but never quit. I have at time worked with certain developers almost exclusively for periods and I have been in totally new ground for periods. I have found that for me, always exploring new ground is better for building those networks.
To do everything described above, you need something to stand out. Just being an HTML / CSS guy isn't very sexy. How are you going to show that off? Your personal projects and portfolio (this is the portfolio you have before you are really even getting work) needs to be pushing the envelope a bit. Developers specializing in nothing but spitting out HTML / CSS are a dime a dozen. There is a lot of noise there to overcome. As you get closer to the bleeding edge, you have less noise. Become and expert there.
What's leading edge? I don't specialize in those areas so you might know better than me. Know HTML 5, CSS3 and all the other related buzzwords that you see in Hacker News. In the JS (Jquery) world there is a lot more you can do to impress. You can build Jquery plugins, become expert with building apps in Node (then you get into server side programming which is a whole different ballgame) and work on building great UI's. You could also begin to specialize in things like UI or design if you see something you like better.
Also keep in mind that this is all a business. Customer managemment, business management and sales are all more important than the technical skills. This is a long and stressful track, just like any business. Make sure this is something you really want to do. Contract developer is sort of like restaurant owner in that it's an idea that everyone comes up with. There are so many other businesses you can get into that you can do totally online that would likely be more interesting and likely more lucrative. Consider this, you aren't likely to ever get rich from doing web development for other people. The people with the great chance of being rich is the people you are building for, the client from which the money tree grows. ;)
People usually like to see a portfolio of pretty projects if you're a UI person. Got a website with some work on it? It would certainly help having one. In fact, you might even get a few jobs from here! =)
Once you have one, print a nice business card with your website on it.
Start networking. Meetup.com has programing / startup / business type meetups... go them all! Be nice, have fun, listen to what people say, and when the opportunity comes up - usually when they ask you what you do (people are interested in you if you're interested in them), tell them you're a UI designer. Give them your card. Take their card. Send them an email telling them how glad you were to meet them (which, you were).
Place an ad on Craigslist / other popular classifieds sites. I know someone who started getting UI work this way.
Once you have one, print a nice business card with your website on it.
Start networking. Meetup.com has programing / startup / business type meetups... go them all! Be nice, have fun, listen to what people say, and when the opportunity comes up - usually when they ask you what you do (people are interested in you if you're interested in them), tell them you're a UI designer. Give them your card. Take their card. Send them an email telling them how glad you were to meet them (which, you were).
Place an ad on Craigslist / other popular classifieds sites. I know someone who started getting UI work this way.
I cannot stress this more. Portfolios speak volumes, and if you have yet to start on a project with your new found skills the obvious course of action would be to create your own to start with.
When I was starting out with Python I wished to work with Django projects, so I thought myself the framework. Then I created my first web app in Django, http://www.cvstash.com, and with it I scored a couple of Django projects just by showing it. Now I work full time. If I'm going to switch technologies or would like to get some freelance gigs on other frameworks and/or languages, say RoR, I would do the same. Work experience is better, but being able to work on something on your own to start says a lot.
Off-topic: If you put time in examining a possible market with your website it might even turn out to be a win-win situation, with you getting passive income from it.
To summarize, you need a portfolio like vishaldpatel said. If you don't have one yet, then get started with doing something for yourself. Buy a domain if you don't have one yet, and show off your skills there.
When I was starting out with Python I wished to work with Django projects, so I thought myself the framework. Then I created my first web app in Django, http://www.cvstash.com, and with it I scored a couple of Django projects just by showing it. Now I work full time. If I'm going to switch technologies or would like to get some freelance gigs on other frameworks and/or languages, say RoR, I would do the same. Work experience is better, but being able to work on something on your own to start says a lot.
Off-topic: If you put time in examining a possible market with your website it might even turn out to be a win-win situation, with you getting passive income from it.
To summarize, you need a portfolio like vishaldpatel said. If you don't have one yet, then get started with doing something for yourself. Buy a domain if you don't have one yet, and show off your skills there.
Thanks - that's great advice.
The networking strategy makes sense to me. The more I learn about the business world, the more I realize the importance of networking. Deals seem to come out of friendships more than anything.
In terms of websites with my work, I didn't want to include them in the original post because this is about getting advice rather than trying to spam my services, but I did design http://www.concertwindow.com and http://www.tunesinthechurch.com. UI, design, development, the whole deal. Would love to hear any feedback!
The networking strategy makes sense to me. The more I learn about the business world, the more I realize the importance of networking. Deals seem to come out of friendships more than anything.
In terms of websites with my work, I didn't want to include them in the original post because this is about getting advice rather than trying to spam my services, but I did design http://www.concertwindow.com and http://www.tunesinthechurch.com. UI, design, development, the whole deal. Would love to hear any feedback!
I got my first jobs via Craigslist and still get many of them that way. Aim high instead of starting with crappy jobs and working our way up- having a good portfolio is actually better than having a lot of clients or references.
Interesting. With the Craigslist angle are you posting ads for your services or responding to existing ads?
I tried responding once and it turned into a classic "Craigslist" experience.. after a few skype conversations I showed up at the client's "office" for a meeting, which turned out to be his house, and he wasn't there. Same with the next time. And after telling him to get lost, now I get passive-aggressive skype messages from him every week or two. yikes.. :)
But armed with some strategy I'll give Craigslist another shot.
I tried responding once and it turned into a classic "Craigslist" experience.. after a few skype conversations I showed up at the client's "office" for a meeting, which turned out to be his house, and he wasn't there. Same with the next time. And after telling him to get lost, now I get passive-aggressive skype messages from him every week or two. yikes.. :)
But armed with some strategy I'll give Craigslist another shot.
There's some great professional advice in this thread already but I think you're probably going to be coming at your problem from this perspective.
I recommend responding to lots of Craigslist postings (if there are enough in your city). Keep at it and you'll eventually find someone or several people that want to pay you. Probably not the big bucks but you'll start out here.
You can also go to businesses around you that look like they might need a website. Even if they don't, many people think they do and you can sell them that. Some businesses don't have much money, you may be able to get cake from them. Yes, I once developed a website in exchange for a cake a month. They were some of the best cakes I've ever had. You will move up from cakes and Craigslist as you develop more skill (re: programming, especially databases).
Try attending local conferences. I mean conference in the loosest sense of the word as in BarCamp or equivalent. Local meetings with other people doing what you're doing. Some of those people might need development work. If nothing else you'll see what people are up to and get a better feel for the local business.
It gets better.
I recommend responding to lots of Craigslist postings (if there are enough in your city). Keep at it and you'll eventually find someone or several people that want to pay you. Probably not the big bucks but you'll start out here.
You can also go to businesses around you that look like they might need a website. Even if they don't, many people think they do and you can sell them that. Some businesses don't have much money, you may be able to get cake from them. Yes, I once developed a website in exchange for a cake a month. They were some of the best cakes I've ever had. You will move up from cakes and Craigslist as you develop more skill (re: programming, especially databases).
Try attending local conferences. I mean conference in the loosest sense of the word as in BarCamp or equivalent. Local meetings with other people doing what you're doing. Some of those people might need development work. If nothing else you'll see what people are up to and get a better feel for the local business.
It gets better.
I gave up on getting freelance clients through craigslist a long time ago. Most are bottom-of-the barrel clients that want a ton of work for very little money. Either that or they don't want to pay you after you've finished (and want a ton of features for the same price).
There needs to be a site that not only has a rating system for freelancers, but one for the companies paying them.
There needs to be a site that not only has a rating system for freelancers, but one for the companies paying them.
Odesk sort of does this with feedback ratings:
https://www.odesk.com/
I'm sure there are other freelance sites that do as well.
It's also important to work for the right person the first time around. Make sure it's a job where you retain most of the control over the final look and feel of the result, otherwise you may not be able to use it for your portfolio.
Do you know anybody that’s in a band or owns a business? I’d let them know that you are now in a position to tackle any creative, online problems they may have, or suggest projects that would help them that you can deliver on. Or hell, just tell everyone you know that you can create stuff now; I’ve been surprised at how many people I knew from work had side-businesses they never talk about, but could have used a website.
Just watch out for those that take your friendship or the difficulty in creating a website for granted; don’t do the work for free, even if your portfolio is severely lacking.
Just watch out for those that take your friendship or the difficulty in creating a website for granted; don’t do the work for free, even if your portfolio is severely lacking.
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