freelance work?

[win_dir]

i love the idea of freelance programming as i am in full-time eductation. You can do it when you want and how you want as long as you do it on time. But... Where do i find the work? which freelance websites have the best jobs on?

BTW. come on boys and girls start talking on this forum, make it active.


_______________________________________________

Mark Rawson
Website (Under Construction): http://www.isgeeky.com
Primary Email Address: mark@isgeeky.com
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[ivans]

Originally posted by win_dir
i love the idea of freelance programming as i am in full-time eductation. You can do it when you want and how you want as long as you do it on time. But... Where do i find the work? which freelance websites have the best jobs on?



There are two options, as far as I can see it. First of all, you can use an active approach and go and sign up at some of the freelance work sites.

Some of them would be www.elance.com or www.itmoonlighter.com. As a personal note, I'd suggest you to stay away from www.scriptlance.com which, although it has plenty projects has an idiot for the owner - and in the end, it's that owner that payes you your money.

The second option at finding work may seem passive, but it's really not: write a couple of small programs that have some sort of a value by themselves. Make your website. Offer free software, and offer commercial services - such as installation of your free software, help on the use of the software, offer lecturing, or whatever you are good at. Write a tutorial for www.codewalkers.com. Post answers on forums like these. Get active, get into the community.

Believe it or not, I've scored more jobs by the second method than by the first method.



HTH :D

[Matt]

I've also found some good projects through some of the work sites such as guru.com (http://www.guru.com).

I whole heartedly agree with ivans about being active in diffferent communities. I have found tons of freelance programming by just keeping my eye open on different forums for people posting requests. I've found that these jobs usually pay better than the stuff found at the freelance work sites...

[ivans]

Matt, good point.

One thing to remember for the bidding style sites: you'll almost always work with small earnings. On such sites there are loads of competitors from eastern Europe (like me :D) or other "third world" countries.

By presenting your stuff and letting buyers approach you, you establish a degree of control that you otherwise don't have. Most of the coders at bidding-style sites feel like starved maniacs when you message them :D

Oh, one more thing... reputation and word of mouth!

Ask your clients to reccomend you to their friends and/or associates if they feel happy with your work. Spend time talking to your clients. Get personal, it pays off - anyone can provide a service, but it takes time and will to provide a business relationship.

[zombie]

i am from east europe too (pozrav ivan) , and we have very low standard, but some bids on bid-type-sites are too small, even for me. i don't understan how ppl can work for that small amounts.

also, on some (most) of bid-type-sites, ppl posting projects often ask for a sample of similar work, done around 70-80%. i don't have that much time to work projects that will maybe be accepted.


so, i took the other aproach. i am envolved in 3-4 forum sites, and i am very active there. i help a lot of newbies, and ppl see that, so when they post jobs, and when i post my quote, they already feel like i am the right man for the job ;)

[hermawan]

As a personal note, I'd suggest you to stay away from www.scriptlance.com which, although it has plenty projects has an idiot for the owner - and in the end, it's that owner that payes you your money
I totally agree with you. I was the 20 or 30 first programmer who try to find job on that site, my nick name is teodanardi. On the beginning that's a cool place to hang out and lot of project maker who give their project in that site, the payment was good. They had a rating by number of stars and reviews. Until someday, plenty of programmer comes and bid on project for the lowest price, expecting to have the project and get some stars. Well.. you know what happen by now.

Since then, I had some project maker and want me to work on their projects without doing bidding. I make lot of posts on many forums (local and international). As Zombie's experience, I also got projects from people that I've help on some many cases.

[Kaklz]

I must agree about the things mentioned about the ScriptLance ..

I mean that was a good site at the very beginning .. and it was possible to earn rather good money there.. however these days the site has simply become a site of idiots .. who just want to get as much stars as possible :(. Let's say somebody posts a rather simple script installation project .. there are people who are ready to do this work for $1 however, even the commision of the site is $5 .. so they are ready to pay $4 to just get the job done .. that's rediculous .. Besides that .. most of the project-posters are really lame .. they have no clue what they are asking .. lol .. ok, ok, that's enough .. I guess everybody understands what I wanna say with this. It can be a good place for you if you're lucky and there's a good project-poster at the other side.

as about other chances of getting freelance work .. forums are a really good place .. and as somebody mentioned above, personal recommendations .. that's the best thing out there ..

When I started the freelance work, I had one customer .. and then the customer brought me another 5 customers .. and then came the time I started to look for a partner - I couldn't finish all the things by myself .. ;)

that's it! lol .. just be active .. and no matter who the customer is, make him satisfied .. ;)

[clivewalker]

My experience with freelance job sites is that there is always someone who will under-quote you. Also, some freelance sites have very minimal descriptions of the requirements ( "I need a website for my company" ) and whilst it is not impossible to quote on this basis, it will be a bit of a guestimate...! I will still apply for jobs on freelance sites but only if I see something that exactly fits my skills. At least that way I can justify it to myself. Sorry if this is negative - just my experience with one particular freelance site...

I agree that building up your own reputation by good work for existing clients leading to recommendations etc is a better way to go. Spread the word to friends and colleagues as well.

Being active in forums is also good although I am not sure that my potential customers are browsing the latest Dreamweaver forum ! However it is a good way to learn and it can lead to things for some people I am sure.

[Matt]

My opinion on freelance sites is that you aren't going to make a freelance career out of them. They can be good to supplement income and fill some time between projects. For the real freelance work, you need to get off the internet and promote yourself just like any other "real" business.

[Saruman]

Matt, but how can you "get off the internet" and promote yourself in offline if the local market of your place is very poor and you want to orient to a more global market including foreign client. How can you do this type of promotion?

[ccollins]

Check out the link in the Articled forum: http://www.freelancetalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45.

it has a link to this article (http://www.devarticles.com/art/1/406).

-c.collins

[Kaklz]

Originally posted by Matt
My opinion on freelance sites is that you aren't going to make a freelance career out of them. They can be good to supplement income and fill some time between projects. For the real freelance work, you need to get off the internet and promote yourself just like any other "real" business.

Well, I must say that completely depends on your customers .. and of course of the luck of getting those customers. I've got some really great customers online .. and they are from various parts of the world. And the best part of it is that they are still recommending me to their friends as well .. it's been time that I have to refuse them to take new orders as I've already started couple of projects ..

but as I've said, that completely depends on luck of getting the first customers .. ;)

[Saruman]

Kaklz, I'm agree with you but this words just confirms that freelance sites is good only for a first jump in career - get a first customer, a first project, a first reputation. If you will show your best on your first projects - you have a great chance that satisfied customers will recommend you to other once so you will get enough good clients and will have no need in freelance site services any more.