As a freelanced coder or developer, you know that it’s easy to get stuck in the same rut of coding projects. You want to take your skills and career to the next level, but don’t know how. Making money as a freelancer is more than simply offering great services. How do you differentiate yourself from the crowd and put your career on the fast track?
The good news is that there are plenty of simple yet effective tips you can use to up your game and stand out from the competition. Read on for 7 (plus lots of extra) tips to level up your freelance coding & development game.
Create a strong portfolio
Making sure that you maximize your business opportunities starts with developing and showcasing the skills you possess. Having a portfolio of work that you can show off to stand out from the rest is vital – demonstrating your unique capabilities and strengths prove invaluable. Invest time in developing stellar samples and showcasing your best work so that you can be confident when applying for jobs.
Your portfolio is key to attracting potential clients. Investing in a professional website or online portfolio will give more credibility to your services, as well as show potential employers what you can do. A good portfolio should showcase the best of your work and provide potential clients with an overview of your coding and development skills.
Incorporating engaging videos into your portfolio is a powerful way to showcase your coding and development skills, personalize your portfolio, and create a lasting impression on potential clients and employers. Through video, you can explain your development process, showcase your latest projects, and highlight your strengths in a more lively and colorful way, using video editing software to create professional-looking videos. Moreover, showing your face and speaking directly to potential clients can make you more relatable and trustworthy, helping you stand out as a skilled and personable developer in a crowded and competitive market.
Extra Tip!
Get Creative – Standing out from the crowd isn’t easy as a freelance coder or developer – but getting creative can help! Think about how you can add unique value or offer something different than what other coders or developers are offering their clients; this could be providing detailed documentation for each project so that the client has everything they need for future reference (and potential troubleshooting).
Be authentic; showcase your best skills
The digital world is full of opportunities and also plenty of competition. To make sure you stand out from the crowd, be your best self – focus on demonstrating your skills in ways that make you unique. The best way to do this is to showcase the skills which you are most proud of, those which come easily and naturally to you. Don’t pretend to know something that you don’t – focus on your strengths, and find ways to overcome your weaknesses.
Keep Learning
It’s important to stay ahead of the curve, to keep up with the ever-evolving industry. Go beyond just learning the basics – explore and focus on expanding your skillset as much as possible. While taking classes or attending seminars might not be feasible for everyone, online resources are plentiful – take advantage of what’s available and grow as a coder or developer.
Stay up to date with coding trends and technology
No matter how experienced you are, there’s always something new to learn in the world of coding & development. Keeping up with the latest coding languages, technologies, and trends is key for any freelance coder or developer.
For example, in the old days, coders and developers are spending extensive long coding hours in various languages and frameworks; but nowadays, a laravel web development company like ClickySoft or Powercode makes programming less of a pain and more enjoyable. Coders and developers should be kept updated and upgraded with advancements like these, to be both effective and efficient in their job.
Not only will this give you an edge in the job market, but it’ll also help you develop your skillset and stay ahead of the competition. Investing time in continual learning is essential for staying competitive in this field. Read blogs and books about coding & development, watch tutorials online, attend conferences – whatever works best for you! Making sure you’re up to date with the latest coding trends and technologies will help ensure that you are able to offer the best services to potential clients.
Extra Tip!
Take on Challenging Projects – Taking on challenging projects will help you learn new skills, increase your confidence, and give you real-world experience that can be used to attract even more clients. Whether it’s a new language or framework, or working with a company in an unfamiliar industry, taking on challenging projects is one of the best ways to develop as a freelance coder or developer.
Be open to objective criticism
No one is perfect, including freelancers. As a coder or developer, it’s important to be open to constructive criticism from peers and clients alike. Not only will this help you grow as a professional but also give you the opportunity to learn more about coding and development in general. Openly listen to feedback – both positive and negative – and use it to refine your skillset.
No matter how confident you may be in your skills, there is always a chance of being rejected by a potential client or employer. When this happens, don’t take it personally. Instead, use this as an opportunity to learn from the experience and refine your services.
Know your worth
As a freelanced coder or developer, it’s important to be aware of the value you bring to the market. Make sure you know and understand the market value of your skills. Know how much you are worth and won’t settle for less. When setting a rate for coding and development services, it’s important to be confident in the value that you bring to the table. Setting a fair but competitive price shows potential clients that you are serious about your work, and value yourself and your services. Don’t compromise on your rates and don’t forget to consider taxes, benefits, and other business costs when calculating your rate. Keep up with the industry standards and make sure you are offering competitive rates for your skillset.
Important: Don’t undersell yourself
Instead, evaluate the demand for your services in order to set a competitive rate. Have a strategy in place that allows you to build up a successful freelance business with happy clients. Be sure to set a timeline for regular rate reviews and adjust the rates accordingly.
Keep expanding your professional network
Whether freelancers or not, it is important to build relationships with clients. Most freelancers find their jobs through networking, referrals, or word of mouth. Building strong relationships is the best way to ensure that you have a steady stream of work and stand out from the competition.
Leverage Networking Opportunities
Networking is key when it comes to finding more clients as a freelancer; however, it doesn’t just have to be about finding more clients!
Use networking opportunities as an opportunity to collaborate with other coders and developers, share advice and experiences, get feedback on your work, and find mentors who can help guide you along your journey as a freelancer. As a developer or coder, it’s important to show that you are passionate about your work and that you’re willing to help out when needed.
Don’t forget the power of LinkedIn – if nothing else, it’s an excellent place to grow your professional network! Using free email finder tools can help your Linkedin prospecting way lot faster and easier. Building relationships outside of your comfort zone by expanding your professional network with people who could offer ideas or connections may benefit you in unexpected ways.
Strong networking will open up unknown job possibilities to you which otherwise you would have never even heard about – finally moving your career out of the shadows and into the spotlight!
Take Care of Yourself
Last but not least – don’t forget about yourself! Working long hours while managing multiple projects can quickly take its toll; so make sure that you take regular breaks throughout the day (even if it’s just 10 minutes!), prioritize getting enough sleep each night, set boundaries between work time and personal time (e.g., no checking emails after 8 PM), etc. Taking care of yourself is essential for staying productive over time!
Conclusion
Being successful as a freelanced coder or developer requires hard work and dedication – but it isn’t impossible!
By preparing a nice strong portfolio, showcasing your best skills, keeping up with trends by continually learning new skills & technologies, taking on challenging projects, taking criticism as an opportunity to grow/improve, leveraging networking opportunities to collaborate with others & find mentors/clients alike, getting creative when it comes to offering unique services/value, and taking care of yourself physically/mentally, you’ll be well-positioned for success in this ever-evolving field!
By following the tips above, you can set yourself up for success by selecting the best projects and clients that match your skill set. With some effort and planning, you can surely make your freelance coding business thrive.
