With connectivity, it has become easier to do things on the go. You are no longer chained to a desk, but rather you can work remotely from wherever you want. From a beach in Cabo to the couch in your living room, you decide where you want to work from. Freelancing allows you the freedom to work on your own rules and terms.

However, before you decide to quit your job to start working as a freelancer, you will first have to take a look at if Freelancing is right for you! Freelancing requires special circumstances, commitment and patience, which is not something that everyone can do. You can find if you have what it takes to become a freelancer here.

If you have decided that freelancing is right for you, we can now take a look at tips and steps that you will need to take in order to actually become a successful freelance developer, which will allow you to either earn a living from freelancing or supplement your earnings with an extra source of income.

1. Eat, Breathe, Live Programming

Programming is what you signed up for as a developer, which means that you should love it! No matter what time, you should constantly be thinking about codes because that’s exactly what you’ll have to do for your clients. Projects often require working out which codes you will write to work out what problems, so if you are the type of person who doesn’t absolutely love coding, then you’ll get bored pretty quickly.

2. Learn As Many Languages or Technologies

You know the saying “Jack of All Trades, Master of None”, well chuck that out the window, because it absolutely does not apply here. You never know the type of client you will get, which means that you won’t know the type of language they will require you to code in or what kind of technology you’ll be required to work on. In the starting stages, you won’t want to turn away any clients (this is crucial for your career as a freelancer), so you will require actually knowing multiple languages and technologies. Some might prefer PHP, while others might require websites in complete JavaScript, this isn’t something that you can’t deny. So, you will have to have a number of different languages on hand to please your clients.

3. Find Your Niche

Each developer has a niche, something that sets them apart from the other developers. This could include focusing on front-end development, or back-end development or even offering full stack services. However, it can also be something as simple as giving the clients, their money’s worth or charging higher rates but providing quality codes. This little niche will define you in the developer world, so ensure that it is what you want. Also, make sure that you aren’t pigeonholed into one sector and that you always let clients leave you on a positive note, rather than a negative one.

4. Make Your Profile/Website Prominent

We cannot stress how important it is for a developer to have their own website, while also having a strong portfolio. Your clients aren’t going to take your word for “being the best developer in the US”, rather you will have to show them your skills. Having a strong profile can help people see that you mean business and they can actually judge you based on your work. A good website also makes sure that your potential clients can reach you at one place, so they don’t have to end up searching you out. The more easier you make it for them to find you, the more chances you’ll have at getting their business.

5. Ask for Testimonials

This is one thing that people often shy away from, but you shouldn’t! If you are good at your job, flaunt it. Heck, put up billboards about it! Testimonials are similar to reviews of your work, if people like your work and they rave about it, it helps a person looking to hire you be much more inclined to try out your services. So, ask every person you work for to give you a written testimonial and ask them if you can publish it on your website. Chances are if they are happy with your work, then they will gladly agree to writing the testimonial and having it published on your website.

6. Contribute to Open Source Projects

Another way to promote yourself, while sharpening your skillset is to contribute to open-source projects. Open Source Projects work on the contributions of developers around the world who write codes they are passionate about. So, if you are passionate about a technology or program, make sure to contribute to the community.

7. Update Your Skills

This last point is something you should commit to heart. Technology is a fast moving sector, which means what was here may be replaced with a faster and better thing tomorrow. So, what can you do in this case is never stop learning. The field you have chosen requires you to constantly stay up to date with the latest technologies, working hard to learn new things. So, it is important that you keep updating your skills if you want to survive in the world of development.

Freelancing is slowly becoming a more popular career option as it gives you the freedom to not only choose your location and hours, but also the type of projects you want to work on. However, it is not an easy path, rather it may sometimes be harder than a conventional job. However, if you’ve got the passion and dedication, then there is nothing that will keep you from becoming a successful developer.