If you are working with a company as a full-time employee, do not leave it instantly to become a freelance developer until you get the grip of freelancing. It is not easy to land projects if you do not have a stable client base. Therefore, the ideal scenario is to slowly transition into becoming a freelancer in order to maintain a stable income stream.
But that is far-fetched! You have to begin with building a client base first so that you can land software development projects regularly. If you have been facing problems in getting projects, we have compiled a list to help you increase your chances to land software development projects:
Overcome your distractionsFreelancing means that you have to be active at all times. In this digital age, it is difficult to stay away from distraction even if you are employed as a full-timer. Social media networks and internet surfing takes a major chunk of an employee’s shift hours. Thus, when you choose to become a freelance developer, it is essential to overcome distractions. This way, you can conveniently boost efficiency and increase your productivity levels by nearly 50 percent.
Build an online portfolioAs a freelancer, it is crucial to have an impressive online portfolio that creates a lasting first impression. If you have recently entered the freelancing world, there are 90% chances that you are going to lose a software development project to an experienced freelancer. As clients are heavily investing to get their software development projects done by freelancers, they do not want to experience issues by giving it to a new freelancer.
It is true that experience matters a lot when you are freelancing. However, the only thing that may give you an edge over other freelance developers is your online profile and portfolio. In most cases, a client does not want to choose an experienced freelancer and pay a hefty fee, instead would want to offer same work to freelancer at a lower rate, if their online portfolios are impressive. Therefore, it is essential to have a convincing portfolio if you want to increase your chances of landing a software development project.
Work on open source projectsMost of the clients looking to hire services of a freelance developer do not have a good software development background. But, some potential clients belong to the same field and industry. Thus, they only want to work with freelancers who are either experienced enough or have a strong portfolio that assures they are fit for the project.If you are a new freelance developer, contributing to open source projects is an excellent way to build your credibility and show off your skill set.
Patience is a virtue to adoptThe key to land freelance software development projects is by keeping patience. Many times your proposals or bids are not getting enough traction or response from the potential clients. This does not supposedly mean that you are not good enough. There are rare chances, nearly five percent on average, to get a positive response from the client. Therefore, be patient if your proposal is not getting a response. Things take time, so wait for a few days or weeks once you have sent the proposal.
Research is your best friend
It is important to do your due diligence if you want your potential client to hire you for a development project. You should have a proper understanding of the project, requirements of potential client, your strengths concerning the project, and how can you offer more value.
