Freelance computer programmers today have something the previous generation of programmers didn’t have: the internet. Ten years ago, it was extremely unusual for a computer programmer to forego the security and stability of a full-time position at a large firm in favor of the freedom of freelancing and starting their own business. In the past, it would have been incredibly difficult to find freelance work in computer programming for inexperienced programmers. Yet, it is now possible for budding programmers to earn money while they are still learning the trade, and to immediately begin freelancing upon graduation. With the proliferation of job boards on the web that are specifically designed to provide computer programming positions, fresh graduates can quickly find freelance programming work and launch their careers.
Unfortunately, life is rarely that straightforward. Freelance computer programmers should not expect to land high-paying jobs at Fortune 500 businesses or Microsoft or IBM contracts for heavy programming work. The reality remains that you will have to begin at the very bottom again. You still need the proper qualifications, such as a background in programming and knowledge of several languages. You probably already know if you want to focus on game development, finance, OS design, or machine control, and whether you want to learn Assembler, Java, C, or C++. Even in 2019, these skills and knowledge are necessary to get hired for the finest professions. Yet, thanks to the advent of the internet, young programmers are now able to strike out on their own, secure freelancing contracts early in their careers, and construct a programming portfolio in preparation for applying to larger programming positions.
With the rise of online work boards like Elance, Sologig, Odesk, and Virtual Assistants, it is much simpler for freelancers in general and computer programmer freelancers in particular to get such expertise by competing for thousands of available projects. There is now a fair playing field for anyone with the abilities to break into a sector, unlike in the past when it might have depended on contacts in the business. These days, programming opportunities may be found on just about every job board. To give just one example, Elance’s ‘Web and Programming’ category features job postings for programmers with a wide range of interests and backgrounds.
From simple chores like updating someone’s website or database to more complex ones like building software or putting together technically advanced projects, thousands of computer programming jobs will be posted on job boards. Job boards allow for thousands of programmers to compete for openings by posting descriptions of desired work and making bids for the opportunity to complete the task at the lowest possible cost. Still, with so many individuals keeping an eye on the boards, there is bound to be intense rivalry for the available positions. Many of your competitors will have been working on the site for a lot longer than you (especially when you’re starting out), and to match their experience, you may need to not only have a top-notch profile and some examples of your work, but also, because you have no feedback, to bid extremely low and offer value for the money. Potential customers can see that you have no feedback, but if your price is significantly lower than everyone else’s, they may be prepared to take a chance on you nevertheless. If they do, you’ll want to perform a stellar job with the code so you can receive some early endorsements. You’ll be in a better position to land additional programming gigs once you receive this feed back. Once you’ve picked up enough clients, you can call yourself a freelance computer programmer.
