Freelancing as a Web Developer (Part I)
I never imagined that I would be freelancing as a web developer. Just a year ago I was diving deep into financial statements to analyze trends, project future cash flow, and evaluate the risks of clients in order to underwrite credit for approval. While freelancing as a web developer is not my end goal, it serves as a bridge toward the next step of securing a full-time job as a software engineer. Over the past eight months I have iterated through the development life cycle drafting contracts, drawing wireframes, developing, designing, and deploying sites.
The time has been chock full of triumphs and failures, exuberance and dejection. All things considered, I’ve learned four valuable lessons that will save a young professional embarking on a freelance journey like mine a good bit of time and stress.
1. Rely on word-of-mouth (at least in the beginning).
Soon after I quit my job at Wells Fargo, my wife made a bold decision for me without my knowing: she announced my career move in a Facebook post. I was shocked, and a little ticked; this was not how I envisioned informing my friends. But before I knew it, requests to build sites came flooding in from friends, family, and even old classmates I hadn’t connected with in years. I filtered through the opportunities, keenly aware of the limited time I would have given the any-day-now condition of my wife’s pregnancy, the Firehose Software Engineering Program I was still committed to finish, and the internship with Immersed I was involved with. I decided to move forward with three projects. Saying no to people was difficult but it saved me from over promising and under delivering. But the fact that I had so many requests come in that I was in the position to decide was due to no advertisement on my own behalf — word of mouth via social media got me where I needed to be to further develop my skills and provide for my growing family.
2. Shoot first, think later.
This is not advice I’d typically offer. But when you’re freelancing in a new career, this is the best way to defeat fear.
“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes — then learn how to do it later!” — Richard Branson
I have no experience building websites for clients. I have an impressive developer portfolio, a certificate from an intense coding bootcamp, and internship experience, but in terms of working with paying customers — this was a foray into a whole new world. So naturally, I was nervous.
My clients approached me with confidence that I had the expertise required to build their site. Convincing them I was the man for the job was not the hard part. The true hurdle was convincing myself I could do it.
But this is exactly why I’d left Wells Fargo: to take risks and pursue my passion. With each new project I took on and each new client I served, I released my fears and relied on my skill, trusting I’d figure how to complete the specific tasks for the projects along the way.
Turns out the reward was high. I learned how to draft and negotiate contracts. I learned how to create wireframes for each page, sketching out the layouts before starting to build. I learned how to develop sites with content management systems like Squarespace and WIX. I could have been paralyzed by the notorious imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud because my background wasn’t in software engineering. Instead, I acted. I’m grateful to have taken the chance.
3. Produce excellent results.
Receiving multiple requests for projects within weeks of pivoting careers was worth celebrating, but long-term success would require more than just deploying a fully-functioning site. I had to deliver a great product and value to my clients from start to finish. During meetings, I broke down technical terms to make conversations more understandable. I established an open feedback loop throughout the development life cycle to ensure I responded to questions and requests promptly. I invested time to design and add features that would exceed the client’s expectations and original vision. Before handing over the keys to the sites, I created simple how-to videos to empower the clients to make future changes on their own.
I discovered that when I focused on creating a great product and adding value to my clients, they noticed and were inclined to tell others. In fact, shortly after completing my first project my happy customer referred me to a friend who would become my next client.
4. Be flexible.
I never imagined I would be freelancing as a web developer. That was not part of my initial plan. If everything went smoothly, I would have graduated from Firehose in six months and landed a software engineering job within a month.
Then, life happened.
My predictions didn’t take into account becoming a father. Being there for my wife and son took precedence over following through with my original plan. The vision didn’t change, but the path there did. Looking back, I’m glad things didn’t work out exactly how I envisioned because that would have made life too easy. Keeping an open mind throughout my career allows me to make the hit even when curve balls come my way.
Keeping an open mind throughout my career allows me to make the hit even when curve balls come my way.
Freelancing has introduced me to a host of new challenges; those challenges have opened the door to new opportunities to learn. As my knowledge bank grows and skill set improves, I become one step closer to my end goal.
