071: First Freelance Work Start Over Coder

Since setting a goal at the beginning of the year, I’ve made 3 attempts to get my first paid developer work. These are the big takeaways and things I’ve learned:


Know when to not accept a project, even if you’re just trying to get a foot in the door.
Get the site content from the client as early in the process as possible to avoid project delays.
An “approved” prototype does not mean there won’t still be changes after I do a lot of coding!
Working to milestones (with specific dates) and showing work at each milestone is better than sharing work in progress.
I got a good handle on how much time freelance projects actually take me.
When estimating how much to charge, don’t forget about the time you’ll spend on the project for things other than coding. Calls, check-ins, revisions, and training may add to the project time and you should be paid accordingly.

Show Links:

Upwork
Episode 50 - 6-Month Goal Setting
Episode 56 - Planning A New Web Project
Episode 62 - Prototyping With Figma



This episode was originally published 29 May, 2018.