When we talk about the influence of the internet and the virtual world we often forget the hard work of programmers and developers without whom we’d never have huge app libraries and beautiful websites. And there are no signs of slowing down regarding progress, since companies and even private clients are looking for skilled individuals to do programming for them. But using advertisement sites usually equals lousy, low paying jobs and unskilled people with no talent whatsoever. Freelance sites, however, are meant to nurture mutually beneficial relationships between clients and web developers.
It goes without saying that web developers are considered the cream of the freelancer world. Being a programmer demands in-depth knowledge of certain coding languages, so it’s no surprise that not everyone can wrap their mind about this specific kind of work. The typical assignments, which all promise high pay rates from the get go, involve tasks such as optimizing a website to attract more visitors, creating a smartphone app, or building a brand new website that renders well on all internet enabled devices. However, you have to work long and hard to earn your paycheck; furthermore, clients expect high-quality results and they often expect that you’ll do minor adjustments even after the project is finalized.
Web development assignments (or any programming tasks in particular) pop up mostly on project-based freelance websites, where employers create a project to which freelancers can apply. However, the application process is anything but easy: with programming it’s pretty common that companies use screenings or even job interviews to find the best candidate. Furthermore, the constant monitoring continues even after the hiring process is finished, as clients deploy tracking software to ensure their workers don’t slack off. Despite seeming a huge nuisance, a tracking app can be beneficial for programmers as well: it’s a proper motivator for top-notch performance and a clever way of creating evidence of labor (which can come in handy during a dispute). Good communication is key with any successful web development project, as clients may hire a whole team of freelancers from all parts of the world, and they must learn to share and reach the end result together.
And as for payments, freelancers are usually paid in installments after certain milestones are met within the project, with the last installment being the largest – and the most tempting.
The most crucial requirement for establishing a freelancing career as a programmer is a proper resume and portfolio. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll be thoroughly screened by the client, since everybody wants to work with the best of the best. More than with any other type of freelance work your potential customers will take interest into the working experience you have acquired throughout your career. While your resume gives your potential employers a clean overview of the experience and skills you have, it’s your portfolio or personal website that will be the convincing factor.
But if you have the proper workmanship, you need to stand out from the rest: we recommend putting a good use of your talent by customizing your profile page and turning it into something original. A good web developer knows first impressions count the most and that branding means everything; in other words, express your creativity not just on your profile, but on your own social media pages too.
Also, make sure that everything you create has an “I can do everything” vibe, because clients want to hire a developer who are specialized experts within their field. While negotiating with your future employer, ask for all details of the gig and, most importantly, stay focused during the interview. In the best interest of building a fruitful long-term partnership, establish an agreement in which you agree on the level of service throughout the project, deadlines and associated releases of escrow payments, and which information is required from each party.
In case you have a job waiting for a talented developer, make sure to put a lot of effort into the screening process. Don’t be afraid to test the applicants’ capabilities during the interview: in fact, you can even set up small challenges to be solved right on the spot. You need a freelancer who is diligent, capable of individual working, can think outside the box and won’t give up when running into a (virtual) brick wall. These qualities might seem too much to be asked from the applicants at first, but this is the only way to get rid of unskilled developers early on.
After you hired a suiting freelancer or assembled your team, you must keep paying attention to their work 24/7. Developers are known for needlessly drawing out the work process by making a mountain out of a molehill. To avoid such hindrance in the completion of the gig, utilize a tracking/management software (most project websites offer such app) and/or set up small milestones your employees must meet within a given time.
If you are interested in finding a freelance website that offers high quality workforce and additional management tools, let us recommend three outstanding candidates:
Toptal (standing for Top Talent) is a freelancer website founded in 2010 that highlights a small, but truly outstanding group of designers and developers, selected through a series of interviews and tests. Submitting a job request on Toptal will always result in the highest quality of talents who’ll definitely meet your standards. Furthermore, top companies and start-ups regularly borrow freelancers from the site for tasks like web designing and programming. Even though this amount of professionalism comes at a price, the service pledges to satisfy clients by offering a no-risk trial, allowing suspecting clients to see the freelancers’ skills in action and get a full refund should they be unsatisfied. However, Toptal guarantees perfect customer satisfaction, so you can be sure that no half-talents or dodgy workers will appear on the site – only quality work.
Freelancer.com is the pinnacle of the freelancing website world, boasting millions of users, eager workers and satisfied clients alike. The basic premise is pretty simple: employers launch a job offer, people start bidding on it, one or more people are being awarded the project and voilà, your virtual business is already on the roll. But Freelancer.com doesn’t stop here: with their fully translate website they cater to an international audience, even implementing more than one currency to help users around the world stay relevant. Both employers and employees can enjoy a feature-rich service: freelancers have an eye-catching tab detailing their achievements, while clients can monitor the worker’s activity through their smartphone or a desktop program. And as the icing on the cake: the site doesn’t charge people for joining its ranks (although added benefits can be purchased later on).
Project4Hire (P4H for short) is a marketplace where not only talented freelancers can sell their services to employers, but clients can post open job positions or projects for freelancers with matching skills as well. In fact, practicality is the motivating force behind Project4Hire, as they created a page where workers can easily find the most fitting positions, while employers are able to specify their needs or look for people according to their skills. Although the site doesn’t seem to be buzzing with much life, it still kept many of its attributes from the glory days when it was a major force on the freelancers’ market. Such an attribute is the reason the site earned its popularity as a pioneer in freelance platforms to begin with: asking for only 5% of the users’ earnings.
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