How to become a Freelance Software Developer without going to College ?
Let’s get something straight. You don’t need a college degree to become a software developer.
Yes, you heard this right!
This is one skill that you can totally learn on your own. All you need is just an interest connection, focus and determination. No Doubt it’s a hard Job but you don’t need to go to college for it. You can learn the skills on your own.
Software Development is really fun once you got some skills and, most software development jobs can quite easily be done remotely. So if there’s one skill that will fast track your transition into digital nomad life – this is it.
So let’s take a look at how to become a software developer.
Before we begin you just need to understand what is a software developer?
First things first, let’s get the definitions right.
Software developers are the people who make the awesome systems that make our lives so much better. A software developer designs, installs, tests and maintains software systems.
These are also the people who create systems that help businesses become more efficient and provide us with better services.
So does solving problems excite you? Do you see numbers and get all giddy inside? Then software development might just be your thing. Be aware though, that this is not a job for the faint-hearted its require some real courage along with the immense dedication and passion. It’s challenging and you’ll often get burned out.
You’ll often find yourself dealing with long hours of mental draining work while coding. So be sure you’re up to the challenge.
Suppers, late hour work are some usual stuff and you should be procaffinator to survive those nap stroke.
What skills do you need to become a software developer?
To start off on our guide on how to become a software developer, let’s take a quick look at some of the most important skills that you should have.
– Programming languages: This is naturally, a prerequisite of the job. You’re going to have to learn a programming language to get started in the industry. Don’t get too obsessed with which one to start with. Once you learn one, learning another language isn’t going to be as hard. Language options include PHP, Ruby on Rails, Python, Django, Javascript and many more.
– Problem-solving skills: Solving problems will be a daily affair because software development is all about solving issues that arise in the process of developing a software.
– Analytical skills: Being analytical is a necessary skill for a developer because it will be your responsibility to analyse user’s needs and then create software that will meet those needs.
– Detail oriented: Creating a system that works seamlessly requires a lot of attention to the smallest of details across various parts of the software. Missing out on all little details could make or break a piece of software.
What does a software developer do?
There are two types of software developers; applications software developers and systems software developers.
Application software developers create computer or mobile applications such as word processors and games as well as databases for organizations.
Systems software developers on the other hand are responsible of creating operating systems that keep computers and electronics working properly.
How much do software developers make?
Software development is one of the fastest growing job category because practically every industry is in need of systems and applications.
The huge demand has seen wages for top talent go up considerably. Current market surveys show the average salary for developers is nearly $109,000 annually if not more.
A quick look at Truelancer’s trending skills section shows demand for a variety of developer skills as well. As a freelance software developer, you may start out on hourly rates and then move on to per-project rates.
How much you demand per hour, will depend on your skill set and your programming language expertise. Some language skills pay significantly more than others.
How to become a software developer
Ok, so now that you understand software development isn’t just for those with a computer science degree, let’s jump into some more details on how to become a software developer and make that your new freelance career.
1. Pick your niche
To start off your desire to become a software developer, choose an area of software development that you want to be good at from the two specialisations; applicant and system development. You could also choose to learn and excel at a single programming language.
Consider factors such as demand for the skill, difficulty level for a newbie and competitiveness before choosing a software development language.
Best 10 Programming Languages to learn in 2018
The 9 Most In-Demand Programming Languages of 2017
2. Acquire a skill
Once you’ve made a decision about the language you want to start with, you can start building your software development skills by taking courses online.
Some Popular Online Learning Platform are Listed below
3. Practice Programming
Learning programming is a continuous process that requires lots of practice. So if you want to work as a freelance software developer and make money with it – you have to do everything you can in order to learn.
So don’t be afraid to try out different stuff just to practice. You can do this by building something real purely for practice until you perfect your art.
There are a no of practising platform where you can enhance your skills, Couple of them are listed below.
Also, practice with an an open-source project on GitHub, this way you’ll have existing projects to show potential clients.
Another great way of practising programming is by reading other people’s code. GitHub has great repositories that you can use.
4. Decide what to charge
Highly qualified software developers will often earn about $100/hour or more. For beginners, the average charge can be $15 per hour.
A few things that you should consider when deciding what to charge should be the complexity of the software you’re developing, the amount of time it will take you to design it and of course your past experience and expertise.
Research other software developers with a similar skillset and in the same location on a platform like Truelancer to get an idea of how much you can charge as a newbie in the field.
For Detailed Blog Read this- How to quote your clients in a Freelancing Project?
5. Find Work
Once you’re done perfecting your skill and your personal website is up, you can now start looking for clients. This is where the real work on how to become a software developer starts :).
There are many ways to find clients.
– You could use online freelancing sites like Truelancer. See detailed explanation below.
– Relevant Facebook groups are also a great source of quality clients.
– Friends and family are also great sources of clients. They may not be the ones in need of a developer by they could be working for companies do or they may be aware of other people looking to hire. So pass out your business card to family and friends too, you never know!
6. Get reviews and build your portfolio
Once you land your first job, no matter how small you may think it is, asks the client for a review. Add the project and review on your personal website as a portfolio. Reviews are great for building your reputation and to increase your trustworthiness.