When can you start charging as a freelancer
- Thread starter otc
- Start date
Cryptology
Junior Member
- May 31, 2018
- 190
- 92
It depends what you can provide. Sometimes you can be paid only for fixing some errors or issues on a website/app. Same thing for all freelance missions, i.e. : you can start as a graphic designer for short term missions to edit a bit some photos (filters, crop, size reduction, etc.) and progress until you can design from scratch. 
I wouldn't think in terms of "how long into.." but rather "can I provide something valuable to a client" and if yes, "what is it"?
I wouldn't think in terms of "how long into.." but rather "can I provide something valuable to a client" and if yes, "what is it"?
Yes that is a very good point!
Chris Newman
BANNED
- Oct 13, 2018
- 6,868
- 6,032
If you are confident and sure of delivering what you offer or advertise, then that is when you can start charging for your services and that can be from day 1, right from the start OR after few days OR after few weeks OR after few months OR after few years. It depends on whether you are able to deliver what you are offering or what you are advertising. The day you are able to deliver what you offer or what you advertise, that is the day you may consider charging for your service(s) and hence only you are in a position to know when.
DeadJoe
Elite Member
- May 18, 2014
- 2,235
- 2,992
The problem with learning to code is that you think you know everything until you get hit with real world problems, and then all the shit you learned applies but in a different (troubleshooting/problem solving) angle.
If you are in a first world country, it is not that hard to get a job as a coder or some sort of analyst if you are proficient with a programming language. You just need to move to a big city, there is shortage of technical talent everywhere and companies will hire people with a certain skillset and no experience, usually as contractors to work on a project for a period of time. A lot of the times these positions become permanent as well. When you are in a role like that and do that shit everyday in a real world scenario, you start getting really good at it.
Once you are GOOD at it, that is when you can freelance and get paid imo. It is still possible otherwise, but it will be an uphill battle, because more experienced developers/coders are also moonlighting as freelancers, and that is your competition.
If you are in a first world country, it is not that hard to get a job as a coder or some sort of analyst if you are proficient with a programming language. You just need to move to a big city, there is shortage of technical talent everywhere and companies will hire people with a certain skillset and no experience, usually as contractors to work on a project for a period of time. A lot of the times these positions become permanent as well. When you are in a role like that and do that shit everyday in a real world scenario, you start getting really good at it.
Once you are GOOD at it, that is when you can freelance and get paid imo. It is still possible otherwise, but it will be an uphill battle, because more experienced developers/coders are also moonlighting as freelancers, and that is your competition.