Get Started as a Freelance PHP Developer!
Get Started as a Freelance PHP Developer!
While there are PHP jobs available, there is often a lot of competition for them. Beginning PHP developers often complain that there are no jobs for them since it seems that so many companies hire for Java or ".Net" web development. Entry level PHP jobs can be difficult to find. This is why many PHP developers prefer to freelance. PHP is often the web development platform of choice for small and mid-sized businesses which means that there is plenty of work available for freelance developers.
Thinking about working for yourself can be a little daunting at times. As a freelance developer, you will have to handle sales, accounting, client management and do your development. It certainly takes juggling a lot of roles. The positive aspects more than make up for the extra work. As a freelancer, you will be able to work on projects that excite you, you will gain a wider diversity of experience as a developer and you will be helping other small businesspeople bring their vision into reality. Here are some key things to know or think about to get started as a freelance PHP developer.
Know Your Stuff (And Know When You Don't)
This might seem like obvious advice but often new freelancers bid on jobs that they are not capable of completing. If you hang your shingle out as a freelance developer, make sure you have the skill to be a developer. If you are new to PHP, do some practice development before you try to sell your skills. There are a number of great open source projects to which you could contribute. You'll hone your skills and you'll get feedback from other developers about how to make your code better. Another great way to practice your skills is to develop WordPress plugins.
It is equally important that you know when you don't know how to do something. Businesses can be notoriously bad about leaving important details out of their requests for proposal. This is usually because they do not know or do not have the skills or knowledge needed to ask the right questions. As a freelance developer, it is your responsibility to determine the scope of the work. Requests often make something sound trivial when the reality is that they are either very difficult or completely impossible. Be sure you know the limits of your skill set.
This is important. The image of freelance developers as a group is often hurt by amateur developers who over commit and under deliver. You want to be an asset to the freelance development community so make sure you can provide the service you are selling.
Setting Your Rate
This is another area where new freelancers are often criticized. New freelancers tend to set their rates way too low which leads to an overall perception that it is "cheap" to have something developed in PHP. Many of these same freelancers end up going out of business because their rate was too low to be sustainable. Freelance rates for web development can run anywhere from $30 to $120 per hour. As a freelancer, you will be responsible for paying your own social security and other taxes. This can be as high as 15%. If you've previously worked as a developer, you can use your previous hourly rate as a starting point. I typically add 25% to cover the costs of self-employment taxes, insurance and paid time off. On top of this, you'll want to add a percentage to cover your overhead expenses and provide a profit. You'll also need to consider your market. What are others charging and what is the cost of living like where you are located? These should also affect your rate. I've found it helpful to develop a range of rates. I'll quote a job on the lower end of the range if the job is non-profit and on the higher end if the project is not of great interest to me.
Building Your Portfolio
You will need a portfolio to show prospective clients. You should have a good 5-7 sites that you have built to show your abilities. These can be personal sites, blogs, or sites that you've done for other clients. Ideally, you'll want the sites to show a variety of your abilities so don't show a client 7 blogs unless you're building them a blog too.
New freelancers often have trouble building a portfolio. If you have a cause that you're passionate about you can donate time to building a web site for your favorite charity or offer a reduced rate to a friend's business in exchange for a reference. This will allow you to build a portfolio you can show other clients. Keep in mind that your future clients are likely to contact the owners of your portfolio sites. If you donate development to a charity, give them the same level of service you give your paying clients.
A Word About Online Freelance Job Sites
There are a number of online freelance job sites such as Guru.com and Elance.com. These can be good places for a new freelancer to get some work but you need to be careful how you utilize them. First of all, expect to make much less than your normal rate. These sites are very competitive and you will find that you are often bidding against offshore companies that charge extremely low rates. You will also want to provide a very detailed proposal as the job details are often very vague. The number one mistake freelancers make is relying on these sites for too much of their revenue. While they can be good places to get some initial work or to supplement your jobs, depending on them can be detrimental to your long-term business. Diversifying where your acquire your clients is a smart move.
Writing Proposals and Managing Project Scopes
To be successful as a freelancer, you will need to be able to write good proposals. Your proposal is how you sell a prospective client on your vision for their project. A key component of your proposal needs to be a defined scope of work. You want to spell out exactly what services you are providing and what features the finished project will contain. This will help you with change control later on. Change control is the process of documenting changes that a client wants that are outside the original scope of work or changes being made to finished portions that were previously accepted by the client. It is normal to charge an additional fee for these changes. Most freelancers have a procedure for documenting the change and the fee being charged for the change. You will want to develop a process for this as well.
Network with Other Freelancers
You can learn a lot from other freelancers. Networking with other freelancers allows you to share experiences, learn new skills and may even provide you with referrals and new business. I follow a number of freelance developers on Twitter. You can also meet other freelancers through business networking meetings in your area. Meetup.com often has small business groups that you can join. Networking with others is an important part of building a successful freelance practice.
Learn Project Management Skills
Freelancers wear a lot of hats. As a result, it can be difficult at times to manage distractions and keep projects moving forward. New freelancers often grossly underestimate how long a project may take. Developing good project management skills is essential to being successful and keeping your clients happy. Consider a course in project management or investigation one of the project management certifications. These skills will help you keep your projects on track and will help you provide your clients with more realistic estimates of when their projects will be completed.
Freelancing is a very challenging career path. It is also very rewarding. To be a successful freelance developer, you will need to develop a number of skills. For a new freelancer, learning to write proposals, learning to manage projects, building a portfolio and establishing a network are critical first steps. From this solid foundation, you can develop additional skills that will make your freelance career successful and satisfying. Good luck!
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