How to transition from a full-time job to freelancing as a full stack developer
My tips to help up and coming techies transition from a full-time job to freelancing as a full stack developer, when based in India.
Question
A full stack developer currently employed full time is seeking advice on transitioning into freelancing due to challenges in the current job market.
Wanting to ensure future stability and work flexibility, the developer is already considering portfolio redesign and additional projects for versatility.
They have also signed up on freelancing platforms for potential projects. Seeking guidance on other key focus areas and effective self-marketing strategies to enhance their profile’s attractiveness to potential clients.
The choice
Firstly, you have to decide if you’re really looking for remote jobs vs freelance.
While there are many places you can look for remote jobs, purely freelancing is a bit tricky.
You can also have a mix of two: work part-time in 2-3 jobs, but be transparent.
Portfolio
Creating a portfolio is great. For developers, more so, and easier to do too. For example, you already have GitHub to showcase your work.
If you have more online properties, I would recommend pulling them all together in one place.
A platform like Peerlist is a great place to bring your online contributions in multiple places into a single place. So I would advise creating a profile there.
Also remember to have a personal website and to create content on social media about the work you do in your personal time.
Freelance platforms
There are many, many, many freelance platforms for developers. I don’t have any experience with Truelancer, but you should check out platforms like Upwork, Toptal, Flexiple, Contra, etc. There are many others that you can find in some viral Twitter threads. For any platform you sign up for, please ensure you complete the profile.
More than being present on these platforms, it is important to be active on these platforms. Being active includes being on the lookout for new opportunities that align with your skills, and being among the first ones to apply to those positions. You will find a video on my YouTube channel about how to write good proposals on Upwork.
LinkedIn & Communities
Many people post openings on LinkedIn and closed communities (Reddit, Discord, etc).
Curate some feeds on LinkedIn for Full Stack Developer openings.