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Freelancing Opportunities

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  • 13-02-2012 7:52pm
    #1
    moycullen14
    Registered Users Posts: 870 ✭✭✭


    I've been out of software development for a number of years and have recently started (again) with some mobile development. I was wondering what people think of the opportunities for freelance/contract development work - either fixed price or time and materials - and how you'd go about finding work. My skills would be mainly be C/C++ on Unix, java (server), databases, iphone, android, blackberry.


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    #2
    Genghiz Cohen
    Registered Users Posts: 7,182 ✭✭✭Genghiz Cohen


    Freelancer
    People post ideas and you bid for the contract.
    Payment is made through the Freelancer site so it's not paid until both parties agree the work is done. If there is a dispute the Freelancer staff take a look and judge the situation.


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    #3
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    Don't bother with freelancing sites. They're all a race to the bottom, pricewise, and unless you want to work at an effective rate which is lower than what you're going to get working in McDonalds, a developer from Pakistan, India or even eastern Europe will always be able to underbid you.

    I suggest you do three things; network, network and network.

    Get business cards done and a basic Web site up and running, which gives you a bit of a brand.

    Go to industry events (hosted by organizations such as Mobile Monday, your local Chamber of Commerce, etc). Monitor IT industry sites and mailing lists and get your name out there. Build up relationships with companies and freelancers with complementary skill sets (e.g. Web designers who may need to subcontract development work in the future). Tap your friends, family and anyone else for contacts.

    Keep grinding at this for a few months and for every 20 leads, one will convert and once you have enough feelers out there, over time, you'll begin to build up a pipeline of steady work - but it does take time.

    Until then, for cash flow, look at contracting.


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