hi guys and gals, just a quick question for all you freelance web dev/designers out there, how did you get into it all? ive started working for a small web development team, and was thinking that in a couple of years time when i have the experience/skills i would maybe like to try something like this out, i mean keep my job and do some freelancing on the side, until i could maybe do it myself full time,

so im wondering how you people went about it, i guess you have your own websites showing your work, now would it be ok if on my own website in my portfolio i was to reference and link to work that i had done in the job im in currently, so if for instance i built so and so's website could i link it in my portfolio and describe it etc??

thanks for all the info and advice

Dan

didgy58,

Hope you don't mind, I edited the topic title to be a bit more descriptive, also I'm moving this to the Cubicle Corner

Well first of all to get started you are certainly on the right track. Work with a team that can show you the ropes, try the freelancing on the side and see if it is something you can do and make money at. Might as well do that while maintaining an income so you are not pressured with the whole need money thing.

Once you do that you can usually work for some people you know and maybe even do a few sites for cheap/free to help you boost work experience and create a portfolio.

And if you did some work with your current employer, sure use that in your portfolio. But just make sure all your future employers know that you worked in a team and point out the specifics that you contributed to. If you built the dynamic menu system, mention that. It can only show the employer that you have team experience and can be a player that won't attempt to take all the glory.

Well, I haven't actually made any money at this point from my freelance work (most of it has been for teachers who are to lazy to put something together on their own, or make sure the keep the integrity of what others make for them). But I have done about 3 different sites for people that I know personally and the word then passes around to other people and that will in the end help you get more work.

Sad thing about starting off like this is that many people won't worry about taking the time to keep it looking good.

If you want to see some of what I am talking about (a site I made that the new owner has managed to screw up):
http://peaktopeak.org/Content/Homework/hmitchell/index.html

Assuming they haven't managed to make things even worse it should still look okay (other than the bottom doesn't align anymore).

Additionally, when you are doing things like this and hoping for work to come from word by mouth things can go wrong. For instacne one of my websites that I did for people is no longer running (due to theri business going under). And my other website that I mae for people (php based that would allow students to upload their homework and get their grades from online) never saw the light of day (the TEXH teacher couldn't figure out how to use an install.php file, simply OPEN IT and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS for crying out loud!).

So, ya things tend to find a way to go wrong, like Murphy's Law states.

Creating a portfolio is also something that is definately useful to do (I would have one, but a web programming and design portfolio on a gaming site doesn't sound right, so I am waiting until I get my next site to create one.).

Some general tips for getting better rep is to (as Martyr stated) not take all the credit (especially for something, or some part that you didn't to). Make sure that your customers know what to expect adn what you have done in the past. If they think that you have done a TON of sites and later learn that you didn't do all that much in some of them you may lose customers for ever.

Hope everything goes well for you,
BetaWar

If you're serious about freelancing, you have to remember that getting started, it's not all about your skill, it's at least 50% sales. you have to go out and drum up the business. Put together a portfolio, and then start attending local chamber of Commerce type events, business breakfasts, look for an opportunity to post links on other sites, etc...

You can take it for what's it's worth (I've done this before), but success in freelancing begins with self promotion - it can be sustained by excellent work and the resulting word of mouth, but before you can be a farmer, you have to be a hunter.

Not to be a downer, but many jobs, including mine prohibit any type of freelancing work while employed. At my current job there is a couple sections in the policy. Here they are(with certain parts altered for privacy in quotes):

Conflicting Employment
Unless specifically approved by "BOSS" in advance, no employee is permitted to be
employed by or to provide contract services for compensation (monetary or non-monetary) for any
company, individual or organization for work that could be considered in conflict with "COMPANY"
(i.e., activities related to the computer industry.)

Ownership
"COMPANY" is the owner of all work produced by employees while they are employed at "COMPANY" This includes ideas, designs, source code, data, methods, procedures etc.

Not trying to discourage you, but you may want to make sure your your policy allows freelance work. This may not be the norm, just what my policy says.

I really looked into doing this and actually had some potential clients lined up and then I read my policy. I mean I make decent money at my job and just wanted the freelancing for some extra, but I wasnt about to risk losing my job over it. Best of luck though. Ive heard it is really nice so long as you have regular work.

This post has been edited by Sonic88: 10 Jun, 2008 - 09:08 AM

Some companies do have non-competitors clauses, but these are contained within a set of documents you read and sign - by law in the US (and Canada and the UK), the agreement has to explicit, not implicit. Because of that, I assume the OP is already aware of his/her eligibility. unless they did not read all clauses in any document they signed...which would be foolish.

Yea Im sure he has, just wanted to give a heads up because I missed that point in mine lol. Although now I dont feel lazy for not doing it haha.

Don't feel bad - I speak from having done the same thing a number of years ago. Spent a lot of time developing a product that my company ended up taking ownership of, and they pointed me to the provision on the document I'd signed and not read. 1 token payment and no IP rights later, I remain as bitter as a sour apple martini, both at them and myself.

Ouch! At least I had not done any work. I did have couple of projects that I was about to pursue though. But finishing a project just to have them take it? Id be bitter too.

If you want to put something in your portfolio, don't just copy a url of where it was at one point. Not only can the site go down, but they can change it, and then you would be taking credit for work that wasn't yours. If I build something for a client, I'm not going to give out their full site as part of my portfolio, but will take a couple snapshots of it when I'm done working on it, and write a little description including any particular features and, if I wasn't the sole creator, which parts were mine. You can have THAT link to the actual site sometimes, but if the site goes down you still have your work represented.

It's usually best if you specify to the client that you can use any work you develop to showcase in your portfolio. If it's an internal app, not just a public website, this is extra important.

That's absolutely correct. Every client is like applying for a job, constantly proving yourself. You don't have to be the best, you have to show them that you are the best, or can provide the best value for the cost.

I got started in Freelance when I was too stubborn to go to college ( I thought I knew it all ) & I had just gotten fired from another factory job. So broke, & facing foreclosure, I looked into, & eventually started my own business.