Earlier in the month, I wrote about pricing my first gig. I used the hourly rate I was getting from other jobs as a base for how I came up with the price, and for the first few clients, it worked- but it wasn’t a lot. As time went on, more clients [I didn't know personally] started coming in and I had to come up with a standard way to price my services.
One big problem I used to have was coming up with prices for a project. The FSw Rate Calculator helps you figure out how much you should charge by taking into account your costs, working hours, goals, etc. Definitely worth checking out. And come back in a few days for a post on my first pricing experience.
Dave Shea's portfolio is a true work of art.
A few days ago, I mentioned the importance of having a portfolio, as well as some tips for creating one. I was going to write a post about 10 good designs I’ve found, but as I was sitting down to write this post someone in my Twitter feed (@studiorohan) posted a link to 50 Impressive Designs, which not only found better ones but trumped the 10 I was going to do. So instead I’ll post the really good ones I have, and let you peruse the ones over at Spoonfed Designs.
Freelance Web Dev blog Wake Up Later has a nice list of 10 things you should say “No” to as a freelancer. Worth checking out- I’ve definitely gotten burned by saying yes to some of this stuff.
I realized early on that it was important to have a portfolio- someplace online people could go to view my current work. I had my niche, which means I had a few projects I was ready to show off. That coupled with somethings I was doing for school, and I was golden.
The thing to remember about your portfolio is that, for all intents and purposes, it’s better than your resume. Someone looking to hire a freelancer doesn’t care about what school you went (or go) to, your GPA, or your volunteer work. They want to know what you can produce and your portfolio will show them that. So first thing’s first: build one. And if you need a little guidance…
I’ve put together a store of books and tools that I find useful- sort of a one stop shopping experience for freelancers! If add anything worthwhile to it, I’ll also post it here as wel. So check out the store; and if you have any suggestions, let me know!
PS- I’m planning something pretty cool for the site, so keep checking back.
Freelancing the Net is a blog dedicated to giving advice and tips to other freelancers or those looking to freelance. It is the first hand account of how a freelancer got to where he is, from the beginning up until now.
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