Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question, “what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
If you’re on a journey to becoming a freelance developer then you’re probably already aware of the skills you need to have and how to find clients. Without those two, you’re going to find being a freelance developer pretty difficult! Even with those two, you’ll only have more or less the bare minimum required.
The workspace: You can be a developer who is always on the move all you like, but your work may suffer for it. Instead, you should carve out your own space to work, be it in your home or a rented office. This will help keep you focused, and you’ll be able to quickly sink into work every time you open your laptop. Another option is a coworking space, which often has all the facilities you need to succeed. There you’ll also find other workers, which is handy for networking and bouncing ideas around. If you live in or near a city, there’s probably a coworking space not far from you
The Top Software to Do Your Job: You’ll likely have all the hardware and essential software to make sure you’re able to do your job correctly, but there’s also more. Many programs have third-party, additional software that streamlines the work and boosts productivity. JIRA test managing software, for example, can help make you work faster and smarter. There are also tools to help you put together proposals quickly and easily. Essentially, these tools allow you to utilize existing technologies and not spend a second more than you have to on them.
Keeping Things Running Smoothly: It’s easy for things to get away from developers, especially when they’re so engrossed in what they’re doing. However, forgetting to take care of the important details can have negative long-term effects. That’s why you should be on top of everything, using software and when needed an expert. It’s a good idea to have time tracking software installed on your computer so you’ll always know how much to charge your client, for example. Taxes can also be a bit of a headache for freelancers. Either look into one of the applications that make it easier, read up on how to manage it yourself, or hire an accountant to take care of it for you.