Jul -- General Chat: Getting freelance work

nym
Member
Level: 42

Posts: 19/413
EXP: 512069
For next: 9293

Since: 02-11-12

Pronouns: any
From: Cartoon Heck

Since last post: 16 days
Last activity: 16 days

Posted on 06-14-14 03:21:21 AM

Link | Quote

If you want to find work just look around you. You'd be surprised how many places need programmers even in small towns. Some places are snobs and won't look at you without such and such degree, but if you have the #skillz2paydabillz, you'll find someone who wants to hire you.

____________________

Typhoid
Member
Level: 28

Posts: 148/156
EXP: 130132
For next: 1206

Since: 02-02-10

From: Killadelphia

Since last post: 7.7 years
Last activity: 7.7 years

Posted on 07-02-14 10:57:27 AM

Link | Quote

Originally posted by Zero One
Now that I'm out of University for the year, money is beginning to run low, so I thought I'd offer my skills as a C# programmer. I'm completely new to this, so I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations about:

A) Which websites to look for freelance work;
B) How much a C# programmer should charge per hour;

I'd also be interested in knowing the likelihood of an entirely self-taught C# programmer finding decent work, and if anybody on this forum needs or knows anybody who needs or could use some C# work doing.

Yeah, money is always a valued commodity. Might I ask how you learned (I'm guessing through your University) and why C# over other languages? I've kinda been wanting to try to learn something, but there are a few things preventing me, probably most largely patience. But this is about you and not me so yeah lol.

To try and help answer where you can try to do some freelancing, check out this site, which seems to be all about just that: https://www.odesk.com/. I actually didn't know about the site till I looked into it, but it seems pretty cool.

I can't say I would know what kind of money you should be charging, but my suggestion would be to search around on sites such as the one I linked you to as if you were a client looking for someone and see if you can base it off of others.

____________________

Zero One
5170

And as we fall the spirit carries on,
That a hero'll come and save us all,
As we call the ones we left below,
We all dream of the day we rise above
Level: 129

Posts: 4803/5173
EXP: 24538314
For next: 511340

Since: 05-24-10

From: Delta Quadrant

Since last post: 1.5 years
Last activity: 118 days

Posted on 07-02-14 12:58:09 PM (last edited by Zero One at 07-04-14 08:45:47 AM)

Link | Quote

Originally posted by Typhoid
Might I ask how you learned (I'm guessing through your University)

Actually, I picked up C# about 2 years before starting University (making it a grand total of 3 years right now). I started out with C# Station's tutorials. I think I only managed to get as far as tutorial 7 before getting confused about classes, which is amusing in hindsight. MSDN is also a very good resource for C# and helped a lot. I also had a few friends in an IRC channel that had been using C# long before me and were quite willing to help me out when I got stuck. It's always a good idea to write your own programs to do whatever you feel like, so that helps too. I started out with a basic temperature converter, then rewrote it a couple of times when I learned better methods. I then picked up a Teach Yourself C# in 24 Hours book, but never actually got around to finishing it.

As for why C#, I had already tried C++ and found it quite complicated for somebody just starting out; something I found many other people agree with, even if they're skilled with C++. C# seemed a much friendlier language and I have several friends who agree that C# is not only good for beginners, but also quite a good language as a whole. Plus, I had heard a lot about XNA for C# games development and it was, and is, a good idea. C# and XNA have the caveat that they only work on Windows computers, but thanks to projects like Mono and MonoGame, C# and XNA now run on Linux and OS X, so is now a pretty viable option for cross-platform stuff. Probably not the best option, but still pretty good.

As a note, if you are interested in doing something like programming in University, make sure you do programming before University. My experience so far has been that University teaches bad practices - something which is apparently common, given the comments from my friends who are either in University for programming, or have finished - and generally won't teach you what you should know.

As for freelancing, I'm thinking nobody wants a first-year University student. I've signed up to 5 different freelancing websites and all I got for my troubles was a bunch of e-mails recommending jobs using technologies I know nothing about. Oh well.

____________________
This is a Heisenberg post. I know I posted this really fast, but I don't know where...
My YouTube Channel and Triggernometry Class!
Crossover - The Comic!
My Livestream. Check it! And now, check out my Twitch!
3DS Code: 2879-0110-5138

Tamkis
Member
Level: 27

Posts: 118/148
EXP: 109398
For next: 6761

Since: 03-12-12

Since last post: 3.2 years
Last activity: 3.1 years

Posted on 07-03-14 09:27:52 PM (last edited by Tamkis at 07-03-14 09:31:51 PM)

Link | Quote

Have you tried networking out with fellow friends and business with professional websites such as LinkedIn? It could not hurt to make a profile, or even to make a professional software engineering portfolio website, like mine.

Also, I would strongly recommend keeping in touch with your academic advisor from your university, and to stop by at your university's career center and keep in touch with a career counselor. My academic advisor regularly emails me relevant internships and job opportunities in the software engineering and electronics engineering sectors. In fact, I just earned an 12month contract internship as an electrical technician with his help, which should pay for most of my university bills in the next. It's full-time, $20/hr, 40hrs/wk.

EDIT: Added stuff

Zero One
5170

And as we fall the spirit carries on,
That a hero'll come and save us all,
As we call the ones we left below,
We all dream of the day we rise above
Level: 129

Posts: 4804/5173
EXP: 24538314
For next: 511340

Since: 05-24-10

From: Delta Quadrant

Since last post: 1.5 years
Last activity: 118 days

Posted on 07-04-14 08:47:52 AM

Link | Quote

My games dev lecturer told me to create a LinkedIn, which I have done. It currently only actually has him as a connection, but it should be pretty easy to pick up more connections from him. Plus, it'll be more useful in the future. Seeing a career counselor is a pretty good idea. I'll look into it when my next Uni year starts.

____________________
This is a Heisenberg post. I know I posted this really fast, but I don't know where...
My YouTube Channel and Triggernometry Class!
Crossover - The Comic!
My Livestream. Check it! And now, check out my Twitch!
3DS Code: 2879-0110-5138

Register - Login
Views: 99330370	Main - Memberlist - Active users - Calendar - Wiki - IRC Chat - Online users Ranks - Rules/FAQ - Stats - Latest Posts - Color Chart - Smilies	04-21-22 10:34:56 AM

Query execution time:	0.085908 seconds
Script execution time:	0.016412 seconds
Total render time:	0.102320 seconds