4 Keys To Being A Professional Freelance Developer

"Being a professional is more than being a good craftsman. If there's one key point you should take away from this article, it's that perceptions matter, and probably quite a lot more than you think. , nurses with white uniforms were rated by adults as more professional. Another demonstrated unconsciously causes people to make personality judgements.

Software development is a service, and as service providers it's important to be mindful of the people we are serving. While you shouldn't go too far and become obsessed with presentation alone, in general I find that many developers I encounter, especially those who do mostly remote work, do not represent themselves as well and could vastly improve the amount of work they receive with a few simple considerations.

I'll cover 4 main points, COMMUNICATION, PRESENTATION, SELF-PROMOTION and CREDIBILITY. The content is more relevant to remote developers, but the credibility section may be important to people looking for contract jobs in person or locally.




COMMUNICATION



Communication, along with presentation, is one of the most important aspects



Simple Tips:



* Have a good standard of English, make sure you don't make spelling mistakes, and that your sentences are grammatically correct and free of ambiguity. As time goes on and you form a relationship with the contractor, things may change and the person may be more comfortable with slang and short-hand, but the first impression is what matter most.



* Respond as quickly as possible. This not only demonstrates your ability to deal with future responses, but also means your name is seen first among the applicants. If you can't provide an answer to a question the interviewer is giving, it is enough just to say "I've received your message and will respond in full within ".

Try to keep the time window as short as possible, but make sure it's one you can deliver within. This demonstrates your capacity to deliver on time without having even started the project. If you receive an interview request, don't let it sit overnight, even if you can't write a full response, acknowledge the client's message.* Treat clients with respect and be polite, and where possible show enthusiasm. Remember that people are usually very excited about the project they're working on and would prefer you were too. Enthusiasm is positive trait but don't go over the top (one "!" is enough and as a rough guide shouldn't be used more than once per message).

* Find out what a client's preferred communication method is, make use of it - if it doesn't cause extra overhead or time loss on your end."



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