I bought an online video course for learning Front End Development, but I'm getting tired of just watching videos, and I want to work and start making money. Right now, I'm pretty comfortable putting together simple Wordpress or Dreamweaver websites. I'm not comfortable doing complex projects because I feel I don't know enough if something breaks, but I could do small sites for clients who aren't picky. How do I find clients who need small basic websites with smaller budgets who aren't super picky?
Start by building your own web site, and make it look/work perfectly. You aren't going to get anyone to hire you if your own site looks shoddy! WordPress is probably your best bet as there are enough plugins to handle whatever your first few clients will want, and the community is there to help if you get in a bind. Joomla, Expression Engine and the like are a bit more complex to start. Steer clear of e-commerce as well, as there are too many things you need to be familiar with in order to build a secure, compliant site. The last thing you want is to have a site you built hacked, as you will be on the hook for any damages.
Start with friends/family if you can, at least they will be a bit forgiving if you screw something up - a paying client will not be. There are so many developers out there, the chances they will pick an inexperienced one over a guy with 10 years experience who only charges $5/hr are slim - and there are thousands of overseas developers who fit that bill.
You most likely won't be able to compete on the web or on sites like Upwork at first, so really try to get some referral business as that is what will really make you money down the road. As you build more sites and have a portfolio, you'll be able to get work easier.
Answered 8 years ago
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