November 27, 2018 - Freelancing

Starting your career as a freelancer

First, let’s accept the fact that you have your current job! No one in this world is satisfied with their current job! 🙂 Or it seems like it. Everybody wants to be their own boss, have some freedom, work-life balance….. If you are looking for all of that, trust me, freelancing is not for you! Let me explain why.

I started freelancing back in 1999 and been doing it ever since. I started off as a graphic designer, learned web designing, search engine optimization, and digital marketing along the way! Freelancing does give you some freedom, only if you are good at time management. Besides that, you have to wear a lot of hats in order to be successful. You not only have to develop your skills, keep yourself updated on the latest trends, keep on networking and market yourself everywhere!

If you are a fresh college graduate or currently going through your academics, it is the right time to develop some skills! You need to understand that learning paradigm has shifted. The world is moving towards online learning, especially on-demand studies. Institutions like MIT, Harvard and many more have started offering digital courses and diplomas. Acquiring a skill in this era is not difficult at all.

If you are serious about being a full-time freelancer, you certainly need to acquire some skills to generate you a decent income, along with that you would need to develop management skills that include time management, project management, presentation skills, marketing skills, proposal writing skills, email etiquettes, etc.

In this article, I’ll focus on income-generating skills that you can acquire if you are a fresher. I’m a huge advocate of self-learning….. I know I know, you can’t become a doctor just by watching videos on YouTube or become a structural engineer only by watching hi-rise buildings! But there are many skills, digital skills that you can learn and be really good at. Here are some skills that you can learn and start your freelance career with along with some personal recommendations for courses to take.

Front-End Web Developer

Develop competency with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery.
Master basic version control with Git and GitHub.
Apply best practices in responsive design and progressive enhancement.

Lynda Learning Path:
https://www.lynda.com/learning-paths/Web/become-a-front-end-web-developer

The Web Developer Bootcamp:
https://www.udemy.com/the-web-developer-bootcamp/

HTML5 & CSS3 in Urdu/Hindi:
https://www.udemy.com/html5-css3-in-urdu-hindi/

Learn HTML5 & CSS3 to Build Responsive Websites:
https://www.udemy.com/html5-css3-course/

App Development

Explore Android Studio.
Design an app’s navigation and UI.
Code, test, and distribute an Android app.

Become an Android Mobile App Developer:
https://www.lynda.com/learning-paths/Developer/become-an-android-mobile-app-developer

Android App Development for Beginners:
https://www.edx.org/course/android-app-development-for-beginners

Introduction to Mobile Application Development using Android:
https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-mobile-application-hkustx-comp107x-5

Become an iOS 11 App Developer:
https://www.lynda.com/learning-paths/Developer/become-an-ios-11-app-developer

iOS 11 & Swift 4 – The Complete iOS App Development Bootcamp:
https://www.udemy.com/complete-web-development-bootcamp/

Graphic Design

Build a solid foundation in the elements of design: typography, color, and layout.
Explore the design process to visualize compelling ideas.
Practice with hands-on exercises in InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

Become a Graphic Designer:
https://www.lynda.com/learning-paths/Design/become-a-graphic-designer

Graphic Design Bootcamp:
https://www.udemy.com/graphic-design-for-beginners/