Mon Jan 14 2019
Tips for freelance programmer to survive in 2019
Excellent skills are always required in the freelancing industry to deliver projects exactly as desired. The skills are constantly changing day by day, and it is imperative that freelancers all over the world should evolve accordingly. Clients demand and expectations act as the propellant for the acquisition of the new skills in the market.
Freelancing is a business lifestyle in which an individual sells the service without being hired on a permanent basis. A freelancer works as an independent contractor who gets hired by the companies to get their specific work done, in other words, you are the boss of yourself.
It is also worthy to note that freelancers are among the highest paid on various freelancing platforms due to the amount of expertise required in the industry. Furthermore, the number of jobs available for this industry is on a daily increase due to the growing trend of technological and digital globalization.
So, to utilize these benefits and offers, you have to stay ahead of the curve. You need to equip yourself with necessary and updated knowledge, and also put the latest skills to practice constantly. It is only natural to examine those skills that can help freelancers perform better on web development projects in 2019.
So, in this post, we explore a few things to keep edgeways for the traveling dev who doesn't want a typical 9-to-5.
Here are the skills -
Cryptography for Blockchain
This year, have seen a host of blockchain-enabled projects emerging. It suffices to say that blockchain technology has changed the landscape of a number of industries and the web development sector. In 2019, there will an exponential demand for programmers with an understanding of blockchain. So,
you need to learn the knowledge of completing transactions on a cryptographic consensus algorithm, enabling peer-to-peer interaction of devices.
Big Data Analytics
Businesses are now dealing with oceans of data and data scientists are able to develop algorithms that will capture relevant data, sort it, analyze it, and report it, based upon individual business needs. Data-Driven web design will help the organization monitor how they can gain more traffic, leads, and even conversion. In fact, research has shown that businesses that aptly make the switch to a data-driven web design enjoy more traffic and this leads to a better return on investment. Learning big data will come in handy as you plan to take on more projects in 2019.
Learn Python language
Just look at the growth in the last five years. This is enough to tell you that machine learning is not just a fancy keyword, it is the real deal. Just because AI is relatively young, the number of programmers in this field is minimal. The implication is that we almost never see professionals who have long-term experience. You should learn the use of Python for AI. The syntax is incredibly simple to follow and several algorithms can be implemented on the platform. The functional libraries such as NumPy for scientific computations and Pybrain for machine learning also greatly simplify the learning process for developers. It will give you a huge edge.
Knowledge about the Internet of Things
The concept of the internet of things is one that promises to completely revolutionize the way apps are being developed. The aim is to equip virtually every object with network connectivity. Basically, think of it as enabling your toaster, refrigerator, car, and even your thermostat to send and receive data. As a web developer, you are privileged to be on the frontier of this wave and it is imperative that you learn more about the ways in which you can leverage the opportunity in 2019.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
The concept of progressive web apps is new. The aim is to introduce the best of both native websites and mobile apps and then combine it into one app while eliminating the drawbacks of each. This is another really important skill for freelancers to learn in 2019.
Establish yourself as an Expert
Building your personal brand positions you in a unique way from others by highlighting your expertise, skills, values and other unique qualities that define you. It’s important to find your niche and to then establish yourself as an authority that can be trusted. When you can prove to be an expert in the field, companies wouldn’t mind paying a premium price to consider working with you than with one of your cheaper competitors.
Better communication ability
Without improving your communication skills, it would be quite a difficult story for you to exchange the point with the customer. Most of the customers analyze the capacity and caliber of the freelancer with his/her communication skills. Most of the times, it works with the message, but once the relationship between a freelancer and the client builds up, they also move to Skype or Google Hangout to connect with each other, and if that doesn’t go well, it could hurt your reputation. So, keep on trying to improve your communication skills.
Freelancing is a great way to kick start your money-making journey. Most of the people who come across freelancing tend to take it as a part-time money-making gig, for some, this part-time activity has turned into a Full-time business; Freelancing is not difficult or easy, in fact, it’s a lifestyle. You are your own boss, do whatever you like, take projects which you will love to do.