Working for a foreign client for a freelance programmer is a great way to convert your revenue into hard currency and insure against exchange rate fluctuations. Finding the first customers is easiest on intermediary sites. What are the characteristics of working there? And which exchanges should be preferred?
It is worth noting right away that freelancing as a phenomenon has two “faces”. The first is work on exchanges, that is, intermediary sites like the Russian fl.ru or the American upwork.com . The second possibility is working for specific clients that you have contacted outside of intermediary sites. Here, the search for clients is in the hands of the freelancer himself (however, customers can contact you themselves, but for this you need to run word of mouth).
What are the features of working on stock exchanges for freelancers?
Firstly, platforms are interested in having as many customers and programmers as possible registered on them, as well as in making as many transactions as possible. This means that there is usually no shortage of orders on exchanges. Secondly, your portfolio on the site is your business card, which allows potential customers to get to know you better. You do not need to create a separate site with your work - which can be a plus in conditions of strong employment or for a beginner. It is important to make a good portfolio - after all, for people who do not know you, this will be the first criterion in deciding whether to work with you. The third feature of exchanges is high competition. You need to be prepared for this when registering on such sites. The profession of a programmer has long ceased to be the prerogative of a small select group: Residents of different countries work on international exchanges for freelancers (including India, which is known for acceptable quality and price dumping at the same time). Therefore, when you participate in a tender for an interesting order, you run the risk of running into a dozen or two rivals. Fourthly, the user rating is of great importance on the exchanges. A beginner will have a hard time competing with experienced freelance colleagues who have already earned a solid rating. To get started, you can take on inexpensive short orders - this will allow you to move from 0 and add a few new items to your portfolio. Fourthly, the user rating is of great importance on the exchanges. A beginner will have a hard time competing with experienced freelance colleagues who have already earned a solid rating. To get started, you can take on inexpensive short orders - this will allow you to move from 0 and add a few new items to your portfolio. Fourthly, the user rating is of great importance on the exchanges. A beginner will have a hard time competing with experienced freelance colleagues who have already earned a solid rating. To get started, you can take on inexpensive short orders - this will allow you to move from 0 and add a few new items to your portfolio.
It is equally important to get the first orders - to learn how to write a cover letter (cover letter) to the application for the project. Some programmers create standard text that is copied over and over again in new applications. This is a bad idea - because it is important for the customer to understand that you are not just grabbing the first thing that turned up, but you have experience in solving his problem and realize what exactly it is. Thus, it is worth taking a little time to delve into the project - and write a personalized letter. Perhaps even including a few ideas about what you will do when you receive the order. What else is worth considering before starting to cooperate with online exchanges for freelancers?
What is the cost of entry to a particular site? As a rule, there is no membership fee on international exchanges, and on Russian ones they often offer to buy a “pro” account.
What commission does each exchange take? A common figure for international sites is 10%.
How will the withdrawal of earned money take place? One of the most common methods is PayPal, but in Ukraine it is legally impossible to cash out earned money. The second option is SWIFT payments, which are credited to your bank card. However, in this case, the income will have to be processed and taxes paid from them, as from those received during foreign economic activity. And the third option is international payment systems (for example, Skrill and Payoneer).
If you are going to work mainly through international sites, then make sure that your knowledge of English is enough. It is also useful to understand the peculiarities of the customer's country and its mentality in order to avoid conflicts or misunderstandings.
One of the most popular freelance websites with over 10 million registered users. It is not just a bulletin board, but a convenient space to work with many features, including free chats for both clients and freelancers. Site commission: 20% for the first earnings from $500, 10% for all orders from $500 to $10 thousand and 5% for orders from $10 thousand.
The site positions itself as providing services to the top 3% of freelancers. Therefore, it is not so easy to start working on it. After registration, you will need to pass a four-step test: knowledge of English, ability to write code, technical interview and make a test project. So the site guarantees customers the quality of services provided by its freelancers.
This site is aimed at those who work with Joomla, WordPress, Magento and other similar technologies. The interface is very simple, the site is not super popular, so there are not as many orders there as on other, less niche, resources.
This platform is focused not only on programmers, but also on freelancers from other areas. The number of registered users is 1.5 million, and the total number of job offers is 3.4 million. The company is located in the USA. You can go here to see what employers offer and how much they are willing to pay. The site is suitable as a side job, especially for beginners who speak English.
Another resource designed not only for programmers, but also for writers, designers, marketers and other professionals. Its advantage is the lack of commission for freelancers. Otherwise, the set of functions is standard: you need to register, create a portfolio, bid on projects and complete them.
If the Russian-language interface is important to you, you can start with these sites:
The resource positions itself as the No. 1 site in Runet for freelancers of all stripes: from programmers to interior designers. Most likely, we are talking about superiority in the number of users. Each registered performer can get into the rating, rising in which will increase his chances of being selected by the customer. The site is ready to guarantee the security of the transaction, but for this you will have to pay him a small commission.
A very popular resource in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet. In general, similar to other similar sites. However, in addition to the rating of freelancers, there is also a rating of customers. Employers can arrange competitions and tenders, and in order to secure transactions, a system of their safe conduct is used.
This Ukrainian site has a modern interface, which is very convenient compared to many other resources from the post-Soviet space. It checks the personal data of freelancers, and customers can leave feedback on the performers they dealt with. And the performers themselves can be sure that they will receive payment for their work, as the site reserves the money due to them. Among the tools of the platform: a system of personal messages, a project forum, attachments, etc.
It attracts attention by the fact that its creators are the authors of the Habrahabr resource, which is popular among programmers. The design of this site is minimalistic, the functionality is simple. The projects are mainly development projects: the development of websites, mobile applications, software, there is also a small proportion of projects related to design, translations, and advertising.
This is a new project from the former leaders of fl.ru. They created not just a platform, but a full-fledged intermediary: the client does not need to communicate directly with a freelancer, this function will be performed by the company itself. In order to get into the developer base, you need to go through a rigorous selection process. But the benefits are worth it: for example, the site will provide assistance for working with foreign customers if you do not know English. Which sites to choose is up to you, depending on personal preferences. But the best thing is to try several sites to gain your own experience and understand the nuances that distinguish them from each other.
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