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How do you combine your Job, Freelancing, and Learning at once?

zooboole

Published By zooboole

I believe every single developer/designer in this life has been through this dilemma once in his life. The mistake of choosing the wrong one, or mixing them wrongly has led most of us to what we could probably call today a bad destination, or a failure.

Some people decided to rename themselves professional freelancers, some good employees, others students, or worst, old developer/designer(he's no longer in. Hahaha).

All is well, a big mistake; unless it's just a matter of choice

But there is another option, a fifth option in which you could try to combine those three and be comfortable.

A bit of story

I have been a tiny developer since 2003. I developed almost all types of websites for almost all types of clients(in Africa of course. Hahaha). Nevertheless, after all, they seem to be the same worldwide.

I learn C, C++, HTML, Javascript, and PHP in traditional libraries. I was running my source codes(especially with C and C++) on papers and my brain. Hahaha. Because then for me to see a computer, it might be in a movie. Short, I had a very bad learning context. It made me not to understand earlier where/how far one could go with such talent.

But in time I have started developing small websites for myself, through that, people got to know I was doing such job. For those who need my services, I use my small talent and do the job. Yeah, it happens that I met very challenging jobs but I have always come out of it. I have been very lucky none of my works were hacked or cracked in time.

But the reason why I am telling you this is that then I didn't know:

  • I needed to secure my applications
  • I could use third-party code and combine it with mine
  • I could use a framework or even a CMS
  • I could create a simple company website in a night
  • I could meet with programmers on the other side of the planet
  • etc.

It was total darkness. It was so rude that I use to call myself hard coder. I found it very hard to start using CMSes and frameworks. I used Notepad text editor for years and built entire websites with it. My love for the code was so huge that I couldn't use anything that could prevent me from writing it myself. But still, I could offer my best to my clients.

So, all this grabbed my attention on how come I was able to do that then. The answer is simple:

"I had mastered the little thing I learned and I've always used it to do my jobs"

Yes, I was the master of my job.

The breakdown

Well, let me explain what all this rhyme at. I think if most developers/designers fail today it's because they fail to synchronize these three professions, and they fail to do so, simply because they failed to see the difference between them.

1. It all started with school

We went to school to learn how to read, write, speak, and most importantly to learn how to integrate ourselves into the society. Through that, we were thought a lot of disciplines, because life never prevents. The school is more of society and how you must interact with it.

This is what you should give to your boss. Most skills and teachings from schools fit well your job:

  • Be obedient
  • To be time-conscious and prompt
  • Follow orders and hierarchy
  • Never say what you are not asked to
  • Beg your boss even if you are right
  • Being smart doesn't mean anything, just shut it up...
  • Old employees can mess with new ones
  • You don't advise, you are always advised
  • Your financial flow is controlled with some sort of pipeline
  • just be careful...

If you follow these rule I bet you will(almost) be happy in most companies in this world.

2. Freelancing

Yes, with all this above, you have what to blow up. When you get fade up of that, or you are aware and you are scared of stepping into it, then you start thinking of being some sort of independent. I say so because you are never really independent.

You start feeling like you are some kind of strong sub-adult. You could take care of yourself and your life. but the job of a freelancer is simply transferring your company into yourself. Everything(in fact almost) everything that is deployed in companies to give them life must be applied to you as well:

  • Marketing
  • Prospecting customers
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Management
  • Public relations
  • products strategies and development
  • Customer services
  • etc.

Right, there you have to become a king Kong of everything. You need to know more than you need, otherwise, you will have to hire some people to handle some tasks for you, with that it seems you are becoming a company yourself.

Don't take freelancing too high, use it:

  • to make some extra income
  • to create more connections
  • to apply your experience gained every day in companies
  • to prepare yourself as a future boss
  • to learn how to handle project by yourself

And the most important thing you must always do is to use tools you've mastered to run your client's jobs. If you are learning a new coding paradigm, don't use it. If you just started learning how to use Photoshop, don't use it, so on and so forth.

The point is this. As a freelancer,

  • You don't have too much time to waste on client's projects
  • You need to make as much as possible money in short time in order to cover your expenses
  • Usually, clients come to you because they can't afford to hire big corporate, so they will never pay as well as you may expect.

As a freelancer, always use tools, strategies, technics that you've mastered to serve clients.

3. Learning

We never finish learning. At this stage make learn a passion. Don't learn to take the next job offer at your work, don't work to only get a certificate, don't work just to impress or increase your portfolio... Learn to feed in return your career as a freelancer.

As a developers/designers, we usually have our own personal projects. Something we always work on and dream of accomplishing it no matter the cost. These are projects on which you should always apply what you learn. Here you always take your time to do it the way you want it. No rushing. Do it by learning from your mistakes. Everything new you learn, go and apply it to your own project to make sure you master it. Once you reach there, you can take it to others.

What you learn is for yourself, before others.

Bottom line

That is my personal experience in how to combine job, freelancing, and learning at the same time summed up in three main points: Use skills and habits from schools at work, in freelancing use tools you've mastered the most to gain time, and finally perfect your knowledge on your personal projects.

It doesn't kill to go for perfection, it kills only when you refuse to go for it. Try me and make an attempt to these points and you will see how it goes in your own life.

And hoping this help you, we shall meet in my next posts.

photo credit: Creative Hipster via photopin (license)