Ask HN: Can you be a code C as a Freelancer? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Can you be a code C as a Freelancer?

3 pointsEllipsis7532 comments

Hello. I am a Freelance Programmer and I spend most of my time coding for websites using PHP, HTML, CSS etc. I am 18 and haven't been Freelancing for very long but recently decided that programming for websites isn't really what I want to be doing.

I am wondering if it is possible to get Freelancing work doing projects in C or another lower level program-oriented language. In the past I worked on quite a long project in C++ with SDL and OpenGL and enjoyed the lower level parts and optimization involved far more than the higher level PHP scripts and layout adjustments that I have been doing recently.

My question is, is it possible to be a Freelancer while doing lower level programming or should I be looking for a permanent job in the field? I would be interested to know what people think that my next step should be? I would think either going to a University (which I have not done yet) or at least getting a good example program in C or C++ to put on my CV (I've been considering porting a particular 2d platforming game that I like to C++ for a while). What do you think?

Thank you for reading, I'd be interested to know what you think I should do next. :)

What do you want to do?

Do you want to freelance, get a full time job, and/or go to school? Think about why you would be doing each one. Do you just like to code? Are you interested in making a lot of money? Do you just want to learn more?

I think your next step should be identifying a passion that you have. Do you want to develop/design mobile applications? Do you want to get your hands dirty with backend development? Etc.

Once you have an idea, start building a portfolio of projects using the technologies you are passionate about. That is the easiest way to start finding work (freelance or full-time).

Think about what you want for your future. Do you want to work 9am-5pm every day? Do you want total control over your hours? Do you want to be in class every day? What appeals to you the most? Figure out what lifestyle you want to live right now and think about how a full-time job, freelancing, and/or school might affect your ability to get to that point.

Also, here's a tip for freelancing. Stop thinking about yourself as a C developer or a [Insert Language Here] programmer. Instead, focus on specific problems that combinations of your skills can solve. You are probably doing this now as you describe "coding for websites". If you're making websites now, that might be a good place to draw an example from. Businesses need nice websites. I would find plenty of businesses that either don't have or have bad websites. Contact them. Instead of offering yourself as a PHP programmer, offer to build and design them a nice website. Show them examples of your work.

Thank you for your reply. It's very helpful. I'll have to think about it all. :)

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