If you have programming skills you should try to put them to good use by freelancing – there are plenty of websites offering projects and freelance jobs that could be perfect for your knowledge. Finding freelance jobs in programming and coding is not as difficult as it may sound – winning them, however, is another thing. Here are a few tips that should help you earn more money online by constantly winning freelance projects:



Create a good portfolio – as with any freelance job, having a good portfolio is the start of a successful Internet business. Start by doing some work for free, for yourself or for friends. Once you are confident enough with your programming skills, create a few samples of your work and maybe upload them on a website (you can download a free web template here and upload it on a free hosting site, if you wish).

Start off with competitive pricing – even if you have a nice portfolio, most of the freelance jobs in programming and coding are accessed on auction-type websites, in which you bid on a project. At first, before your rankings grow, you should offer to do work for 50% of what you would normally charge.

Offer a free sample – this is the winning move whenever you wish to secure a project. If you want to make money online by doing programming work, you need to risk some of your time and present your potential clients with free mockups of what they are after.

Be prompt and polite – respond to your client's requests ASAP. Also, don't forget to be polite – many people skip greetings and signing their name in a message – don't!

Freelance IT programmer tips

The single most important thing about being a freelance IT coder is to secure enough projects on a monthly basis so that you can rely on a constant income from your online job. A good online IT programmer job may pay as much as any regular coding job, maybe even more if you manage to find good clients. However, success does not come straight away – you need to sharpen your coding skills and build your reputation as a reliable and prompt freelance IT programmer. Many coders who are extremely talented in programming have a hard time putting together a nice portfolio website because they lack the aesthetic sense that is vital when creating a nice looking site. We recommend that you make your life easier and simply use a free web site template that already has a strong visual presence and an attractive look and feel. You will notice that your reputation of being a great freelance IT coder will increase dramatically once you are able to show your clients exactly what you did in the past. You can look for clients on specialized forums and discussion boards or by joining a freelance website and competing on auctions and projects. You can also develop your own freelance IT programmer website and get leads this way, bypassing all the competition.