Finding work before qualified. Advice Please

Hi,

Sorry if this is a similar post to one or two already active right now but they did get me thinking.

The fact is, I’m redundant and need to earn money to keep paying those bills. I am up to intermediate algorithms and do struggle a bit, but I get through them. I don’t struggle with the logic so much, I struggle with remembering the js language and the methods it gives me. I am not too worried about “getting” it long-term. My end goal is to freelance fullstack custom apps, or contract to companies doing the same thing.

I don’t believe I’m ready for employment as a “junior dev” of any kind yet but I think I might be good enough to make simple brochure style websites for the likes of local business - maybe.

My problem is I’m not very good at selling myself or benefits of service verbally. It’s not something I can learn to do either as I’m made this way. I would never make a good salesman, I don’t know any sales people and I can’t afford a sales service.

Another problem I face Is that I’m a carer for my son who is disabled and I’m a single dad so this means I only have between the hours of 8am and 4pm plus 9pm onwards where I can work – I think this may force me into freelance work because I doubt many agencies would be interested in me if I was limited to those hours including commute.

Feel free to look in my portfolio if you like. It contains the sum of my experience, apart from one wordpress template website and one brochure website I have made. I think my work so far is not bad but also under the skin of it, very basic – the more experienced amongst you will likely see that right away.

So, realistically do you think someone would pay me for a website of similar quality? (I have read enough that I think I’ll do a reasonable job concerning the designed for purpose aspect of a small commercial website). I’d rather not churn out WordPress template websites as there are already quite a few people doing that in the area – I would hope that a custom one would be more appealing to local business, but again I’d probably not be able to sell myself or my work over a nice WordPress job.

Would a local agency perhaps consider me for some part time work?

Would the likes of upwork be a good choice? I’m in the UK so I think I’d struggle to compete with overseas prices, even if I was good enough for the work yet. I haven’t scoured those sites properly yet, but from what I have seen there seems to be little suitable for my level of experience and skills.

Should I walk around businesses in my area and try to sell a few websites?

Or should I shut up, get my head down and crack on until I’m qualified with a portfolio full of exercises and then worry about selling myself?

Thanks

Mark

p.s any advice where I can find FCC type projects to do in the evnings and fill my portfolio would be great :slight_smile:

1 Like

Your portfolio link is dead (managed to find the real one after). The portfolio is really good and surprised me that actually doing those FCC projects really strengthens our portfolio. I just hope and wish you get a real project soon! Take care buddy! :slight_smile:

Have you tried Fiverr?