How to get freelancing without an exchange?

Question

Freelance

Good day. Asked such a question. How to look for a job and orders? With exchanges, it’s understandable, basically it’s pay, register and turn there already, have time to respond to orders. But I'm thinking about alternatives. One of the options is to make a good portfolio site and promote it on the Internet and maybe everything will work out. I also think there is an option in VK and in general in social networks, look to design your page, you can make yourself a group. But maybe someone else will tell you something and it would be interesting to have someone who works this way without resorting to exchanges. And maybe there are some other ways or forums. I'll tell you myself while I'm doing layout html css js. Worked remotely for a bit. While unemployed. But I'm looking more and more towards freelancing. In general, such a question. Maybe not everyone will want to share their secrets), but I hope someone will give some information and ideas.

Answer 1

But I'm thinking about alternatives.

the alternative is to pursue a career in a normal company rather than freelancing as a web macaque.

Answer 2

Old customers bring in new ones (the so-called "word of mouth").
Some clients become permanent (support and development of the project).

Answer 3

It’s just that the exchange is the cheapest option
. Everything else is much more expensive, either financially or in terms of time costs.

Answer 4

Old satisfied customers bring new ones.
Unlike exchanges, ads, websites - here clients already come prepared. They trust you in advance, they are ready to pay you well.
Word of mouth works for a very long time and is very effective.
Until now, they work with clients whom I met back in 2002.
And with those whom they brought.
And with those who were brought by those who were brought by those who were brought first.
For all the years, I used the exchanges out of curiosity than because there was nothing to eat and I needed a job.
Didn't advertise.
There is no site.
An important point: the phone number has not changed all these years.
And email too.

Answer 5

Freelancing without intermediaries is automatically plus 1-3 hours a day to working time - for constant monitoring and searching for direct clients. It is taking on additional risks. This is a constant investment of your time in your own "brand", so to speak (participation in specialized activities - conferences, communities, open source, etc. - in other words, you should be "seen" where potential customers can watch). You need to understand that intermediaries do not eat their bread in vain (at least you need to choose the right intermediaries :) ) Not all specialists, simply by their nature, will be able to master all the related technical skills for successful work in freelance mode.
In addition, if we take the international market, no one is particularly in a hurry to cooperate with craftsmen from Eastern Europe (at least if not at bargain prices). Little things are easier, yes. Projects are more serious - there either their local laws prevent them from hiring for a long time and seriously, or their accounting department simply rests on doing something more complicated and not registering a local employee, but processing payments and a contract with a foreign freelancer. Syndrome teller "sberbank-mail-rf" - they have the same - only simple and understandable operations, everything else - I don't know, I don't know how.
And the domestic market is poor. Employers want to hire you for the lowest office wages, as it is generally accepted in the homeland that hiring a freelancer is to save money. Arguments that you do not need to pay taxes for it, spend money on a workplace, etc. - usually go to dev / null Well, from personal experience, it is more pleasant to work with foreigners - they are more correct and issues are usually resolved in a constructive manner. The culture of business communication is usually higher.

Answer 6

Depends on the area you work in. I find clients at thematic exhibitions/events. Yes, for this you need to leave the house and talk to living people.

Answer 7

For example, become part of the community in some kind of framework or plugin. Help on the tech support forum and spend days and nights hanging out on their website. Write helpful tutorials. Customers themselves will write in a personal and persuade them to take their money.
Your site is only needed as a portfolio - and even as I saw, even without it they write constantly with job offers.
Working and tested version.

Answer 8

as you like - to drag around exhibitions, various conferences, presentations, hand out business cards, spread as much information about yourself as possible. at least hang ads on poles. Job sites. Boards of announcements.

Answer 9

Thematic forums where there is a section "Work"

Answer 10

Make a product. Circulation decision.

Answer 11

I received orders twice after publishing on Habré.
Periodically I receive direct orders from users of my open source project
I received many small orders from a local classifieds site after publishing an ad about creating sites for a penny fee I receive
several orders a year from just a well-filled and free profile on the freelance exchange
As for me, the most money and cool orders are when a person comes to you who wants to work specifically with you (from an open source project), but the time spent on developing open source is huge and if this is not a hobby for you, then you should not take it.
The easiest way to get a job on the freelance exchange. I use a free account on freelancehunt.com and I have enough orders.

Answer 12

I am looking for clients on the stock exchange.
There are always clients who give a lot of tasks to freelance. After 1-2 orders with such a client through the exchange, work continues outside of it.
It will not be superfluous for any method of finding clients, but I would not consider it as the main one. It will be more expensive than a subscription to any of the exchanges.

Answer 13

Depending on the type of activity, you can use social networks. Linkdin worth a try.

Answer 14

With exchanges, it’s understandable, basically it’s pay, register and turn there already, have time to respond to orders.

Tell me, please, which ones?