Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
I need some help. I am trying to find some way to make a little money and get some web development experience (or atlesast some computer-related work experience) while I am finishing my degree (Web Development). I was going to school part time at night and working as a drywall finisher during the day, but I got fed up with my job and quit about a month ago. I now want to go to school full time, but I still need to make money. I only need about $500 a month and I want to get some experience in my field.
I have been searching the internet for freelance jobs, and I have found some sites that put freelancers together with people to buy the services. All of these want a sign-up fee just to look at the job postings. I am not sure if I am qualified to do any of the work that is advertised and I don't want to spend $30-$150 just to find out.
Does anyone know of a good place to look? Am I even qualified? I know HTML, FrontPage, MS office programs, and Adobe Acrobat. I am currently learning javascript. This fall I am taking Perl and CGI, Scripting for the web, Intro to UNIX, and possibly others.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Many departments take on students as pt workers. The local business catering to the student population within 3 blocks from campus perimeter also tend to rely on student workers.
Start with your current department and work your search outward.
You could try contract work, instead of freelance. The contract house will test your skill level and only assign you to jobs which match it; however, the labor demand has gone down and supply has gone up as technology advances and the economy lags, so it's hard to say how often you would be called up for work.
As kevinpate suggests, keep your eyes open on campus. A large university will have several part-time departmental openings at any given time. My first web-related job was a work study position for the Cooperative Extension, at $7/hr.
I would also recommend leveraging to the utmost your time at school, as this is a good opportunity to build up your skillset. Many software and other tools will be at your disposal which might be more expensive/hard to come by in the professional world. There will also be a multitude of departments, organizations, committees, events, and so on which could benefit from a pro bono site, through which you can gain experience and confidence.
I mean think about orgs like a after school program that you could pitch an easy registration through the web type of site.
also - contact the local commerce office for small business contacts.
With all this stuff you learn at college, and all the 'free content' you get handed to you, you could end up with a 100 page site on something you like and know about, which could maybe contribute to that 500 a month, not to mention the hands on experience of working with code and a live site.
you may also be able to get creative with the university's bandwidth? :)
Your expenses and expectations are at the lowest they will probably ever be in your life (no mortgage, car payments, .....) so work for yourself as much as you can. I don't mean to be your own boss in the strictest sense, take jobs and contracts that advance YOU. Turn down things that don't advance your skills and knowledge. (It sounds like quitting the drywalling was your first step in doing this.)
Your first step should be to make a website, any website, maybe even one on drywalling for "do-it-yourselfers".
If you think that you may want to be your own boss then start your own website with the goal of making money from it at some point in the future.
It won't be easy at this point in your life but, it will never be easier.
Best of Luck,
Shane
