Hi all

Ive been using php for a little while now and i feel confident enough to try out some freelance work. But i have a few problems...i dont know how good i am, does that make sense? I feel that if i took on a project, even a small one i might not be able to follow it through as i might find problems. For example one project i am looking at is to add fields into a form and database and then output them on a profile page and allow the user t edit the details. Ive messed with things like this before and all it involves is adding some extra fields onto pre-exsiting pages and database. But i feel the pressure of working for someone else because at the moment im a student at college, have no "education" in php/sql/HTML only things ive taught myself so i have no proof i can do it and i doubt myself as i dont know my level of coding if that makes sense.

And the student thing is annoying too as it means i have only evenings and weekends for the php work and if i have hmework or coursework i have less time for the freelancing and i dont want to hold up a project and dissapoint someone! And ive no experience in freelancing but i guess that will be gained.

And where can i find freelance work? ive registered on phpfreaks and php-freelancers but most of the projects ask for qualifications etc...and are in america meaning i loose cash due to the exchange rates !

any advice greatly appreciated!

If you dont start your project you wont improve your skills at programming. Its practice what makes the master.
So you should start something that you really wanna try, cause its motivation what will make you get the enough dedication for stay on road.
But i recommend not to start a work for someone now, cause its true what you say, the pressure will not let you give your best.
So better start a project, no matter if you think is hard or simple, but as i said, it must be something you really wanna try, and dont worry if you dont have enough time for doing it, since its for yourself, you can do it with calm.

Good luck.

I've been programming for 10 years, since first grade, and I can give you some advice. As said above, practice makes perfect. I wouldn't start just yet, education is something that just throws off people because of stress, and you need to be calm to program at your very bests. Try developing a small application, and set yourself a deadline that you want to meet. This will get you used to making deadlines and setting them long enough for you to complete your work. Do you have summer vacation in college? This is something I would try over the summer, or during a long break, just to get a small taste of what its really like to be a freelance programmer. You don't always have to design stuff for money either. I write stuff for other people, and I usually get something small in return, adspace, but usually just hosting credits because the majority of my clients are from trap17. Good luck with this!

I would suggest doing some stuff for free first, just to test yourself. If you find you have the dedication, time, and skills, go for it! It's really all just learning the code. Challenge yourself to do something pretty big, so you know you'll be able to figure out anything in the future.

Also, give some examples of what you can do now. It's surprising what you can learn from just one project. I've learned all sorts of new stuff just creating a simple guide/news system for my fave Runescape forum. If you can't figure something out, *google it.* You can almost always figure out what you need.

This post has been edited by Sharn: Nov 16 2006, 03:51 AM

Ive done two small free scripts involving an online file editor and a form like the trap17 hosting application form, they went fine though it was only one php file

Trouble is when im doing projects for myself i dont know what to do! Im thinking of writing a small CMS mainly because im bored and then i can use it on my own site as the mini one i wrote is abit lame lol

Thanks for the advice, i finish college this year so ill have loads of free time after exams and i might try to get a few jobs in to get me a little bit of experience and money maybe before i start uni.

Thanks