Although I have a regular 9-5 job, I do a lot of freelance and consulting work for extra income. I’m often asked how to find regular freelance work, so here are my top five ideas for finding freelance gigs:
- Attend local meet-ups. I’m an active member of several web development meet-up groups. It’s a free networking opportunity, plus you’ll learn something valuable at every meeting.
- Contact local development companies. You might be surprised at how often small development firms need help, either because they’re short staffed or a client has a need they aren’t qualified to fill.
- Write an article. Find an online (or published) magazine and write an article. You’re likely to get a huge jump in traffic to your website, plus you’ll attract many more subscribers to your blog or Twitter feed.
- Volunteer. This may seem counter-intuitive, but I’ve found more work as a result of volunteering than anything else in the past two years. You will eventually meet people who need your professional help, and they will highly recommend you to their friends, family and co-workers.
- Barter Services. I live in a fairly small town and I love the service I get from the small business owners. Many of these businesses need a new website (or a new design for their old one) but can’t afford to pay cash in this economy. How does a year’s supply of dry cleaning sound for a new website?
About Arthur Kay 
