How do I start working as a freelancer?

Life Sucks when they are working 9–6 under the same company for years and waiting for that appraisal at April end. They are not able to take out their entrepreneur skills out with coding skills. So they become freelancers, with big freedom comes the big responsibility. And the Risk too.

Here are some Tips :-

• Build Your portfolio. Do build a really amazing one. The client will stay at ur portfolio for 30 seconds max and get bored and look to another one. If you fail to impress, you prepared to fail yourself.
• Grow Your Network. My old friend didn’t have the dream that Mr. Divesh Gangwani is a freelancer and can help me with his business solution. I was active on my network. I grew it, maintained it and benefitted for it.
• Make account on Every Developer Website and be Active on it. People will meet you there and see ur knowledge and you can also have a Team and work together as a Freelancer group.
• Find Freelancer Jobs. Freelancer , Upwork , Fever, Elance, Guru and there are many more websites from where you can get freelancing work online. Comptetion is high and Prices are low. But projects are frequent and scope of learning is high.
• Register Your Self. Buy a domain, Do some SEO and register on Local address on google for the local clients and Register on Just Dial or such apps.
• Work Hard for the First 3 Clients. Not only first, but First THREE. Ask at less price and give whatever they want. U just need that number 3 on ur profile and you are good to go. But explain them that your skills are getting undervalued. You are settling at less prices just to get started.
• Invest Proper Time. Being a Part time Freelancer, it is always hectic for me to manage between Permanent Job and Freelancing. I can’t leave one for my personal reasons. But i am strict to my routine and its not a problem from last 2 years to manage it. Ups and Downs are part of work, but i enjoy it now. You can make a proper schedule and stick to it. I almost work as a fulltime freelancer, I sleep only 5 hours daily except sundays and its my habbit now. You need to define the standard timings and sometimes change schedule acc to workload.
• Charging Fairly. It is important. If you want the client to bring your next 3 clients. Then charges fairly. But done undervalue your skills. You can set your charges Hourly or Project wise. I always prefer Project Wise. Because i can visualise the amount of work, but i cannot tell how much time that would take. Generally clients are not happy on Hourly Basis. They are not satisfied with this option; And freelancers are not happy with second option because clients are demanding. But for me its fair enough to charge Project wise, because i do projects ERP like or Customised business solutions and there is nothing like hour wise defined.

Here are some More :-

• Have a savings of 6–7 months expenses before starting anything like that. It is always good to be at safe side.
• Call your clients regularly and follow up. Put your ego aside and you would get the work soon.
• Don’t think like a programmer. Think like a developer. Give suggestions to clients and provide them a better solution.
• Use already developed libraries instead of wasting time on creating your own. Time management is important and you don’t need to build something like that when u have that perfect thing for free.
• You cam work with Companies and have a contract for with them and have your projects too.
• Freelancing is little hard at times, but rewarding as well.

Pick one for the starter, make the account, pick your field of expertize, put some samples in portfolio (make some if needed) and go bid for projects. That's the only way to learn the landscape and start making money.

Spend some time bidding and researching the competitors. Go over their profiles. See their ratings and past work. Make sure to check the client's profile also and browse through the hiring history for each project you choose to bid for.