Another obvious, but often overlooked option of finding work, is networking. In every big city, 1
there are swarms of interpreters and startups that are hustling and trying to make their 2
business work. 3
And they all need a website. 4
You're in a very good market. 5
Every business be it small, or large, or international, or local. 6
Even individual professionals like you and me. 7
Photographers, coaches, KonMari organizers, they all need a website. 8
So, where do you network? 9
Start with meetup. Meetup, 10
if you've never used it, is a place where people organize different events surrounding a specific theme 11
or a topic. 12
For example, this group Lisbon.ux organizes different design related meetups and events in my 13
city. Entrepreneurs, startups, other designers they're quite valuable connections for you and they often 14
go to meetups like this. Because they run their own sort of meetups, and organize their own talks, and 15
workshops, and different sorts of events that attract the right crowd that could be useful for you as connections. 16
I once got a gig out of an event like that. I once attended a workshop on how to wireframe a website. 17
Really, I actually attended a workshop on that. Not that I needed to learn. But I thought, you know, 18
what, it's gonna be fun. 19
And what do you know. 20
I got a gig out of it. Even if you meet the right crowd in meetups, you'll realize that many of them don't 21
have good enough budget to pay you well for website projects. 22
It's good when you're starting and you're fine sacrificing some pay for the experience and network. But 23
in a later state, it's not the best option. A better place to find bigger fish, 24
it's conferences, tech or other startup related conferences. 25
Startups often go to places like these to exhibit their product, or find investors, or find customers 26
for their company. 27
Most of these conferences are paid, so it's more suitable on a later stage. 28
Once you get your freelancing going and you can afford a little for the marketing. Many cities will have 29
startup incubators. And you can check that, if your city has such incubators. Because these places they 30
kinda put a lot of startups together, and then they are always organizing different events and demonstrations 31
and things like that. And a lot of jobs and freelancing work can be found within this ecosystem and environment. 32
And a lot of people are web designers or developers, these are, you know, crowd and good connections 33
for you to develop and grow. And if you hate networking, then don't do it. 34
Put your time and effort in something more suitable for you and your personality. 35
I myself, 36
I don't like networking. 37
I'd rather chew on glass than go and talk to people. 38
It's always best to put your efforts in something that clicks with you. 39
I have one rule for you. 40
Don't do anything that will make you hate web design. You liking and enjoying web design is crucial to 41
your success. 42
It's a better factor of making you profitable and successful than any talent or fancy university education. 43
And your enjoyment of web design depends on a lot of things around it. 44
Because just like any other job, there is much more involved than just sitting down and designing, right? 45
There is looking for clients and negotiating, sending proposals, and all the meetings and all that stuff. 46
So, make as many of those things enjoyable too.