Whether you wan't to acknowledge it or not as web developers we are not only competing against each other for work. But also against website building tools like WordPress, Wix and Squarespace. YouTube is a very popular platform as you are well aware and there are so many ads for Wix and Squarespace it is very hard for us as developers to compete with those marketing behemoths. Which is where personal projects come into play as they allow us to learn fast, create content and really boost our developer profile when working on open source projects.
My preference at the moment is working on personal projects as I feel it allows me to learn new languages and concepts faster instead of competing in a rat race. And when I say freelance I am talking about using platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer which are over saturated with established developers which makes it hard to break in. Looking for work on traditional job boards is an entirely different subject.
What is your preference at this moment in time is it looking for freelance jobs or working on personal projects that you can put on your portfolio?
Top comments (2)
For me the key has always been to work on projects that matters to you, that solve some real world problems that you deal with daily.. The advantages are that you always know your reasons why and you are aware of the added benefit once you complete them.. That keeps your passion and motivation, which is ultimately the key to learn anything. 😉
I do the same its much harder to get bored when you are working on something personal that has purpose. Tutorial hell only gets you so far.