{"id":4707,"date":"2018-11-07T12:00:55","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T20:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/blog\/?p=4707"},"modified":"2024-01-23T15:03:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T20:03:18","slug":"become-a-wordpress-developer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/blog\/become-a-wordpress-developer\/","title":{"rendered":"Become a WordPress Developer"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The idea of becoming a freelance WordPress developer can sound like an amazing job. Being your own boss, working your own hours, working the projects which interest you, and having the ability to work from anywhere are perks that everyone wants. So how do you go from just working on your own website to becoming a professional WordPress developer? Leaving your 9-5 job to become a freelancer can certainly be a leap of faith. Today, we\u2019re going to answer some of theses questions and give you some tips on becoming a professional WordPress developer.<\/p>\n

WordPress developer challenges<\/h2>\n

Even though the freelancer position has many awesome perks, it is not all easy.<\/p>\n

On call<\/strong> — Most people don\u2019t think about this when going from the 8-5 to a full-time freelance position. No matter where you are or what you have going on, your clients can call you. Running your own business means that you have to be available to take that hard call when a client\u2019s website is giving the white-screen-of-death.<\/p>\n

Job security<\/strong> — Even though the WordPress development market may be strong, there is not any guarantee that you will have a paycheck every month. This brings a challenge as you always have to be working to advertise and sell your services while working with current clients.<\/p>\n

Contracts and negotiation<\/strong> — When you start with your first client, contracts and negotiations don\u2019t seem to be a big deal. You can set your price and email them an overview of the process. When you have ten clients, contracts are very important as you will find that each client has a different understanding of the development process. Negotiating your price wouldn\u2019t seem like it would be a concern, but the actual process is a bit more involved. Unfortunately, as a freelancer, there can be times where it feels that customers don\u2019t value your service.<\/p>\n

We bring up these points not to intimidate you from becoming a WordPress developer, but to give you a realistic picture of what is involved.<\/p>\n

You might not be a freelance WordPress developer<\/h2>\n

Being a freelancer is not for everyone and there are two areas which can help determine whether this would be a good fit.<\/p>\n

Customer service<\/strong> — If you do not enjoy explaining and teaching, hearing from the same client several times in a day, and constantly fixing \u201cuser-error\u201d issues, becoming a freelance WordPress developer would not be for you.<\/p>\n

Technical aptitude<\/strong> — If you struggle with technical problem-solving skills, problems caused by user error, and issues caused by core files and plugins, becoming a freelance WordPress developer isn\u2019t recommended.<\/p>\n

Setting your rate<\/h2>\n

If you are just starting off as a WordPress developer, it can be hard to know how to set your rates. Instead of charging per project, charge per hour. This is an easier way to be sure you are compensated for your time. This also gives you an idea of the time you are putting into the project.<\/p>\n

Finding your clients<\/h2>\n

A very common question is; \u201cHow do you find your clients?\u201d<\/p>\n

There are several methods to finding good clients.<\/p>\n