Nov 26, 2020 Making money as a programmer can be both challenging and exciting. Because the pay for such knowledge is high, your potential to make money is exponential. With many open source codes available, getting started is the first step to make money online from programming. Below are some of the top ways you can make money programming. Make money with display ads: Sign up with a display ad network and populate your tutorial videos with a few ads. Every time someone sees or clicks an ad, you’ll earn passive income. If you upload your videos to YouTube, you can monetize them easily with the Google AdSense display ad program. Apr 10, 2020 The demand for coders is something that’s not likely to change. Earning money online with these skills isn’t hard, but it can take some time to master those skills. When you look at all the options for how to make money programming, it becomes apparent just how good a decision learning to code really is.
by Anthony Sistilli
I run a free community called theForge where I help students navigate the world of tech recruiting.
Last week I talked to my students about how they could land a tech job with no work experience, and I asked for some feedback.
Their responses shocked me.
These students didn’t just want work experience, or ways to get it without having a job.
They wanted financial freedom and the opportunity to get a head start on their student loans.
I realized that a lot of them would really excel as freelancers.
Not only would they be able to make money, but they could get the work experience they needed to land a high paying job at the same time.
The Good News
There’s lots of ways to make money as a student in software, and it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of time or experience!
The Bad News
It’s almost too easy to psych ourselves out and close the door on opportunities before we give it a chance to open. Sometimes fear can control us.
In this article, I’m going to show you how to conquer those fears, gain real world experience, and make some money while doing it. (Click here if you prefer video.)
Two Big Myths About Freelancing That Held Me Back
As a student, I constantly found myself sabotaging my own success because of some ‘myths’ I had implanted in my mind.
1. I’m not good enough - I don’t know anything
It’s easy to look at how much programming information is out there and come to the conclusion that we know very little.
However, freelance work isn’t about being a genius or knowing a lot.
It’s about using knowledge that your client doesn’t have to help them.
To a lot of people, even the most basic lines of code can seem like quantum physics. And that’s alright - everyone has their own strengths. Maybe one of theirs isn’t programming.
My point is, if you have a basic background in programming, you’re already in a position to help a lot of people. The foundation is there, and all that’s missing is the job-specific knowledge.
The first freelance job I picked up involved building a very extensive chatbot for a company.
At the time, I knew nothing about chatbots. ?
I told them I’ve never worked with Chatbots before, but it was something that interested me and that I was excited to learn about. I was able to jump in head first and build them a pretty awesome MVP.
I got paid to learn, helped this company immensely, and came out of the experience with a lot of valuable real world experience that I later put on my résumé.
There’s always going to be some project out there that you can add value to, no matter how limited your knowledge might be.
In fact, the majority of small jobs that are posted on freelance sites can be solved with a quick Google search and a couple of Stack Overflow pages.
2. There’s too much competition
This one is less of a ‘myth’ and more of a challenge that you have to overcome.
Yes, there is a lot of competition.
Everything that’s worth doing will always come with competition.
Whether it’s finding a job, a good living space, being top of your class, or buying some Yeezy’s.
If we let the idea of competition hold us back, we’ll never end up accomplishing anything worthwhile in life.
Being able to differentiate yourself is incredibly important in our current era. Like anything else, if you want to be noticed, you need to know how to stand out.
There are tons of articles that note how you can makeyourprofile stand out on freelance sites.
My biggest tip: communication is key.
Good communication skills is something that a lot of freelancers lack, and it will definitely give you a leg up in the freelancing world.
Small things like spelling, grammar, and talking as if you’re a real person instead of a robot copy and pasting a huge wall of text can really make a big difference.
Add
Some
FLAVOR!
Where Should You Freelance?
Now that we’re sure this is something we’re interested in, it’s time to look at the top 5 options.
Fiverr -Fivver is great for small and specific jobs. Most people on Fivver do non-programming related tasks, however, there still is a demand for programming services. If you’re really good at one specific thing, like building chatbots or Wordpress sites, then Fiverr is a great place to start building a portfolio.
Freelancer - Freelancer is one of the oldest platforms out there where coders can pick up work. It’s pretty saturated and has a lot of job volume. The biggest downside is that you have to purchase their “tests” and “certificates” if you want to compete with more established freelancers. I wouldn’t focus my time here unless I had some capital to spend and a proficiency in a field I could get certificates for.
Upwork - If you’re a beginner and just want to get your feet wet, look no further than Upwork. Upwork has a variety of jobs (small to big) that you can take on at your own rate. If you’re just starting, I recommend creating a freelancer account and just browsing the small odd jobs that get posted for things you think you can do. Once you win a contract, it’s very easy to start building a portfolio and bringing in more work.
Guru - We’re getting into the more ‘high end’ jobs now. Guru has a consistent flow of jobs that are more suitable for experienced freelancers or agencies. You can hop on and actually look at the current job postings without making an account to get an idea.
Toptal - By far my favorite platform. The biggest downside is that it’s hard to get in as a freelancer. Toptal works with top companies and only accepts the “top 3% of talent” that applies to them. However, I would still recommend applying even if you think you’re not ready. You can learn from the interview experience and do better next time. Once you’re in, however, you’re a lifetime member of a giant network of extremely skilled engineers and top companies who are willing to pay a high premium for your work.
Each platform has their own ups and downs, and I recommend testing different platforms out to see what works for you.
? There’s only one thing left for you to do… ?
Jump Straight In - Right Now!
Being stagnant has never gotten anyone money or valuable experience.
I spent a lot of time considering my options and telling myself I would “wait until I had more experience” to do things.
Things started changing as soon as I threw that mantra out the window.
Jump in. Head First.
Course correct on the way, and never be afraid to accept a challenge.
Good luck!
P.S. If you found this article valuable consider joining theForge.ca! We’re a free community that helps students navigate the tech recruitment world.
Do you wonder how to make money with C++ programming? Here are 6 creative ways for a C++ developer to make money programming in C++
C++ is, if not the first is one of my first love. Often one assumes web development is the only choice of programming language to make money online, and C++ has very little to no scope.
However, the truth is, there are ample opportunities available in C, C++, DirectX, OpenGL, Windows API (WinRT), as well as in MFC and VC++.
I have done it in the past, and I have seen many developers still developing programs in C++ and make a decent amount of money doing freelancing. They make a lot more than PHP web developers.
Why do developers assume it is tough to Make Money as a C++ Programmer?
First, developers assume it is tough or even impossible to make money as a C++ programmer.
The developer has that feeling because all they know about C++ is to take user input inside a command prompt, do some operations, and then print the output.
Those kinds of programs only work in academics.
As a C++ developer, you should develop something useful than just a command prompt user input.
PHP and WordPress get a fair share of online work because one can create a useful website using PHP or WordPress.
Similarly, if you expect to make a living doing command prompt programming in C++, you have a herculean task ahead. However, in one of my ways to make money, you will have that as an option.
Still, if you are one of those C++ programmers who are still doing the command prompt-based programming and want to make money as a C++ programmer, learn the real C++. For those who know a lot more than just command prompt things, here are ways to make money for you.
Ways to Make Money as a C++ Programmer
Here are six creative ways C++ developers can make a decent amount of money programming in C++ in 2021. You can make a choice of doing most of the items below or pick and choose among them. The choice is yours.
1. Get a Job in Core C++
If you love programming like me, a job in C++ is the first thing you should be looking for. The first step to take you from writing code on the command prompt to the professional level C++ programming.
I always wanted to work in C++, but my first job from my college campus was to work in Visual Basic 6. So I quit the job in the first year itself and moved to a web-based company.
There wasn’t much of a core programming work in the web-based company. It may still be valid because vanilla web development companies who source projects from clients on sites like Upwork are more into putting things together than core development. I wasn’t into such a vanilla company, but still, there wasn’t hard code development work—only maintenance of some in house projects. So I was into my third job as a C++ Developer in the first year of my professional career. You can read in detail about my jobs here.
The point I am trying to put is, there is a difference between knowing C++ programming and the actual industry application of C++ programming.
A job can only help you fill that gap. If you wish to be a professional C++ programmer, you should learn to use Visual C++. As an example, Android and iOS development are possible in C++ with Visual Studio.
2. Develop a Software (Along with Mobile App)
Create good management software with a beautiful GUI and start selling it to the businesses around you.
There are many software’s that one can create like
- Hotel management
- School Management
- Tuition Management
- Store Management
- Grocery Management
- Inventory Management
- Accounts (Taxation)
And the list can go on and on.
Moreover, find a useful application that people are already using and try to replicate the same and eradicate the problems people face with the existing software.
I developed web-based Invoicing software for GST in India. However, I had web-based software, and there were many people here in India looking for an offline version of the same. People were skeptical that they don’t want their customer’s information to go online. They tried to keep their customer’s details on their PC only.
So there is a huge demand for offline software if one is willing to look around.
The only criterion is that if you solve people’s problems and keep it simple to use, people will love to buy software from you.
3. Freelancing in C++
As a freelancer, I am a big fan of creating samples to showcase before applying for any work.
C++ is no different.
When you have a running software that people are using, it clarifies that clients may have to do what they want to do.
Moreover, if you have an app there that people are using, you can show others who might want to hire you to customize it for their needs.
So working your way into the world of freelancing is a lot easier when you build a working sample that people use.
I will share with you a simple example that will help you understand it further.
Let’s say you want to start a blog.
Will you prefer hiring me to get you a blog or someone new, and you can’t be sure if he can get you a blog in the first place?
No points for guessing.
Similarly, as a C++ developer, someone prefers hiring a person who has a sample to showcase or a person who has nothing to show right away.
Again, no points for guessing.
So get some good samples in and start freelancing.
4. Blog about C++
If you are working in C++ or learning C++, You can share your journey with C++.
Share your journey of being a C++ developer on a blog or share your experience in C++ – the problems you faced and how you solved them.
How you went about getting the compiler to writing each code helps you become a better blogger and programmer.
I know there are already many C++ blogs available, but there isn’t anyone like you. Find your unique way of letting people follow what you are learning.
Here is my step by step guide to starting a programming blog in WordPress.
5. Teach C++ (Offline or Online)
One can start a local coaching institute to teach C++. Students are always looking to learn C++ for academics.
However, if you aren’t sure if you want to set up a coaching institute, one can even create a complete course and sell it on Udemy.
Furthermore, if you aren’t sure about selling a course yet, release a few short videos on YouTube to see how they perform.
I know there are tutorials available, but the Internet will always welcome your style of teaching.
6. Participate in C++ Programming Contests
The best way to sharpen your coding skills is to participate in a coding contest to win a cash prize.
Look for C++ Contests on Google, and I am sure you will find some contests worth participating in. Here are a few code competitions that happen every year.
Final Thoughts
As a C++ programmer, there are multiple ways to make money programming. However, the ways to make money differs for a C++ developer and a PHP developer.
Moreover, it is straightforward for a JavaScript or PHP developer to start earning money, knowing only the basics. The main reason is, they are all GUI based programming language.
How To Earn Money Online
Whereas for a C++ developer, the basics+ may not result in anything useful for the industry, so clients are looking for something more concrete. Try to find a niche within C++ like DirectX, OpenGL, Windows API (WinRT), VC++, etc.