A success story, as I left the office and life began to turn: a programmer from Vladivostok, Maxim Bogdanov

A programmer from Vladivostok Maxim Bogdanov .



By education I am a mathematician-system programmer. It so happened that in practice I solve a wide range of tasks related to information technology, such as programming, training and consulting, project management, selection of developers, etc. The name for such a profession, in my opinion, has not yet been invented)



I had experience in different companies: digital-agencies, a Russian company for the production of navigators, in an international IT-company. In general, it was more like a project work, because I constantly took breaks for freelancing. It was on freelancing that I was able to create ideal conditions for myself - a good salary and interesting tasks in a comfortable mode of operation. There was no such combination in the companies and even now, perhaps, in Russia is not to be found.

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The main type of activity I am active at the moment is the development of mobile applications for any device. From programming languages ​​I own Objective-C, Swift, Java, Kotlin, PHP, JavaScript, C #, etc. I mainly take orders for iOS, this is my main specialization. When I take complex tasks that require development for several platforms (and often the server part), I delegate some of the work, looking for performers. From my observations, now on the market most orders for the development of Android-applications. In this case, the budget is more profitable to do complex projects.



Sometimes come across non-standard tasks. For example, one of the latest works is the development of applications for devices with a barcode scanner for Android and Windows CE 6.0 platforms. Its specificity is that the devices are different from each other - scanning and appearance had to be implemented for each model individually. Personally, I like such tasks, especially those that are closer to scientific activity. Where you need to conduct research and find a solution that does not exist yet, create something fundamentally new. For example, there was a request for the development of software for recognizing price tags in supermarkets, but, unfortunately, it never turned into a full-fledged project.



In the Russian IT-sphere there is such a specificity that customers often “need yesterday”. The initial setting of overly harsh conditions creates very high risks for the project. And most often this is not justified by logic, but simply by the desire of the customer to make it faster.



Another feature is that the majority of clients lack competence and at the same time they are not ready to pay for consultation. Usually they saw a product and say: “How much does it cost to do the same? And why is it so expensive? ”They do not understand the amount of funds invested in this product or the technologies used. As a result, all risks are borne by the performer.



In addition, in our country they believe that even a good specialist should not pay wages much higher than average. If this does happen, then a person will be squeezed out for it, like a rag :) This prevents us from competing with foreign companies. There is a different situation - specialists are paid much higher, they are better treated, they are considered more valuable employees, they are actively attracted by additional “buns”. Not surprisingly, many are leaving. In my experience, Russian programmers can do more work or do it better than foreign colleagues. In our country, a good intellectual potential and an excellent mathematical school. It is logical that we can make products better.



Working in freelancing is actually more difficult than in the office. The main problem is the lack of self-discipline. Usually, people do not distinguish between their workplace and home life, which always negatively affects their ability to work. I believe that this is one of the basic difficulties that hinders success. The most effective solution is a tough schedule, where a separate time to work without distraction to home life and a separate time - for home and entertainment without thinking about work. A separate workplace will also work. For example, to rent a small office or a place in coworking, or in extreme cases, work in a library with accessible Internet.



There is another problem with the performers, I think it belongs to the mentality, the inability to follow the agreements. After all, customers often need not super-result, but stability and predictability. And this is exactly what we lack to be more successful in the overseas market. We can make a very good product, and few can do it in the stipulated time.



The most effective way to receive orders and build a good customer base is to build high-quality relationships with the customer. That is, do your own thing as well as possible. When you do one job qualitatively, after some time you will surely come after another. Orders can be found everywhere - on freelance exchanges, on the online service of YouDo.com consumer services. But not all clients will succeed in building relationships, because everyone has their own expectations. And you need to have great wisdom to take this into account immediately.



To protect myself from trouble, I most often do this: break up work into small stages and start with a small task to establish trust, for example, 3000 rubles. I immediately do a small amount of work, and if the customer pays for it, everything goes fine, then the relationship process is built in and we continue to work.



It is important to determine who your client is, especially for beginners. It is difficult to tackle everything, it does not lead to success, at least to fast. Do not be afraid to deny customers because they do not suit you. It took me several years to realize and accept this simple truth. You need to clearly and consciously build your boundaries. This will help you quickly find customers, and work will be more comfortable.



With some customers, especially on large projects, it is better to work under the contract. I solve this question, speaking as an individual entrepreneur. I strongly recommend that you draw up terms of reference and charge a fee for this work.



Freelance gives you the opportunity to work remotely. I am in Vladivostok because I love the sea very much. This does not bother me at all to work with customers from Moscow. My clients know that they can always contact me during office hours at 5 pm Moscow time. When working under the contract, I exchange digital copies of the signed documents. It suits everyone.



Thank you for your attention, hello to everyone from sunny Vladivostok)