A degree in a computer-related or technical field can lead to a variety of well-paying and in-demand jobs, and self-employment is by no means beyond the bounds of possibility.
As a freelancer you have a lot of freedom to choose certain projects and manage your time and wage. However, it is crucial to think carefully about whether freelancing is the right choice for you as you need a certain mindset.
Steps on how to become a freelancer:
Step 1: Create a profile that will inform potential clients about your education, skills, expertise, and experience. It is advisable to create a website on which the profile can be found again, and the relevant expertise is clearly listed.
Step 2: Determine you price, which depends on your working experience and expertise.
Step 3: Build your brand and create a domain name and email address that matches your business name.
Step 4: Find work and apply only for the jobs you are confident you can do. There is no point in applying for a project you cannot complete on time with satisfactory results.
Jobs you can do with a tech degree:
There is a great number of jobs you can do with a tech degree, such as Data Scientist, Software Developer, Information Security Analyst, Computer System Analyst, and Computer Research Scientist, among many others.
Data Scientist
Data scientists help companies deal with large volumes of data. The daily use of social media services, mobile navigation, and the digitization of all transactions are already part of everyday life in our society. Remarkable amounts of data are produced in the process.
As a data scientist, you are responsible for creating a structured database from unstructured raw data, analyzing it, and ultimately using your business know-how to create a basis for decision-making for a company.
Online stores, for example, are interested in which products website visitors are looking for, which of these are already available, and where they can expand the product range. Data scientists work in companies that have an interest in optimizing their processes, such as in logistics, online retailing or the energy industry. They may specialize in product personalization, customer relationship management (CRM), or risk consulting.
Software Developer
A software developer is an IT specialist who is responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of software. In practice, this can be e-commerce platforms or mobile apps, operating systems, or video games. Software developers are significantly involved in the creation process of these programs in all areas of development and realization and develop computer programs, both for productivity and entertainment purposes. They conceive, develop, write, and improve software and try to adapt the respective solution to the needs and wishes of the users in the best possible way.
Responsibilities as a software developer:
- Programming with programming languages (e.g. C++, SAP, Java)
- Analyzing requirements for the software
- Setting up and carrying out split tests
- Documentation of processes and applications
Information Security Analyst
Cybercrime is the top risk for companies on a global level. Accordingly, the profession of an information security analyst is very important, as one is responsible for the security of a company’s IT infrastructure. In order to be able to prevent attacks, security deficiencies are identified, and possible sources of error are eliminated. Risk assessments and the analysis of existing IT components are also part of the job.
Computer Systems Analyst
Computer systems analysts help businesses or other organizations to use computer technology effectively and are responsible for analyzing and optimizing work processes. They integrate new technologies into current systems after conducting cost-benefit analyses to determine whether they are financially sound and will serve the company well. In addition to conducting requirement analyses, their duties include budget planning for the implementation of specified measures and subsequent impact analyses. The tasks of computer system analysts are accordingly responsible and varied.
Computer Research Scientist
Computer research scientists explore the fundamentals of solving problems between hardware and software. Computer and information research scientists typically do the following: Explore problems in computing and develop theories and models to address those problems. Collaborate with scientists and engineers to solve complex computing problems. Determine computing needs and system requirements.
Those tech related jobs, you can either do as a permanent employee in a company, or as a freelancer. If you work independently, your work is project-based and can be very consulting-related. If companies do not have the expertise in house, they might hire you for specific projects to build better risk models, create some dashboards, develop a marketing model, and so on.
Tips:
- Do not sell yourself short and underprice your expertise
- Use several different freelance platforms
- Narrow down your profile: Clients look for very specific expertise
- If you’re looking for a freelance tech job, you can find a great variety of possibilities on platforms like UpWork or simply use the LinkedIn Jobs finder.