Two years ago, Héliton Nordt wanted the freedom to travel the world. A software engineer experienced in React and Redux, he launched his freelancing business through Upwork in 2013.
“I never liked to work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to earn a limited amount of money,” he said. “After two years working on Upwork I was able to save a good amount of money. I’m now traveling the world and have the freedom I always wanted.”
The “secret” to success? It starts with great work
Nordt’s freelance business is booming, not only because he is great at what he does, but also because he knows how to deliver a quality client experience: A quick glance at his work history and feedback tells the story of a freelancer who goes above and beyond.
“I have passion and I love what I do. I always do my best to deliver high-quality work,” he explained. “Earning money is a consequence, so my focus is making my clients happy—not earning money. Money is important, but it’s a consequence of hard work.”
But relationships he’s made through the Upwork community have also been an essential part of Nordt’s thriving business.
“I’ve met incredible people and we have built awesome projects together. I’ve learned so much about [other people’s] culture. I even left my home country of Brazil to visit them on the other side of the world in New Zealand. I also improved my English and programming skills.”
Be selective when it comes to new projects
“Of course, you need to have some sense to filter good clients,” Nordt advises. His first step is to look for projects or invitations he is interested in, then send proposals to those projects to start the interview process
Though it is not recommended to begin work on a project before a client is verified, Nordt says it isn’t a concern for him. “I don’t filter for verification because even unverified clients could be great to work with, they could just be new to the platform.”
But there are factors that are red flags for him: “If the client insists on a low rate, I don’t take the project. It means they’re not interested in high quality, and there is a good chance that the project is not very important for them. I try to avoid that type of client.”
Before taking on a new project, Nordt says he asks for the full scope, specs, and mockups, and asks as much as he can about the project. “[I want to] make sure the client is well organized and understands what they want and what their expectations are,” he explained.
“Some clients have the scope and specs inside their mind only and think it’s implicit that everything will be delivered. Often, I need to help the client write the scope and specs correctly. That helps both of us. I think that’s the key to a project’s success—everything should be very clear from the beginning.”
Keep your business skills sharp
Over the past two years, Nordt has honed a lot of skills—particularly how he manages time, clients, projects, money, administrative and legal tasks, and marketing. “[You need to learn to] sell yourself when submitting proposals or receiving invitations.”
Nordt thinks this business know-how helps give freelancers an edge in the marketplace. “When you hire a freelancer, you are hiring a highly skilled professional that could help you improve your project in many aspects, not only the area they’re specialized at.”
His advice to others who want to follow in his footsteps: “Be disciplined, deliver quality, deliver passion, work hard and don’t waste all your hard earned money.”
Ready to hire a freelancer like Nordt to take your business to the next level? Check out Upwork’s Hiring Guides to get the information you need to get started.
The post Spotlight on Freelance Engineer Héliton Nordt appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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