MD Shamim Sarder is a freelancer working in the website designing and developing sector.  Today he is a successful freelancer, overcoming many challenges through his strong morale.  We wanted to know the story of his journey from him.

When and How did it Start?

Shamim started working in 2013.  He would then take work from the local market or acquaintances in the vicinity, the work was basically the work of data entry.  He then began researching on the computer how he could get the data entry work done himself and thus became acquainted with Odesk or current upwork.  He opened a profile at Odesk but due to lack of knowledge and experience with Odesk he did not try to work there for some time, later went back and did some research on Odesk to know how to work here.  He then applied for the job and got a web research project after some application.  The hourly rate of this project was very low, only ten cents per hour.  This is where his work started

After working for a while, he realized that the market value of this type of work is very low.  So he again searched for other works and got interested in web designing and developing. After doing research on skill development for a better job and after completing the course he came back to Odesk and started a job by opening a freelancer account.  Since then he has been working in this sector.

What does He Do?

Shamim mainly deals with website designing and developing.  Also works with any type of web based application.  He mainly works in Upwork.  And most of his clients come from the USA then UK and other countries.  He also does some work in the local marketplace.

Why Freelancing?

Shamim thinks that freelancing has not only earned him money, but also through the journey he has developed himself a lot. And this is what he wanted. He started his first job with only HSC qualification. From 2013-14 till now he has developed himself a lot.

The second advantage he gets is freedom of work.  He can come up with a plan for who he will work with or when and how he will work. He can also work on time management.

With this, the third and Shamim’s biggest advantage is that he can find time for himself because he works on his own suitable time.  Shamim likes traveling.  He goes out of dhaka to travel to different places often. Also he can get acquainted with different people.  He is getting freedom through overall freelancing. However, he also said that this freedom does not come with just being a freelancer.  He has achieved this after several years of hard work.

How Difficult was the Journey?

Md Shamim SarderShamim’s start was quite difficult.  When he started there were very few resources on open platforms on the subject from which he could have knowledge or learn.  He also lacked his own skills, and he could not find a guide.  That’s why even after he successfully made a place in the freelancing market, he went through a tough survival period, his income went down to almost zero.  This was because he was not pursuing skill development as well as work and he did not get any guide in this regard.

He also faced a problem due to lack of skill in English language.  It was also a challenge difficult to deal with. Also to keep motivated was another because of the lack of familiarity with people in the world of freelancing.  He then slowly cut through all these challenging issues and moved forward.

Is there Anyone who is Inspired in Freelancing?

From the very beginning, Shamim has developed himself by tackling various challenges on his own.  He has used those challenges as his inspiration and motivation.  He realized that developing his own skills in any way was essential for a stable marketplace position.  Besides, he was always curious about computer work.  Basically, out of his curiosity, will power and apssion for this work, he made through many challenges for the job of freelancing.

Besides, Shamim did not have his own computer with which he could do research.  He would arrive every day about an hour before the office hours of his previous office and do research on these topic using the time before office started.  He used to try to find out about the work through various such websites.  It was also a very challenging time.  The whole time he believed in himself and did not give up.

In which Marketplace is he Currently Working?

He basically works at Upwork now.  Prior to Upwork, he also worked for Elance (later it joined Upwork) and Freelancer.  He also works from the local marketplace.

How does he do his Skill Development?

Shamim thinks that there is no alternative in his sector to develop various skills and learn new skills.  He also learns a lot through work every day.  Every project has some challenging parts, he can do research and learn about it and later he can develop even more.

He also focuses on a specific topic for 8-10 days every three months.  He works on skill development in that topic.  He thinks that it is very important for every freelancer to acquire new skills in their own field and become more expert in the things they already know.  Because new technology always comes.  This is how he learned JavaScript, CSS, PHP etc.  It is important to stay updated with the latest technology.

What were the Worst aspects of Freelancing?

According to Shamim, the main bad aspects of freelancing are financial and personal life management.  In freelancing, since the payment is based on work, in many cases the same amount of income may not come in every month.  Because of this, you have to face a little problem at times, but it is possible to overcome it through better planning.

The second thing is that due to the freedom of work and the time zone difference with clients, the rhythm of personal life often falls.  Many work at night and their routines change.  It doesn’t do much damage temporarily, but it does a lot of damage on the long run.  He also said that it is possible to overcome this. This problem is greatly reduced if you go ahead with a specific routine or planning for work and personal life.

What is the Best Aspect of Freelancing?

On the plus side, it addresses a number of issues.  He is very satisfied with his freedom of work, earning, being able to find time for himself and his family.

Three Tips for Freelancing?

According to him, the three most important things are-

  1. Take the job you are confident in:  take projects that you can guarantee the client that you will be able to finish the job well. Don’t take projects if you’re not sure whether you can do it or not.
  2. Never give less than the recommended work, try to give a little more: If you give a little more than the scheduled work, the client will be happy and will come to you for work again.  If you are lucky you can get some bonuses too. Your rating will also increase.  So try to give a little more than the scheduled work.
  3. Finishing work within deadlines: Be sure to try to finish work within deadlines.  Or you can explain to the client and keep 2/1 more time in hand so that you don’t get in trouble even if the work is not completed on time.  And if possible, work before the end of time.

Anything for new Freelancers?

For the newcomers, he wants to say that first of all, we must look at skill development.  You have to be a skilled worker as much as you can.  And in the beginning, you may have to face various challenges, it will not go without a hull.  You have to have a good idea about freelancing, platform, how it works, etc. Basics must be kept.  And of course, you have to look at personal life.  Must be physically fit through routine life.

What are you Planning for the Future?

According to Shamim, he still has a lot to learn.  He, therefore, wants to be more successful in the future by making himself more skilled.  For this, he has done various long-term skill development planning.  He wants to move forward with this goal now.

So this was MD Shamim Sarder, a successful freelancer today with strong morale, who tackled many challenges.  According to him, everyone should know about the experiences of successful people as well as failed people.  In this way, the Big Picture can be understood no matter what sector it is.  From this comes the idea of ​​his perseverance and insight, who believes in making himself even better in the future.