How to monetize your programming skills as a beginner

It is important for everyone to learn how to use their programming skills to lead a good life and be comfortable with their lifestyle choices. And that’s why, today, we will go through different ways a programmer can monetize his/her skills.

Beginners tend to struggle when monetizing their skills. Many of them have no idea where to start, or even what to do with their skills. It is easy to get lost and waste time to do nothing, and that’s why it is necessary to know different ways to make your skills count.

The latest trend is showcasing your skills by broadcasting real-world projects and building an audience. Also, don’t overlook traditional methods including freelancing, teaching others, and much more.

However, before we start, it is important to understand the need for programmers in the industry. Programmers are in huge demand right now, and the demand will only increase in the near future.

As a beginner, you need to make sure you don’t lose focus and be patient in anything you try. As the old saying goes, “there is no shortcut for success,” and resilience is what will help you overcome potential failures.

Moving back to the topic, let’s list the ways you can monetize your programming skills even as a beginner. We will be discussing both direct and indirect means. The direct methods can help you start earning immediately, whereas the indirect methods will ensure that you invest in a long-term manner with an eye to future growth. So, why wait? Let’s get started.

How to monetize your programming skills as a beginner

1.Start Freelancing

Freelancing is growing at a rapid race. Even though freelancing is a great option, it does require more attention and patience than a traditional job. You can try many online freelancing platforms such as UpWork, HackerEarth, LiveEdu and others to get started.

It is a good idea to start with sites like HackerEarth or LiveEdu as you can practice, compete, broadcast your projects and build your portfolio, allowing clients to go through your projects or watch your code live.

With a better way to showcase your skills, you can find valuable prospective clients and work on projects suited to your skill set.

2. Use broadcasting to showcase your talent and build your portfolio

With the growth of the Internet, video live streaming is rapidly making its way into the life of the general audience. Broadcasting your work carries long-term benefits which help you build a strong online portfolio.

It is not like a traditional resume where you just list your past projects, and the client needs to go to your GitHub repository. It is more of a visual display of work that you have done, and how you complete assignments.

Live streaming offers multiple benefits:

• The client can easily gauge your work.
• You can connect with like-minded people who can give you work in the future.
• You can have fun while doing projects.

With tons of videos and projects, you are virtually creating a real asset regarding skill display which can help you monetize your programming talents long-term.

3. Work on open-source projects and build a portfolio for long-term benefits

Few people will consider open-source projects as a way to monetize their skill. Yes, you are doing open-source contribution, but you will probably not be getting paid for it (unless you are working as a core team member for an open-source project which qualifies for pay). If you are ambitious, you can also make money from open-source contribution.

As a beginner, most of your energy should go in building a good online presence, and open- source projects do help a lot in this regard. You can also choose to broadcast your open-source projects and make the most of your invested time.

4. Volunteer for a non-profit organization and build relationships

As a programmer, you need to work with people in the real world. To ensure that you grow in every possible way, it is a good idea to work for coding non-profit organizations.

Volunteering for them not only helps you understand the current state of computer science but also helps you get into one of the paid jobs that they may have to offer. Many non-profit platforms also offer placement guidance and internships.

5. Write about the technology that interests you

As a beginner, you don’t really have to develop apps for a living. There are many other ways you can sustain and earn money. One of them is to become a technical writer or a blogger.

Both ways let you utilize your skills and use them to reach a worldwide audience. Working as a writer can easily fetch you good projects with decent payouts. For example, you may have to write the documentation, specifications, and tutorials for a technical product.

As a blogger, you can write about anything. You can choose to be a Java blogger and start a Java blogging website, or if you are front-end lover, you can start a blog for front-end engineers. The choice is all yours.

6. Teach others and earn some hefty amounts

Becoming a computer teacher is another way to monetize your programming skills. The teacher-to-student ratio is a big issue in modern society. However, it’s slowly being taken care of by schools and universities.

Teachers are paid well and are also viewed with respect in our current society. If you are only interested in working online, you can also start by creating online courses and uploading them to different mediums or your own blog.

7. Learn new technologies continuously and invest in a better future

As a beginner, you should always be learning. It doesn’t matter which technology you use or how popular it is; continuous learning will ensure that you can monetize your skills and build a better career. Most of the articles on the internet never speak about upgrading your skills or learning as you go. As a software engineer, you need to keep learning new stuff while mastering your core skill. Once you do that, you open multiple pathways for career and income growth.

Conclusion

Now, you are better informed on how to get started. As you can see, there is no single path for beginners. You can choose to be a front-end engineer, a technical writer, a teacher, and much more. All you need to do is find the path that interests you most and keeps walking it until you succeed.

If you want to earn your best, then you need to keep all the above points in mind. If you think that some important points have been missed, don’t forget to leave your comments below and let us know.