Fourteen Year Old Looking For Advice

Hello everyone,

I've been around DigitalPoint for a week and a half, and it is by far the best community I've come across in a long time! So, with all of these amazing members, I figured a few people may be able to help me out...

I'm 14 years old and looking to start a career in freelancing. This may be because, well, I'm under the age to legally be hired by someone working in a specific place long term. But still, I like the idea of freelancing.

I've had a bit of experience with freelancing already, I've developped my skills to a much higher extent than I would have thought I ever would have gotten to a couple of years ago. I've had six or seven clients, and I've made a couple of hundred pounds (£GBP).

But I just think it's not doing it for me right now. I love freelancing, I really do, but don't know how to get myself "out-there". My age is probably my biggest issue, but I can't help that. As I said, I've had about 7 clients. Thats after asking countless other potential clients, or those contacting me. I want to be honest and state my age. I'm not someone who would ask for all the money upfront and then run away and not do any work, I'm a hard worker and will spend time I could be out socializing with my friends, or playing games, doing the job(s).

I guess I'm trying to build up a better future for myself, and bring in a bit of extra money for me. What I really love doing is webbing, be it webmastering, designing and developing. I'm soon to start up a webmaster resources website, but for what I'm planning, I need money to get that all started. I have a feeling it could help bring in alot of money, but theres no point trying to do something about it if I know I can't, I need money to get going.

I've spent time working with my dad, and other people, at an office for a couple of hours, and I honestly find it bores the hell out of me. I like the idea of Freelancing, or even working with a friend freelancing, to get it all done properly. I don't have any local friends at the moment, who I think would enjoy freelancing with me, or moreover have the required skills to freelance, let alone co-freelance (I call that colancing ).

I guess I don't know where to go next. I'm rebuilding my Portfolio as we speak, and will hopefully get it online and buy the domain (a .ME instead of a lousy .CO.CC), within the next week. I'm also going to get some professional business cards, for the rare occasion that I may need to give one out.

So because I don't know where to go next, could someone from either end of the spectrum, either a new freelancer like me, or an experienced freelancer, help me get started in this world to earn a bit more money? I don't want much, just to earn about £100-£200 a week, which compared to some freelancers earning that per day, isn't much.

At Christmas I got my own Laptop so can now spend alot more time working on jobs, and I mean an extra couple of hours or so each day. I work from my own bedroom (obviously in my parents house), with little disturbance, on a comfortable chair (or sit on my bed), on a firm desk. What else do I need?

 

I've sent you a PM.

 

build up a portfolio of free projects your 14 you have all the time in the world to make your millions. Contact places like churches, charity groups showcase your skills, build on them add to the portfolio so you have masses of great projects to showcase when your of age.

learn learn learn, theres nothing worse than the cocky 14-16 year old know it all but if he can back it up with knowledge in any area then boom you've got it wee man. Be able to counteract any question or net related question anyone can give you and you'll succeed your at a great age to start things. Wish i did it differently at your age i was taking drugs, smoking and getting into trouble. Your on the right course man and one you wont regret when you see others around you fall to pieces.

 

I started web designing and marketing around 13/14 too. As great as honesty is, I really wouldn't enclose that you are 14 years old. Unfortunately, you will not be taken seriously by many potential customers.

 

You are starting off at a great age. Read every post pertaining to your interest. Learn from others and do what the successful are doing. Take your time and don't give up!

 

A Girlfriend

Just joking! I think you have to accept though that you are going to have to misdirect people about your age. Anyone who started working online underage has done it, myself included. Consider PayPal, the most widely used payment gateway. 18 years minimum. And then AdSense, 18 years minimum. The companies don't mind if you tell a little white lie as long as they make their money out of you

PS I'd go for .com rather than .me - It has a more professional ring

 

Nice I'm glad your so ambiguous,You seem to write well!

 

Thanks for the feedback!

The thing is, if someone doesn't want a fourteen year old me working for them because they are ageist, they're really not the clients I want. I'm not going to lie about my age just to get a few more clients. Besides, all of the clients I have had professionally take me seriously and some have come back for more, and I like it... Gotta admit though, AdSense, true.

Personally I think .me is more professional for a single person, but I may aswell get both for the hell of it, and redirect them to the .com.

I am also building up my portfolio and work. I've got quite a few designs ready to release for free on my portfolio, aswell as one or two scripts. I'm active on the SMF (Simple Machines) forum, have 12 mods for the community there, and it's where most of my work has come from. So I guess thats a start...

 

end of the day if you have the skills available then bang youve got it. If you dont then your ''''fcked mate. Someone will ask you can you design me a complex database system bespoke that has this and that features. sorry i can only use wordpress then your nothing really.

like i say you have to sell yourself to clients, age is a factor at the start it will be your stumbling block but blow them away if they can counter you which they will try too then counter them, when you do with your knowledge you'll win man.

simple/

 

So basically just prove them wrong. I think I can do that ^_^ Thanks. I have way more skills than just using Wordpress, so I should be safe there.

But how should I find clients properly? Thats what I'm struggling with overall.

 

I agree. You come across as a mature, decent, hardworking & an honest young person & i admire your stance about not lying about your age, start as you mean to go on with your good character which is all part & parcel of being a successful trustworthy & reliable freelancer.

 

I was about your age when I started working freelance. For me, unless they asked my age (which 99% of the time they didn't), I never disclosed it. I know several people that started at your age and they ended up having a very successful company by the time they was 16. Stay positive and work towards your goal!

 

Ding Ding Ding Irony, that just made my evening, +REP

 

Thanks for all of the feedback, appreciated
I'm also glad that it's not just me and a few others trying to take this seriously, when I posted a similar topic to this on another forum, all I got was flaming. DP is the best community I've been apart of
Okay, next question. I want to really impress and show my skills with my portfolio, but should I include things like a static menu, a blog, dropdown menus, etc. Also, what pages should I include?

 

A contact form is a must of course, along with a landing page and projects page (think images for this) along with in depth commentary for a couple of projects too.

 

Got that I'll develop a web slider to use for this, and other projects, and my own lightbox (something I've always wanted to do anyway...).

Also, would it be worth at all building a system to manage clients, feedback, testemonials, invoices, etcetera?

 

Good luck mate, hope it turns out well for you!

 

Good luck young padawan!

 

Seem to be a bit older then 14... looks like you're older but figured you'd only get help if people thought you were young and needed it. Of course I may be wrong, it's just you tend to talk like an articulate adult and your avatar seems a bit like your trying to convince people of something. Not flaming you, just voicing my immediate thoughts after reading your OP. If you are really 14 , good luck , if not , get a life lol