Iván Franco – Systems Engineer, C# & PHP Freelance Developer from Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Our interview this week is with Iván, who has been working as a freelance systems engineer and developer for the last 2 years. Iván loves working full-time as a freelancer, and says it’s the most enriching experience he’s had! Check out our full interview and what his plans for the future entail.

Ivan Franco
 

1) Firstly, thank you Iván for the possibility of an interview! It’s a pleasure for us to have you in our Insides series. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what are you up to right now?  

I’m a freelance developer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’m 27 years old, and for the last 2 years I’ve been working as a freelancer.

2) So, where did your interest in technology come from and when did you know that it was going to be your career?

I studied in the U.T.N System’s Engineering, and I chose that career because since childhood I’ve loved to find out how computers work. As a matter of fact I used to enter OS files and play with the command line!

3) What exactly made you decide to become a freelancer? How long have you been freelancing?

I always wanted to be my own boss and in a future build my own company. Two years ago, an old customer asked me if I want to help him to improve his software and I said yes. Now, I’m working full-time as a freelancer.

“Being a freelancer is a big challenge, but it’s the most enriching experience.“

4) Was it difficult for you to start freelancing? Did you face many problems? Could you share with our readers the most important lessons you learned on the way?

  Being a freelancer is a nice big challenge, you depend on yourself in almost everything. But I think, it’s the most enriching experience. I was lucky, because old clients told me that they want to work with me as a freelancer. I may say, it was something that came up. Of course some days I considered to give up, but all the positive things that to be a freelancer have (independence, no jobs, more responsible) didn’t let me do it.

5) Now tell us, how do you find new clients that are interested in your services? Which marketing strategies work best for you?

I’m convinced that if you work hard and good this is the best marketing strategy. My best strategy is to have excellent references for my projects. Then I think our clients would do the rest. Another thing I pay a lot of attention to is to keep my LinkedIn profile up to date.

“My best strategy is to have excellent references for my projects.“

6) What does a typical work day look like? Do you work a “normal” 9-5 or how do you organize yourself? Do you have a work-life balance recipe?

Now I’m working 8 hours per day and on 4 hours on weekends. I am a professional committed to my career in conjunction with the balance of my personal life, always looking for new opportunities to learn and contribute ideas to each of the projects in which I collaborate. I love to play football in fact, I play three times a week as a goalkeeper in different teams and tournaments. One of them is my University football team.

7) What kind of services do your clients generally ask you to provide? And what kind of tasks do you enjoy most doing?

I’m working on fixing/improving systems. I like security and sql/software optimization.

8)Do you use other freelancers or companies to provide skills that you don’t possess? If so, what is it like to work with other freelancers?

Yes, I work with other confident freelancers, people I know from University.

9) What are your future plans? Will you continue working as a freelancer or would you like to switch to full-time employment?

I will continue working as a freelancer and maybe even make my own company one day.

“Being a freelancer is a beautiful experience. You have to be responsible and committed to your work.“

10) What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting a freelance career? And what does it take to be successful as a freelancer?

I encourage them to start working as a freelancer, it’s a beautiful experience. You have to be responsible and committed to your work.
 

How to Find Iván:

– Freelancermap Profile: Ivan Franco on freelancermap 
– LinkedIn: Iván Franco 

 

Would you also like to be introduced as a freelancer in our “freelancer insides”?

Send us an email to info@freelancermap.com with the subject “freelancer insides” and shortly describe your services, experiences, and status!

Natalia Campana

Natalia is part of the international team at freelancermap. She loves the digital world, social media and meeting different cultures. Before she moved to Germany and joined the freelancermap team she worked in the US, UK and her home country Spain. Now she focuses on helping freelancers and IT professionals to find jobs and clients worldwide at www.freelancermap.com

By Natalia Campana

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