How to Become a Freelance SQL Developer in 2024

Becoming a freelance SQL Developer takes experience and effort. Freelancing is similar to owning your own business as you will need to find clients, set hours and rates, and negotiate contracts on your own. Many people choose to pursue freelance work because it offers flexibility and allows you to work when you want and often where you want as many freelance positions are remote or hybrid. Freelance work also has some risks, including low pay, lack of job stability, and the need for freelancers to remain self-motivated and self-disciplined. The first step to becoming an SQL Developer, whether freelance or in-house, is receiving the right training which you can get by taking a class, bootcamp, or certificate program from a proven education provider. 

Freelance vs. In-House SQL Developer

While weighing whether to consider becoming a freelance SQL Developer, it is useful to compare it to working as an in-house SQL Developer for a business or organization. It is common for SQL Developers to work freelance or to be employed as part-time or full-time in-house employees in a variety of different industries. In both cases, SQL Developers will likely be working on a team of other IT professionals or developers. Both freelancers and in-house SQL Developers need excellent communication and collaboration skills to understand the data needs of the company they work for and collaborate with others on their team to translate them into reality. 

Freelancing will usually involve short-term contracts and allows for greater flexibility in how often one works and when. The main difference between a freelancer and an in-house developer is that freelancers need to find their own clients and work on a contract-by-contract basis whereas in-house developers typically work for one company over a sustained number of years. While in-house SQL Developers enjoy stable income, some choose to move to freelance work for greater freedom and to find different opportunities after reaching a plateau working for only one company. 

Unlike in-house developers, freelancers will have to find their own clients and many do so by word of mouth and networking. If someone has successfully set up a database or integrated Business Intelligence software into a database for a client, that client is much more likely to re-hire the same SQL Developer or recommend them to their colleagues. Setting up a profile on a platform like Upwork is also a great opportunity for freelancers to market their skills and look for freelance positions. For freelancers, contracts can either be for a specific project, commonly helping a company set up a database they can use to enhance their productivity or efficiency, or for an amount of time, like three months or six months. Thus, freelancers will end up working for a wider variety of businesses and organizations rather than working long-term for one place of business like an in-house SQL Developer. 

While in-house SQL Developers are usually salaried and receive benefits, freelance SQL Developers set their own rates, do not receive benefits, and have to pay taxes differently because they are independent contractors. As a freelancer, one’s rate will be based on the amount of experience they have and the services they can offer. Some freelancers, for instance, specialize in working in specific industries, like healthcare, finance, or education, and can therefore market their expertise to gain clients. It is not unheard of for an SQL Developer to choose to freelance after working in-house for several years. This often happens when an SQL Developer feels they can better leverage their experience and expertise to find clients who will pay them at a higher rate than they received within their in-house developer position.

Benefits & Potential Challenges of SQL Developer Freelancing

There are both benefits and downsides to freelancing as an SQL Developer. The main benefits include greater control over one’s schedule and where one works as well as the potential for higher earnings and working for clients within one’s desired industry. Some choose freelance work due to a desire for greater work-life balance as freelancing often allows for more short-term, part-time, and remote work in comparison to full-time, in-house SQL Developer roles. 

Freelancers can leverage their skills and expertise to earn more than those working just for one company. That is because freelancers can take on multiple contracts at once while choosing only the ones that they want to work on. Some people turn to freelance SQL Developer work because they have additional skills specific to certain industries or beyond those required for SQL work such as web development or back end development skills. This expertise can help a freelance SQL Developer get high-paying jobs that one might find more interesting or challenging than those offered in typical in-house SQL Developer positions.

There are also challenges to undertaking freelance SQL development work. One of the main downsides to freelancing can be the lack of a consistent income. Freelancers need to find their own clients and this can be especially difficult at first. SQL Developers doing freelance work will also find that these jobs rarely come with the benefits of an in-house position, though, depending on one’s own goals, it might not matter to those seeking more flexible work arrangements. 

What is an SQL Developer?

An SQL Developer designs, develops, and maintains large-scale databases for a business or organization. SQL Developers are responsible for tasks such as creating database structures, writing, analyzing, and optimizing SQL queries to retrieve data and enhance performance, and making sure databases are up-to-date, backed up, and secure. To do this job, one needs to not only know SQL and database design, but also be familiar with major relational database management systems, like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle. In addition, SQL developers often need to know other programming languages and Business Intelligence (BI) processes and tools. 

SQL Developers work in all industries and are frequently employed by companies that handle large amounts of data and information, like the tech industry, education, healthcare, finance, and retail. Depending on the position, some employers in industries like healthcare and finance are looking for SQL Developers who have experience working with their data and platforms, in particular. An SQL Developer will most often find themselves working on a larger team of IT professionals, meaning they need to work collaboratively and have good communication skills. SQL Developers need to collaborate with software developers and data analysts and communicate with those in other departments like marketing or operations about how to implement data requirements. Additionally, SQL Developers may need to communicate with other stakeholders, third-party vendors, and clients as part of their role. 

What is SQL Developer Freelancing Like?

Freelancing as an SQL Developer is similar to running one’s own business. Freelancers will be fully in charge of their own workload and schedule and do all of the work of finding clients, setting rates and hours, and negotiating contracts. While it can be difficult to start freelancing, many people find freelancing rewarding due to the potential for greater freedom and higher pay. 

Many beginning freelancers will find navigating the job market challenging, at first. Freelancers need to promote themselves and market their specific skills and expertise to potential clients. As part of navigating the job market, freelancers should take opportunities to join job-related social networks, like LinkedIn, or social media groups where they can network with colleagues and find potential clients. Joining freelance-specific platforms like Upwork allows one to do some self-promotion while finding SQL Developer job posts. Without much prior experience, freelancers should expect to take some lower-paying jobs, at first, and can consider doing volunteer work for friends or nonprofits to grow their skills and experience. 

When marketing oneself, it is important to indicate any sort of specialized skill set one has. This can include experience working with data in a specific industry, as some SQL Developers find work as specialists in industries like banking, insurance, healthcare, or education. Skill sets also include one’s experience with particular database management system dialects, knowing extract, transform, and load (ETL), SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), or being familiar with specific Business Intelligence programs and tools. Specifying your skill set will be key to communicating to potential clients what work you can do and this skill set can always grow as you learn more, take classes, or complete professional certifications. Being clear about one’s skill set can also help freelancers determine their rates, as those with more experience and deeper skill sets can set higher rates than those just getting started as SQL Developers. 

Freelancers need especially robust communication skills as they will have to negotiate contracts with prospective clients and keep clients frequently updated about their progress. Like in-house SQL Developers, freelancers will likely have virtual or in-person team meetings to attend once hired for a specific time- or project-based contract. Freelancers should be prepared to communicate with their clients to keep them updated about the project’s timeline, including providing detailed updates on the work they have accomplished as well as what remains to be done. 

Is SQL Developer Freelancing Right for Me?

As you consider whether freelancing is right for you, think about your goals and the circumstances under which you work best. Freelancing as an SQL Developer is great for two groups of people, those just getting started as an SQL Developer and those who already have a few years of experience. Additionally, freelancing works best for those who are self-motivated and self-disciplined, though these are skills that can be learned over time. 

Those just starting might use freelancing as a way to gain experience professionally building and developing large databases for a business or organization. Many with SQL training can use short-term contracts with different clients as a way to break into the industry, especially if they do not quite have the one or two years of professional experience that many employers are looking for. Beginning SQL Developers can also use freelancing as a way to further sharpen their skills or build their professional network. 

Some SQL Developers move from full-time, in-house positions to freelance work for greater freedom and greater pay. This group of people often feel like they are not getting the opportunities they need to progress in their current job and can better leverage their skills and expertise to different clients on their own. Expert SQL Developers have a greater chance of getting higher pay from freelancing and being able to move from freelancing into a solid, in-house position if that becomes more desirable. 

Freelancing is also a type of work that is best for those who are self-motivated and self-disciplined. It can take a lot of effort to market oneself and one’s skills to find clients. Long-term freelancers are often self-motivated individuals with specific pay or lifestyle goals as it can be hard to force oneself to navigate the job market every few months. In addition, freelancers often need a degree of self-discipline, especially if one is working contracts that are mainly remote or part-time. SQL Developers will need to push themselves to stay on track, complete their contracts, and achieve their own goals. 

Steps to Become a Freelance SQL Developer

Your first step to becoming an SQL Developer will be to get the necessary skills and training. Many employers are looking for SQL Developers to have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Some will accept equivalent training in place of a college or university degree. Completing SQL classes, bootcamps, or certificate programs will help to show potential employers that you have received the education necessary to know SQL. 

Hands-on, professional experience is key to becoming an SQL Developer. Taking a class can help to provide some of the hands-on experience that employers are looking for, but there are other options to pursue, as well. Beginning SQL Developers can find internships or entry-level jobs as a Junior SQL Developer or an SQL Programmer. Some of these positions will even train employees to use SQL as part of the position, though most will require someone to have received this training before starting the job. Internships or entry-level positions allow someone to get the experience necessary to move into SQL Developer positions and eventually become a Senior SQL Developer. 

SQL Developers often have at least one to two years of professional experience working with SQL and Senior SQL Developers should have at least five years experience. Many freelance SQL Developers either have a few years working in-house for one company or are just starting. Someone just getting started can do freelance work for friends or colleagues, volunteer their services, or look for jobs that allow one to undertake projects working with databases, manipulating or analyzing data, or generating reports to gain more experience. 

In addition to all the skills of a regular SQL developer, future freelance SQL developers will need to learn skills for running and marketing their businesses. This can include needing to know something about contract law for one’s negotiations, accounting to keep track of one’s finances, and needing to know a bit about digital marketing and web design for self-promotion. Even freelance SQL developers who plan to contract consultants to help run their small business should have a basic understanding of these areas to determine what kind of outsourcing will best support their freelance work.

Learn the Skills to Become an SQL developer at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop provides high-quality classes taught by expert instructors that can prepare you to become an SQL Developer. Whether you want to transition from another job into a career as an SQL Developer or upskill by learning SQL, Noble offers classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs with full-time and part-time scheduling options. Those with no experience with SQL will want to start by taking a beginning-level class or bootcamp and those looking for comprehensive, career-oriented SQL training should consider a bootcamp or a certificate program. 

Noble offers two SQL bootcamps that will provide comprehensive training, the SQL Bootcamp and SQL Server Bootcamp. Both offer expert instruction in extracting information from databases and turning that information into actionable insights, with minor differences in the flavor of SQL students will learn in each bootcamp. The SQL Bootcamp teaches PostgreSQL, can be taken by those with a Mac or a PC, and is useful for those following the SQL Developer career path or going into data science or data analytics careers. The SQL Server Bootcamp is specific to Microsoft’s database management system which is often used by businesses and requires students to have a PC. The core concepts students learn in each bootcamp will be the same, so students should be able to learn other flavors of SQL, as needed, after completing either bootcamp.

Noble also offers singular SQL classes for beginners (SQL Level 1), intermediate learners (SQL Level 2), and advanced learners (SQL Level 3). These classes are a great option for those who want to get started learning SQL but who want to avoid taking an intensive SQL class or enrolling in a bootcamp. Noble’s SQL Bootcamp is also part of multiple data-related career-oriented certificate programs, including the Data Analytics Certificate and the Data Science Certificate. Both certificate programs are comprehensive and are intended to provide students with all of the skills they will need to get started as a Data Analyst or Data Scientist upon completion.