I am a programmer, but since I've barely been in the professional market my portfolio is rather bare right now. Still, I started to try and get my website up and running to help a little bit, but what I really need right now is to be able to expand my portfolio.I have a guy who wants me to do a lot of work for him, and I'm willing to do it for a while at least until I can get better jobs. The real problem, though, is that he does not want me to tell anyone that I have been doing work for him. Naturally, since I'm both trying to earn money and expand my portfolio, this poses a problem.Part of the reason for doing an app was to prove I can develop one, but if I can't tell anyone I wrote it, then developing the app seems pointless; I may be better off creating my own app and eating the loss in profit because I can get more work out of it, but of course, at the same time, I'm in desperate need of cash. I do have jobs lined up elsewhere, but I'll likely get paid faster through doing this specific job.What factors should I be looking at when making a decision on whether or not I should take a job for money that I can't talk about?
How do I decide whether to take a job I can't add to my portfolio?
freelancing
You need money, and if the conditions for this job are the you can't tell others, then don't. Whether it's in the contract or not, it's clear the work will end if you discuss it. You could take him to court, but that probably won't help much.It is extremely common for subcontractors to work under non-disclosure agreements that mean you can't tell others about the actual work or customer, but you can usually talk about the type of work or project in more general terms.If he's subcontracting you to someone else, well it's up to those two what they charge and pay for.I suggest you look for other work. Ask them upfront for permission to include it in your portfolio, and say why; some will be happy for a bit of extra publicity. Others will say no, and that's fine. If you're really short of cash, stay with this guy but start looking now. In any case you're gaining a lot of useful experience.