Freelancing is an incredible way to find purpose and fulfilment. The joy derived from culturing your own business is innumerable, majority of self employed business would say that this joy outweigh the struggles they might
face.
Self employed individuals hired to work on short term projects are freelancers unlike the traditional employees, do not have job security. No payment or delay in payment adds to this burden.
Do this to avoid exploitation :
1. Ask questions
When you are new in freelancing it is easy to get excited when prospect calls or reaches via email. You tend to agree to all request without an in depth knowledge to what is required of you. Ask questions until you have clearly defined the project, deadline, materials required and the pay.
2. Get full contact information
Be sure to get full contact information, do research to confirm that it is a real company before you sign. be wary of anyone who wants to hire your services and signs their email with just David, no email, street address, company website address attached.
3. Sign Contracts
This is a legal document defining the roles of both parties, which also legitimizes the work and also become important legal evidence in the case of dispute. asides this exchange of information between the client and freelancer should be via email or text. This would stand as proof in case of future dispute.
4. Do not do samples
Do not provide samples on the topics, you are in discussion over. Direct client to your blog to see previous work done. Do not submit work to client specifications free in hopes of getting more work. Majority of such offers are not legit. Most likely your designs, articles, photos would be used without permission and they will most definitely never be heard from again.
5. No to free consultation
Some prospect tend to talk for hours, asking lot of questions about the project, how to market it, seeking your opinion and ideas. The prospect tend to milk you for information. Asking you for more meeting time, which mostly times end they’re are not quite sure on what we want.
