Ask FreelanceSwitch: Starting a Freelance Career Back Up and Judging Overhead
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at getting back into working and overhead. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Question 1
I’ve stayed home for the last 10 years raising my boys. Picked up a few projects and have done volunteer work. How should I charge for my work? Where I left off? My portfolio is not very strong, but my work ethic is. I’m trying to catch back up.
With a ten year break in your freelancing career, it can be tough to get back into the swing of things. You’ll feel like you need to catch up with freelancers who were working throughout that whole period and the fact of the matter is that you can’t. Your freelancing career will look very different than other peoples’ and that’s perfectly fine.
Ask Freelance Switch: Promoting Yourself and Pricing
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at promoting yourself as a freelancer and pricing. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Question 1
Hello, I am a Publicity student, in my last year of college and I’m starting doing some freelancing. I want to know if the use of online portfolios and also talking in specifics communities in the social networks is a good thing to try to catch some freelancing jobs?!
Creating an online portfolio is a must for freelancers these days. While you used to be able to take your portfolio around to prospective clients, you’ll find most of them will prefer to look at your work online. It’s also far more efficient than lugging around a big portfolio. The big question is whether to use a portfolio site or set up your own website — and I absolutely recommend setting up your own site. You have no control over whether a portfolio site might go down at some point, but you do have a lot more control over your own website.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Firing Clients and Providing Hosting
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at firing clients and providing hosting. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Question 1
How do you deal with clients who refuse to accept that you’ve decided to end the relationship? We have a client that we formally terminated contracts with for a number of reasons, but this client refuses to accept that we are no longer interested. He has been very passive-aggressive, making very subtle, veiled threats, and then saying he needs us because we do such wonderful work.
We initially responded to his e-mails politely and firmly, but ignored his last two e-mails. We’re wondering if we should respond at all anymore. It’s a bit challenging, because this client and our company are in the same community, so we have the same circles of contacts and friends. We will certainly run into this client time after time and certainly don’t want to burn bridges.
We are concerned, however, about this client’s persistence and instability. How do we get it through his head that we will never work with him again even if he were the last person on the planet, without involving legal resources or having him wreak havoc?
Unfortunately, you’re already doing pretty much everything you can in this situation. Because you’ve already addressed his emails and formally terminated your contract, it’s acceptable to simply stop replying to his emails. You may also want to prepare a standard response, in case one of your shared contacts asks you about the situation, something along the lines of ‘it just didn’t work out.’ You may also need to prepare yourself for the fact that you’ll probably encounter this person at events in the future.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Portfolios and Blog Content
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at portfolios and blog content. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Question 1
I’m currently working outside the field of programming. I was attending college when the recession hit and I had to drop out because of financial concerns. I was pretty good at programming in high school and I was in the top of my class in college. My main focus was application programming, things like Java with Swing, Qt with Python or C++ and I even managed to make a pretty decent 2D game engine in OpenGL/C++. I know it’s a long shot but do you think I might have a chance of getting some work as a freelancer with just this simple resume (no college degree, just some apps as a portfolio)? And if I do, should I consider web programming?
For many freelance projects, your portfolio will be far more important than any resume. A few clients may ask to see a resume, but it’s extremely rare and (more often than not) a sign that the client in question hasn’t worked with a lot of freelancers.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Moving from Full-time to Freelancing
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at moving from full-time to freelance. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Freelancing as a Student
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at getting ahead as a student and transitioning from student to freelancer. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Dealing with Problematic Clients and Low Pay
Credit: by Yuri Arcurs on Photodune
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at several questions from the same freelancer who is working with a tough employer. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
I am a web developer (who sometimes gets lumped in as a web designer, as I can kind of fly front-ends) and I have been working for a very small (me + the owner) graphic design company. I have been having a number of issues with him, due probably to a combination of me being new to freelance contracting on a mid-to-long term basis (I have contracted on ad-hoc work before). I would also suggest the problem is due to his inexperience at moving away from design and becoming a project/business manager and having had little experience working with freelancers.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Computer Time and Multiple Bids
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at charging for tying up your computer and what to do when you win multiple bids at once. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Marketing and Style
Credit: elenathewise on Photodune
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at low-cost marketing and developing a style. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: Pseudonyms and Secondary Services
Credit: Siew Yi Liang on Flickr
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at names and secondary services, in two questions from the same person. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: First Clients and Conferences
Credit: Dennis Hill
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, this week, we have two questions from the same freelancer, answered below. We’re looking at landing a first client and attending conferences. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Ask FreelanceSwitch: IOUs and Networking with Clients
Credit: freddyfromutah on Flickr
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, we look at promissory notes and networking clients. Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
