The Right and Wrong Ways to Compete for Jobs
People often complain about freelancers being too competitive—but that’s not such a bad thing.
As a freelancer competing for jobs, you have to make it a point to stick out from the rest. And as long as you’re professional about things, there’s nothing wrong with maintaining an edge.
Here’s how to—and how not to do it!
DO: Make your marketing collateral flawless. These days, a simple click to your website by a prospective employer could mean the difference between getting the gig and getting passed up. So make sure that your logo is solid, and your branding carries across things like your brochure, business card and website. Content matters just as much as design, and you’ve got to have both to compete against
DON’T: Ask colleagues for specific referrals. While there’s nothing wrong with seeking out a mentor, I think it’s vital not to try to step on their toes. I’ve had plenty of people ask me for specific leads and referrals—and it wasn’t the way to enlist my help. Stick to asking others for advice on how to do things and don’t try to dig for anything more, such as asking them who some of their clients are. They’ve gone through tons of hard work to get their connections and it’s only fair that you do the same.
DO: Keep learning. It’s vital to stay on top of your game—and that means staying on top of your industry, too. Whether you read books or attend seminars, it’s always great to learn the newest techniques, tricks and players that affect your industry. This is especially true if you’re in a more technology-based field, as that’s always changing. Even writers that only use Firefox and MS Word to get by can still learn new tricks and make new connection.
DON’T: Get nasty with networking. I attended a networking event once geared towards creative professionals. Everyone was nice, except the other writers. It seemed that everyone within their own specialty wasn’t too chummy, and instead were only nice to those who could possibly give them paying work. But even others in your field can provide connections. No matter what happens, it’s best to be nice to others in your field, especially at networking events where people can pick up on your vibe easily.
DO: Enhance your services. As a writer, there is still plenty of ways for me to improve. Because I do mostly Web collateral, I try to make an effort for more print work. I also try to complement my book-writing with magazine-writing. I’m always looking for more to give my clients, and always looking to make things easier on both parties. Staying competitive means constantly taking stock of what you can improve—and your services offer direct benefits to your clients so exploring this area of your business is worth the time.
DON’T: Bad-mouth the competition. This should be a given, but I feel the need to say it. Because some freelancers don’t insult others on purpose—but that doesn’t mean they don’t do it. When clients ask why they should use you over a competitor, it’s important to highlight your advantages rather than the competition’s shortcomings. This saves you from burning bridges and also helps you appear more practical.
Even though you may not play for a team as a freelancer doesn’t mean that good sportsmanship doesn’t count. Put your best foot forward and continue giving yourself that competitive edge—the right way, of course.
Kristen Fischer is a freelance copywriter and author living in New Jersey.
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Great Article, Kristen! Love the fact that you mentioned the importance of being on top of the latest trends and to keep learning.
Thanks!
Chachu Clothing
Great article, Kristen.
Some wise words in there… Thanks for sharing.
Stu Collett.
Great advices!
Thank you!
Good tips! Thank you!
This article is SO timely. At my site, I recently wrote about the Freelancers Union and their recent JUMP in members. That means all the more people for us to compete with. Thanks!
Another good article. I think stressing the importance of not burning bridges is very important. You never know when you might have someone become a boss or have extra work they need help with.
Great insight. I like all of this advice, especially the one about sportsmanship, because I find it just ugly if your downing other designers (because I am a designer).
Great post. Here is another Do and Don’t to add to your list:
Do: Network on an ongoing basis by asking past clients or colleagues to lunch or attending professional meetings. Most people will more likely pass you leads or referrals if you are consistently friendly and helpful to them. Some of my colleagues have been so supportive of me, I wouldn’t hesitate to help them if asked.
Don’t: The worst time to start networking is when you are desperate. I am less likely to help someone whom I haven’t seen in a year and then calls me asking for a referral.
Great article!
Nice advice as always. But you should listed them all to which one is all “Do” and which one is all “Don” so it will making it easier for reader to hit on your point
great list. got me thinking. thanks!
Dear Kristen,
This is a very nice article to keep going up in freelancing world. I’m sorry to disagree with Takumi86, but I personally think that your article is good the way it is, and alternating the DOs and DON’Ts make me feel more comfortable because I don’t feel like being lectured by your saying DO this, this and this and DON’T do that, that and that. Once again please note that this is my personal opinion that don’t go along with Takumi86’s, not that his suggestion is bad. Perhaps it’s just because we perceive things differently.
I also totally agree about not bad-mouthing the competition. To me, it only shows that one’s not good enough at his work that he should bad-mouth others to gain attention and respect (if there’s any) to himself. It may seems to attract people on the surface, but it really only shows how incapable one is.
If ever one finds flaw(s) in a colleague, I think it is better to just keep it to oneself. Or one could point out a few tips in moderation to that certain colleague so he could eliminate that flaw(s). If the approach is right, he’ll be thanking you instead of grudging you!!
I think another “Do” that belongs on the list is to aggressively proof one’s copy. We all know that technically accurate punctuation and the ability to spot typos does not originate from the same skill set. Good writers, rather, tend to have the organizational and creative talents to convey a message effectively. Nevertheless, most editors and would-be employers are less tolerant to mistakes — especially when a writer claims to have a lot of experience. This is an area I struggle with, and I don’t always have the right answers. However, I’ve found that the best learning material is reading material. When I ask the right questions, I have an opportunity to sharpen my proofing and editing skills. For instance:
“book-writing”
“magazine-writing”
Are those supposed to be hyphenated?
Similarly, I once worked on a project in which it was necessary to learn that the “three Rs” do not contain a hyphen (Chicago Manual of Style), and that the 1950′ vs. 50’s should, in fact, be written 1950s and ’50s (Associated Press Stylebook). Following the above pattern, I believe the correct way to say “Do’s” is actually “Dos” because it is not a contraction. I could be wrong, however. It does look weird to omit the apostrophe!
On a final note, I feel that the Dos and Don’ts are applicable to many freelancers, not just writers. A graphic designer I know has a similar concern — hiring someone who is competent enough to help complete his over-supply of work, only to have that person rip off his client list. There’s a difference between networking and stealing!