Comments on: Breakin’ In the New Guy http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:09:38 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: kristen http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30864 kristen Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:46:59 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30864 Thanks for all the positive feedback! You know I always try to write something useful! Thanks for all the positive feedback! You know I always try to write something useful!

]]> By: Takumi86 http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30770 Takumi86 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:25:54 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30770 Very good advice and truly inspiring :) Very good advice and truly inspiring :)

]]> By: Calvin Froedge http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30685 Calvin Froedge Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:14:25 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30685 Good advice. In my own professional website design company, I do most of the sales and often hand down the work to a team of freelance designers and developers that I keep in touch with. I'm constantly adjusting to new contacts with my clients. It can be tricky, but it can be handled. Good advice. In my own professional website design company, I do most of the sales and often hand down the work to a team of freelance designers and developers that I keep in touch with. I’m constantly adjusting to new contacts with my clients. It can be tricky, but it can be handled.

]]> By: Tarique Sani http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30668 Tarique Sani Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:49:52 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30668 Be polite and to the point - this indeed is the most important thing! Over years have experienced this change many a time. Also there are times when you, the freelancer, are deemed incompetent by proxy because your previous contact goofed up somewhere... In this situation placing on record past communications regarding the specs can be a life saver. Be polite and to the point – this indeed is the most important thing! Over years have experienced this change many a time.

Also there are times when you, the freelancer, are deemed incompetent by proxy because your previous contact goofed up somewhere… In this situation placing on record past communications regarding the specs can be a life saver.

]]> By: Frank Lee http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30662 Frank Lee Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:55:19 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30662 Nice article. I'm starting to look for gigs @ agencies/companies and this article will help out a lot if/when it happens. Nice article. I’m starting to look for gigs @ agencies/companies and this article will help out a lot if/when it happens.

]]> By: Martha Retallick http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30657 Martha Retallick Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:32:11 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30657 Boy, is this a timely article! One of my clients is transitioning out of her job at a well-respected local company. And, oh, would I love to keep them on board! I've heard that they're going to use consultants for my client's work -- she's been their communications director -- and I've recommended a good friend. This friend would do great consulting work for them. Fantastic, in fact. I'm also cultivating my client's boss. It couldn't hurt... Boy, is this a timely article! One of my clients is transitioning out of her job at a well-respected local company. And, oh, would I love to keep them on board!

I’ve heard that they’re going to use consultants for my client’s work — she’s been their communications director — and I’ve recommended a good friend. This friend would do great consulting work for them. Fantastic, in fact.

I’m also cultivating my client’s boss. It couldn’t hurt…

]]> By: Susan Johnston http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30655 Susan Johnston Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:14:45 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30655 Good ideas, Kristen! One issue that isn't mentioned in this post is when your contact leaves before your invoice is processed. I ran into a situation recently where the new person refused to pay me for work I'd completed under the previous editor. Even though I had a paper trail documenting the project and my history with the previous editor, the new one refused to budge, because he felt that the previous editor hadn't followed protocol. I had been working with this publication for 4+ years, so I hated to lose that relationship, but in situations like this you just have to cut your losses and move on. It's not worth sticking around if you're not getting paid. :( Good ideas, Kristen! One issue that isn’t mentioned in this post is when your contact leaves before your invoice is processed. I ran into a situation recently where the new person refused to pay me for work I’d completed under the previous editor. Even though I had a paper trail documenting the project and my history with the previous editor, the new one refused to budge, because he felt that the previous editor hadn’t followed protocol. I had been working with this publication for 4+ years, so I hated to lose that relationship, but in situations like this you just have to cut your losses and move on. It’s not worth sticking around if you’re not getting paid. :(

]]> By: Melek http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30652 Melek Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:20:24 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30652 Hey Karen - This is something I deal with frequently. My biggest client is growing by leaps and bounds and constantly adding or moving my contacts. I'm working with one girl who is obviously overwhelmed by the amount of work we push thru on a weekly basis. She said something about being sorry for all the revisions to one particular project. I assured her that that was the norm and that she shouldn't blame herself. She was very grateful to me for saying that and letting her know it was standard. I think she felt like she wasn't doing a good job bc of all the updates. Sometimes just a few words like that will help your contact keep their cool and in turn, be a better liaison to you. Great article. Melissa Hey Karen –
This is something I deal with frequently. My biggest client is growing by leaps and bounds and constantly adding or moving my contacts. I’m working with one girl who is obviously overwhelmed by the amount of work we push thru on a weekly basis. She said something about being sorry for all the revisions to one particular project. I assured her that that was the norm and that she shouldn’t blame herself. She was very grateful to me for saying that and letting her know it was standard. I think she felt like she wasn’t doing a good job bc of all the updates.

Sometimes just a few words like that will help your contact keep their cool and in turn, be a better liaison to you.

Great article.
Melissa

]]> By: Vilav http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30648 Vilav Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:01:26 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30648 This happened to me just last month. A marketing manager left while a project was underway. Once I realized this, my panic knew no bounds. I went to the company's HQ and met the director. Thankfully things got back to normal, the project was completed and the outstanding payments were realized. The best tips are indeed the ones provided in the post. Introducing the substitute to the creative process helps. Take the client through the work that has been happening in the past and explain what was underway when the previous person left. Having multi-point client contacts definitely helps in such situations! This happened to me just last month. A marketing manager left while a project was underway. Once I realized this, my panic knew no bounds. I went to the company’s HQ and met the director. Thankfully things got back to normal, the project was completed and the outstanding payments were realized. The best tips are indeed the ones provided in the post. Introducing the substitute to the creative process helps. Take the client through the work that has been happening in the past and explain what was underway when the previous person left. Having multi-point client contacts definitely helps in such situations!

]]> By: matthew duerksen http://freelanceswitch.com/working/breakin%e2%80%99-in-the-new-guy/#comment-30641 matthew duerksen Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:50:11 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1470#comment-30641 Great information Kristen! Haven't had to deal with this yet, but it is definitely always a good thing to keep in mind. I have one client who had only one project coordinator that I worked with, and they recently took on a second coordinator that I work with from time to time as well. So almost the same idea and principles apply. Thanks! matthew duerksen Great information Kristen!

Haven’t had to deal with this yet, but it is definitely always a good thing to keep in mind. I have one client who had only one project coordinator that I worked with, and they recently took on a second coordinator that I work with from time to time as well. So almost the same idea and principles apply.

Thanks!

matthew duerksen

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