5 Tips for Freelancers: My Personal Experiences and Recommendations

I started my freelancing career in late 2009 due to lack of job opportunities for fresh business graduates in the market. I had been extremely tensed about the ups and downs of the job market at the time when I started my career.

I had no idea that I could become a freelance writer after graduating with a BBA degree from reputable university. My experiences have been varying throughout all those 3 years. I had been thinking quite a lot of times in sharing freelance experience with all of my readers. Finally, after a few weeks of brainwashing, I managed to sit down and write this article for you. I list down herein my personal recommendations to future freelancers:

1.Never delay any project -My personal experience shows that delaying a project often has direct relationship with delayed payments. I have been suffering with delayed payments because some projects had not been delivered on time. If you think that the project can take more than expected time, inform the client in advance.

2. Always communicate regularly with the client - Miscommunication is often the leading cause of project failures. If you have any issues with the project regarding deadline, project descriptions or anything else, make sure to communicate with the client on time.

3. Never promise something that you cannot do - Many freelancers make a big mistake of getting a big project that they are just unable to complete due to lack of skills. Never lie to any client in a desperate attempt to win projects because this would lead to loss of trust in your services.

4. Be fair in your pricing - It is common for new freelancers to adopt "market penetration pricing strategy" whereby they charge rates less than what other experienced freelancers charge. However if you are a skilled writer, developer or designer, make sure to charge market rates. If a project can be completed at the cost of $200, your rate should be somewhat near to $200 with maximum 5% price variations.

5. Provide complete copyrights to clients - Clients demand 100% copyright ownership. Even if you have written an excellent eBook for a client and get paid for it, you are not legally allowed to show that work as your own. The client is paying you for your writing skills. This does not mean that you are entitled to write and market the book under your own name. Be ready to face serious legal challenges if your work is found to contain copyright issues.