Tips for novice freelancers

A few confused thoughts about freelancing. Do not take every word literally.

I don't know anything, nobody needs my services.

Most likely you really do not know anything. But, believe me, there are so many assholes and idiot people around that if you really want to study and you like what you are doing, then there will be a job for you quickly.

I do not know how much my services cost.

I recommend to start working for free. Make a couple of small projects. Get minimal experience with real customers. Most likely, some of them will want to continue working with you further for the money. At the initial stage of development, experience is much more important than money.
')

How much to ask for money for services.

Start at any small price. Change the price of services from time to time. Analyze. Do not be afraid to ask a lot. Do not be afraid to discuss the price with customers and bargain.

I am ashamed to ask a lot of money.

It should be :) At least through force. At least in order to know your ceiling. Thinking that you are demanding “a lot”, you can actually provide sufficiently high-quality and popular services at a reduced price. Demanding little money, you will deprive yourself, your relatives, your girlfriend. The word “ask” in this case is not even quite appropriate. You are not a beggar on the porch, you produce quality things and expect adequate payment.

Than to work badly in low-paid projects.

The less you ask for your services, the more likely you are to meet a customer who is looking for a cheap labor force or just an asshole.

I'm afraid to say NO.

We must be able to deny people. Already have a couple of projects? Do not take a new, expire deadlines for all three. The less experience you have, the greater the chances of prosrat deadline.
You said no, but the customer is pushing you? Appeals to your pity, nobility, intimidates? Explain to him that he is putting pressure on you, that he is an asshole, and he did not attack him at all.

It seems I do not have time.

Do you feel that you do not have time for projects that you have already taken? Do not hesitate. Knock the customer on skype and say that you cannot continue working or you can, but the dates will move. Understand that there are more terrible things than being angry with you or writing a negative review. Your customer may be in serious trouble due to the fact that you have broken deadlines. If the customer will put pressure on you and demand the impossible, turn on the brain and understand that you still can not do everything. Choose which projects to stop, talk with customers, and take the time left over.

Oil painting

The customer finds a freelancer with whom he has never worked. Gives him a task. They agree on terms. A week later, 12 hours before the deadline, the performer decides
did not make the order, which was negotiated a week ago, and, of course, does not have time. The next day, the customer is surprised to find out that the result of the work that he was waiting for a week is not. Who is guilty? Both. Just two asshole found each other.
A man with a head on his shoulders will not wait for a week of results in silence, he will control the process and in time will refuse to cooperate with a non-conspirator.

Do not work without TK.

Do not start working on the project until it is absolutely clear what, for how much money and in what time it should be done. And it should be clear to both you and the customer. And both of you should be clear the same thing :) If you have any doubts, discuss the TK with the customer. Oh, he did not provide TK? Does he just want a site like this one? Do not take on such a project. Or help him make up the TZ.

Do not take for what you do not know.

If you decide to expand your horizons, increase your professional experience, conquer new heights, make sure that the customer is aware of the risks and is ready to participate in such an extreme experiment.

Name - brand.

Your name is your brand. Feel free to blog. Feel free to sign your work. The more they know about you, the more chances that customers will look for you. You do great things and it’s on your conscience that many customers don’t know about you because you’re embarrassed to advertise yourself. While you are sitting on the sidelines, another asshole sucks the budgets of customers in exchange for obscenely done work.

You are not a slave.

The fact of payment of higher labor does not mean that you are a slave. You cooperate with the download. You let him finally spend the money not on the wind, but to get something working, bringing him joy.

Money is not the point.

Do not take work as a source of money. Do not take for uninteresting projects. Be honest to yourself and to the customer. Do the rest will follow.