7 commandments of a freelancer

1. Demanding for yourself and customers

Draw up and approve the rules of work, which can and must be confirmed by the contract. The contract is the freelancer’s only hope for justice. If the customer offers to work without a contract - refuse, no matter how good he may seem.

Write in the contract:

    deadlines for your work;
    terms for obtaining the necessary information from the customer;
    work scenario and conditions for its change;
    what do you take for the work done;
    terms and conditions of payment;
    number of edits.

The most important thing is to draw up a contract so as not to drive yourself into a corner. And not only to demand its implementation from the customer, but also to fulfill it.
2. Work only with prepayment

If the client refuses to give an advance, then it is better not to work with him. Most likely it is not clean. The advance payment is issued before the start of work and serves as a kind of insurance and guarantee of compliance with the clauses of the contract. If the client promises to give an advance during the workflow, refuse. Stay with a broken trough.
3. The hunt for customers

The most important task of a freelancer is to find a job, or rather, customers. Despite the huge number of exchanges for freelancers, you can face fierce competition. What you can do for $ 50, a Chinese or Indian freelancer can do for $ 10. You will have to put up with this and either work for a penny or raise your level.
4. Continuous improvement

In order for a job to find you on its own in a highly competitive environment, you need to constantly grow professionally. Follow new services, follow the news of your industry, communicate with experts, attend professional conferences, participate in webinars and seminars. Do not miss the opportunity.
5. Psychologist, financier, manager, diplomat - it's all about you, freelancers

If you choose freelance, then you have become the owner of your own business. So, you need to manage your time, finances, marketing and customer interactions yourself. You can become a successful freelancer only if you cope with all these many tasks at the same time: be able to earn more than spend, find a common language with clients, recognize unscrupulous people, manage your time, balance between personal life and work.
6. Mobility, “always in touch”

The clients are all different, and it’s convenient for everyone to communicate in different ways. Therefore, have accounts in most of the possible communication programs and be always in touch: Skype, email, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, social networks. For a freelancer, this is one way to provide a decent service to the client - quickly answer the question, save time, reduce the likelihood of misunderstanding.

Moreover, “Always be in touch” does not mean to go beyond common sense. All additional work must be paid (do not release this item in the contract).
7. Collection of reviews

It is useful for all freelancers to collect positive feedback about their work and recommendations from large and important customers, so that later they can show them to others. Do not be afraid to ask customers about it - this is a common thing. Now such online reviews have become an important criterion for choosing: many customers read information about the artist before placing an order. Feel free to talk about your achievements on social networks or on your profile on professional resources.


If you are an experienced freelancer, you yourself have come to these rules and you can expand the list. If you are just starting your way, be vigilant, create your own rules of work, do not break them and constantly develop. Good luck in work!

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