A lot of the tutorials, articles and blog posts I’ve read about beginning your freelancing career assume that its a choice your making on your own, telling you to save up for 3 months worth of cash, get a client based sorted and register yourself as a company, that didn’t happen for me to be honest and with people cutting back on spending and marketing plans being dramatically reduced in many cases, it seems that more and more people will either be made redundant or through some means or other find themselves without work in the next few months.
I’m going to give my advice and feelings below as to what I think you should be doing in this situation, I’m not saying its 100% correct and some may disagree with me entirely but much of this I did or its stuff I wish I had done when I started freelancing a couple of months ago.
So Lets say your a web developer and the company you’ve worked for have gone tits up, you find this out monday morning at 9am and sent home at 10am… what would I tell you to do?
(This assumes that freelancing is the way you want to go and you either cannot or do not want to get a salaried job)
Day One – Nothing… This is probably one of the strangest things for me to suggest but don’t do anything on that day, if you have a partner / wife / kids spend the day with them and try and process what’s happened, losing a job can be a shock to the system and your going to be working bloody hard for the next few weeks/months so spending this day with them is important (it was for me anyway)
The next thing I would recommend is get yourself legal, I really don’t like using off the shelf companies services to be honest, I jut don’t trust them, it cost me a little more but I had a chat with an accountant we did it all and made the company legal in a few days (I also use freeagent central to keep everything inline).
From now on, everything you do online represents your company, as a freelancer… you are the brand, so if your not already get yourself about, twitter, facebook, linkedin over the past few weeks these have all passed me leads.
Get a website up, don’t spend weeks designing it, for now you just need something quick and easy. Woothemes wordpress templates a very simple to install and configure and above all, look pretty good.
Contact your old clients, if you were part of an agency, look for emails that you’ve sent or been sent and explain the situation, explain that you worked on a certain part of there site and would like permission to use them as a portfolio piece on your website.
Get some business cards made, your going to be leaving the house a lot for the next week or two and your going to need to leave your name in as many places as possible, don’t get something custom cut or designed, a lot of these cards are going to be given and never looked at again but even business cards have a conversion rate, A few times in the past year or two i’ve exchanged cards with someone, gone our seperate ways and had a phone call a month or year later saying they’ve changed jobs and remember me and now they’ve got something that would be perfect for us to do together.
If you’ve no money saved then your going to need to be prepared to take ‘whatever you can jobs’ for the next couple of weeks, speak to family members… theres always a friend of a friend who needs a website doing.. while this may be more a couple of hundred quid rather than the couple of thousand quid… You carn’t be too choosy about what to pick right now and these jobs might lead to somewhere.
Get out there, I honestly cannot recommend this enough (but maybe thats just my personality) but get to events, I tend to only go to the free events but I go to a lot, networking, social, business anything that’s on I try and get to, pretty soon you start to see some regulars who also do this and overtime you build up a relationship.
Look for work, part time work, the odd 6 hours a week type work on a part time basis, DON’T APPLY but go into town and look at the recuritment agent windows that offer work like this, it might be telephone support or shelf stacking at 2am in the morning, this isn’t something we should be thinking of at this point but you need to have an idea of the options avilable if freelancing is a little slow to take off (if it usually is)
You can also do part time work online, I used to make an okay amount of money by posting on forums for money or doing data input, its shit boring work but with no client base you need some money.
Next up we will talk about specific routes, websites and places to find work as a freelancer.
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Two important ingredients – passion and networking. Anybody can start a business anytime, but you have to be passionate about what you do. Secondly, you have to know people. Start making friends with lots of people who know lots of people. That’s the membership secretary of the local Chamber of Commerce, the people at your local Enterprise Agency, and even the local vicar. The vicar knows everybody, he knows their problems too, and if that’s a “need a web site” problem, you could win!
Great article and I mostly agree. I’m only Freelancer since today (scary) but I’m so glad I didn’t come from the “laid off” angle.
.-= Cristiano Betta´s last blog ..@alper yeah thinking of using my iphone for that in the future =-.
Learning the basic rules of English is also a good tip as well. For example: your and you’re, its and it’s. Probably a good idea to proofread too, geeze. :/
@Paul passion is a very important thing, something that a lot of people struggle with, I’m lucky in the fact that at the moment I can choose to work with companies that I’m passionate about
@Christiano I’d be interested to know what you disagree with
@Daniel Do I come to your house and piss on your carpet? No… so how about a little more respect on my blog eh?, if you don’t like the spelling or grammar you know where the subscribe button is..
@Dominic
I don’t intend to troll and I apologise for being so frank and probably quite rude too. Honestly speaking though, how do you expect me or anyone else to–as you put it–respect your blog when you make errors that even a 12 year old could point out?
.-= Daniel´s last blog ..How Super Paper Mario Doesn’t Feel Like Work =-.
@Daniel, when I first wrote this blog I explained that this was my space, I do have a lot of trouble with grammar and context with there / their so its either I forego getting annoyed about it and not blog or I blog and piss off a few people who get annoyed by that sort of stuff..
Writing isn’t my forte but I’ve a few subscribers to the blog who think what I write is interesting, mistakes and all.
As for respect? I’m not saying you have to agree or approve of everything I write and maybe I could have done with a little once over of it again but there’s no need to be a knob about it, it just gets everyone’s back up..
I agree with Daniel. You might want to accept that people will always offer constructive critism, you’re no exception to that are you, Dom? When a potential client see gramatical mistakes it sends bells of “lack of attention to detail” – based on that alone I wouldn’t give you work; having a command of the English language speaks volumes. What if your client is a copywriter? A ex English teacher – frankly until you’ve spoken to a client you have no idea what background they come from and what’s important to them.
Some food for thought I think. A simple “it’s mine and I don’t care” is fine, fine if you don’t ever want any work that is…
Also, before you try and shout me down with words of anger, don’t bother; because it’ll just prove another quality you lack as a freelancer and that’s the art of listening to others, even when it hurts.
@tek, I’ll post your comment with my response..
I agree with Daniel. You might want to accept that people will always offer constructive critism, you’re no exception to that are you, Dom?
– No, I will agree I don’t always take criticism well, the point has made that my grammar and spelling need work, I’m fine with people making this point (as people have done in the past, my problem with Daniel (and he agreed in the end) was that he made the point by being a knob and quite trollish (something which you yourself are verging on in this very comment).
When a potential client see gramatical mistakes it sends bells of “lack of attention to detail” – based on that alone I wouldn’t give you work;
– And thats why potential clients are made aware that this is a personal website, my company website is given as a more suitable URL (potential clients are found via what they search for within a search engine)…
having a command of the English language speaks volumes. What if your client is a copywriter? A ex English teacher – frankly until you’ve spoken to a client you have no idea what background they come from and what’s important to them.
– Slight correction… it would be AN ex English teacher, not A ex…
and as I’ve said previously, much of my work comes from people who know me / my reputation, I’m in a lucky position where I can choose to work with clients who understand how my head works…
Some food for thought I think. A simple “it’s mine and I don’t care” is fine, fine if you don’t ever want any work that is…
– I’m actually doing okay with work at the moment but thanks for the constructive advice.
Also, before you try and shout me down with words of anger,
– Erm….okay?
don’t bother; because it’ll just prove another quality you lack as a freelancer
– See… now your just being mean… would you like me to show you some of my previous clients with recommendations, I’ve worked with small companies to FTSE100 companies and all have been pretty happy with my work…
Your assuming that just because my blog posts lack the correct grammatical formatting my client work does, my clients don’t.
and that’s the art of listening to others, even when it hurts.
– Yeah…. thanks for that
- No, I will agree I don’t always take criticism well, the point has made that my grammar and spelling need work, I’m fine with people making this point (as people have done in the past, my problem with Daniel (and he agreed in the end) was that he made the point by being a knob and quite trollish (something which you yourself are verging on in this very comment).
No, Daniel paid you a little bit of lip service; he also continued to labour his point (in a better and more fitting frame of reference in my view).
I’m not trolling in the slightest, trust me I can be a lot more sarcastic and cutting that I have been here (see further down). So please don’t try and debase my comment by assigning it to the troll bin right at the start, come on Dom; have a little more backbone than that, you’re a Yorkshireman after all. If anyone is a troll, it’s you, by your dissention in to name calling off the bat. Way to keep your readers, sorry, I forgot you don’t give a fuck – nice.
- And thats why potential clients are made aware that this is a personal website, my company website is given as a more suitable URL (potential clients are found via what they search for within a search engine)…
We don’t start sentences’ with “and” btw way, have a little rebuttal for your catching out of “a” instead of “an” on my comment
That aside, you don’t obviously get it. It doesn’t matter that you inform a client that this is your personal website, your space, you’ll do what you want site. When you work with them this site becomes visible on the periphery of there website simply for the fact that YOU have worked for them. That matters in business, in business to business and in client relationships. They will not want you to work for them when they can’t gauge what shit you’ll be spouting next on your blog or if you’re a loose cannon with a shitty attitude to even your own readers. No business wants to work with a twin personality, it smacks of snide and unstable. Real business just isn’t about either of those things.
Do you truly believe that businesses don’t do a little digging themselves? Do you honestly believe that they can’t use Google, aren’t already on Twitter, shit they may even have been following you for a week or so to gauge unobtrusively if you’re the kind of guy they want working for them (yep, I’m sure you didn’t think of that when you spewed forth on Twitter in the way you have). Seriously, I know, I’ve done it to both businesses I want to with and people I’m about to employ.
I’ve done it to you. That’s why I am here, I’ve got to the point of watching from a far (on the recommendation of someone else) where I think you need to be challenged on some of the things you say; because you’re acting like you are a web guru and you’re clearly not.
- Slight correction… it would be AN ex English teacher, not A ex… and as I’ve said previously, much of my work comes from people who know me / my reputation, I’m in a lucky position where I can choose to work with clients who understand how my head works…
If it’s true then I am genuinely pleased for you, excuse me for being somewhat sceptical.
- I’m actually doing okay with work at the moment but thanks for the constructive advice.
Excellent, again I am pleased, if a little sceptical.
- Erm….okay?
Would you like me to expand on that? I can if you want; just let me know. Better than that, have a read of your own tweets, blogs and comments subjectively and have a think about how you treat people.
- See… now your just being mean… would you like me to show you some of my previous clients with recommendations, I’ve worked with small companies to FTSE100 companies and all have been pretty happy with my work…
- Your assuming that just because my blog posts lack the correct grammatical formatting my client work does, my clients don’t.
(*cringe* it’s you’re, as in YOU ARE) Oh my, is that the lamer approach again? Do you think I’m mean for pointing the obvious out? Is that your digital willy you’re waving at me? I can’t seem to see it, something is in the way, OH MY it’s my own willy – I’ve got 17+ yrs of freelance under my belt, ranging from national ISP’s to custom written legal systems, to wholesale diamond selling websites (can you imagine the level of professionalism and trust required for that?), I even turned DOWN a job at Facebook, if you’ve ever ran Ubuntu chances are you’re running code I’ve been submitting to Debian since 1996; do you really want a pissing contest? Are you really ready to take me on? I really doubt it, but you’re more than welcome to (I’m not egotistical btw, far from it; I am however not frightened to challenge people like you with facts like the aforementioned when it’s fitting and fitting it is).
I’m making no assumptions; I’m going of what I have seen. You forget you’ve rolled your working life out on here and Twitter for ALL to see. You’re not a copywriter I can see that, you’re not even a decent SEO either, that is a fact. The reason I say this is that at the top of your site is a small piece of text that makes claim to “Hodgetastic”, your “SEO company” – Well your link doesn’t work buddy (Have some free consultation, it’s missing the .com off the end – have a screen shot: http://tek.org.uk/content/hodge-tastic.png) and shit, if I was a business I’d already have moved on, if I can’t get to your “business site” then I’m sure not going to be spending money with you; especially not on SEO. That’s that attention to detail I was on about and how important it REALLY is! You’re having a laugh surely.
- Yeah…. thanks for that
You’re welcome, I feel better already and I hope you do to, because that last comment is just the sort of empty and non-constructive bollocks you come out with when you haven’t got a good response. Feel free to carry this on, I’m interested in your response.
Whoosh.
@tek takes the prize for “most effort sunk into a blog comment at 10am on a work day”. You aren’t using this blog post to distract your freelance competitors are you Dom?! Brilliance
- No, I will agree I don’t always take criticism well, the point has made that my grammar and spelling need work, I’m fine with people making this point (as people have done in the past, my problem with Daniel (and he agreed in the end) was that he made the point by being a knob and quite trollish (something which you yourself are verging on in this very comment).
No, Daniel paid you a little bit of lip service; he also continued to labour his point (in a better and more fitting frame of reference in my view).
– Daniel had a point about my spelling and grammar but made the point by being offensive, your post was verging on offensive with its content.. My point to him and yourself is that you didn’t need to be.
I’m not trolling in the slightest, trust me I can be a lot more sarcastic and cutting that I have been here (see further down). So please don’t try and debase my comment by assigning it to the troll bin right at the start, come on Dom; have a little more backbone than that, you’re a Yorkshireman after all. If anyone is a troll, it’s you, by your dissention in to name calling off the bat. Way to keep your readers, sorry, I forgot you don’t give a fuck – nice.
– If I didn’t give a fuck I wouldn’t have approved your comment and I could have said this thing never happened, the fact that I approved both comments and am replying shows that I do agree with some of the points but not the way the points are made.
- And thats why potential clients are made aware that this is a personal website, my company website is given as a more suitable URL (potential clients are found via what they search for within a search engine)…
We don’t start sentences’ with “and” btw way, have a little rebuttal for your catching out of “a” instead of “an” on my comment That aside, you don’t obviously get it. It doesn’t matter that you inform a client that this is your personal website, your space, you’ll do what you want site. When you work with them this site becomes visible on the periphery of there website simply for the fact that YOU have worked for them. That matters in business, in business to business and in client relationships. They will not want you to work for them when they can’t gauge what shit you’ll be spouting next on your blog or if you’re a loose cannon with a shitty attitude to even your own readers. No business wants to work with a twin personality, it smacks of snide and unstable. Real business just isn’t about either of those things.
– I don’t know what more I can say.. The way I write this blog will probably mean that some clients (like yourself) will pass unintrested but it does get me work.
Do you truly believe that businesses don’t do a little digging themselves? Do you honestly believe that they can’t use Google, aren’t already on Twitter, shit they may even have been following you for a week or so to gauge unobtrusively if you’re the kind of guy they want working for them (yep, I’m sure you didn’t think of that when you spewed forth on Twitter in the way you have). Seriously, I know, I’ve done it to both businesses I want to with and people I’m about to employ.
– Of course I know they use twitter, thats what the article is about however again, the person on twitter is me, I use twitter as a personal system not for freelancing but again twitter has given me several clients, I realise that some clients may be put off (like yourself).
I’ve done it to you. That’s why I am here, I’ve got to the point of watching from a far (on the recommendation of someone else) where I think you need to be challenged on some of the things you say; because you’re acting like you are a web guru and you’re clearly not.
– This article is part of my series on freelancing, I don’t pretend to be a web guru with it and make the point ‘ I’m not saying its 100% correct and some may disagree with me entirely but much of this I did or its stuff I wish I had done when I started freelancing a couple of months ago.’.
- Slight correction… it would be AN ex English teacher, not A ex… and as I’ve said previously, much of my work comes from people who know me / my reputation, I’m in a lucky position where I can choose to work with clients who understand how my head works…
If it’s true then I am genuinely pleased for you, excuse me for being somewhat sceptical.
– Thank you.
- I’m actually doing okay with work at the moment but thanks for the constructive advice.
Excellent, again I am pleased, if a little sceptical.
– Thank You
- Erm….okay?
Would you like me to expand on that? I can if you want; just let me know. Better than that, have a read of your own tweets, blogs and comments subjectively and have a think about how you treat people.
– I realise my tweets might not to be everyone’s taste but 1200+ people seem to enjoy them.
- See… now your just being mean… would you like me to show you some of my previous clients with recommendations, I’ve worked with small companies to FTSE100 companies and all have been pretty happy with my work…
- Your assuming that just because my blog posts lack the correct grammatical formatting my client work does, my clients don’t.
(*cringe* it’s you’re, as in YOU ARE) Oh my, is that the lamer approach again? Do you think I’m mean for pointing the obvious out? Is that your digital willy you’re waving at me? I can’t seem to see it, something is in the way, OH MY it’s my own willy – I’ve got 17+ yrs of freelance under my belt, ranging from national ISP’s to custom written legal systems, to wholesale diamond selling websites (can you imagine the level of professionalism and trust required for that?), I even turned DOWN a job at Facebook, if you’ve ever ran Ubuntu chances are you’re running code I’ve been submitting to Debian since 1996; do you really want a pissing contest? Are you really ready to take me on? I really doubt it, but you’re more than welcome to (I’m not egotistical btw, far from it; I am however not frightened to challenge people like you with facts like the aforementioned when it’s fitting and fitting it is).
– No I didn’t want a pissing contest, The point being made was that I may not be to everyone’s taste, I’ve worked with both extremely large and some small companies as a freelancer and this blog / twitter hasn’t put them off.
I’m making no assumptions; I’m going of what I have seen. You forget you’ve rolled your working life out on here and Twitter for ALL to see. You’re not a copywriter I can see that, you’re not even a decent SEO either, that is a fact. The reason I say this is that at the top of your site is a small piece of text that makes claim to “Hodgetastic”, your “SEO company” – Well your link doesn’t work buddy (Have some free consultation, it’s missing the .com off the end – have a screen shot: http://tek.org.uk/content/hodge-tastic.png) and shit, if I was a business I’d already have moved on, if I can’t get to your “business site” then I’m sure not going to be spending money with you; especially not on SEO. That’s that attention to detail I was on about and how important it REALLY is! You’re having a laugh surely.
– Thanks for letting me know about the .com bit, I’ll fix that later today, although saying I’m a crappy SEO for it is a little out of order.
- Yeah…. thanks for that
You’re welcome, I feel better already and I hope you do to, because that last comment is just the sort of empty and non-constructive bollocks you come out with when you haven’t got a good response. Feel free to carry this on, I’m interested in your response.
– My response is above… As I said above, I don’t disagree with your comments on the spelling and grammar however I do disagree with the way you made them (as I said with Daniel) I’m more than happy to have a discussion about this but I’d rather it didn’t turn nasty.
Whoosh.
– ,,,, boom?