Web Worker Daily

Although freelancers and corporate employees both have stages of moving on in their careers, it tends to happen more often in freelancing. Clients sometimes lose funding or focus. Other times we’re called in for short-term projects and aren’t hired again. But there are other times when you initiate the change yourself.

Here are some common reasons why we sometimes feel the need to move on:

• Rates. This is especially true for new freelancers who started out with low rates and eventually had to raise them. While clients are mostly understanding of you raising your rates over time, you might encounter the rare few who’ll insist on paying you low rates even after working with them consistently for several years. If the money is no longer worth your time, it’s understandable to want to move on. Read the rest of this entry »

While not all web worker are freelancers, a good portion of them are — and a freelance lifestyle is part of the appeal of working from home. The fact is, working as an independent contractor is not all wine and roses. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way, but there are some key facts people should consider before leaving more permanent work situations for the freelance world.

I spend a lot of time on this site talking directly or indirectly about why I love freelancing, or what makes it so great, but in the interest of being fair and balanced, I want to take a break from my regularly scheduled gushing to point out some very serious pitfalls about working on your own. Many may seem like common sense, but it’s amazing how often it happens that people forget to consider these downsides when choosing to pursue this lifestyle. Read the rest of this entry »

Most of us don’t just work on the web, we kind of live on it too. And our virtual neighbors are people who speak our language. But you must not forget that people like us are still the minority, even in places that have universal Internet access like the U.S. and Europe.

We’re often called on to be more than service providers. Sometimes we also have to educate our clients, and even be ambassadors of the worlds of technology and the Internet. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a freelancer, learning when to turn down a potential client is crucial to your success. The wrong client will be a drain on your resources, sapping your energy and taking time from those with whom you work well. Over on A List Apart, Greg Hoy has written a useful article entitled “Getting to No” in which he lays out five warning signs that a prospect is not someone you want as a client: Read the rest of this entry »

Including free or “freemium” elements in online software and products has become the norm. There are several existing discussions about this business model, some questioning its effects on the industry, others touting its success. Whatever opinion you may have, freemium is the model commonly adopted by web app software startups. In fact, most of their users probably expect it.

This trend is not exclusive to web app startups, however. Even freelancers seem to apply some aspects of this model to their services. Let’s take a look at how it’s done and how to make it pay off. Read the rest of this entry »

Losing a big client actually launched my freelance writing career, but not all stories end as well as mine did. Today, I try to make sure the income I receive is spread across more clients so I don’t get into that situation again. You can’t always help it when one big client starts to contribute a large chunk of your income — but what happens if you lose that client?

You can be prepared. This situation is one that we should all consider in our plans. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether freelancing, or in the corporate world, we all have to contend with deadlines. Deadlines generally come off sounding like shlock horror villains: they inch closer, approach, loom and grow larger. I’ve worked in settings where deadlines were paramount, and followed rigorously, and in situations where they meant surprisingly little.

In this post I’m going to discuss deadline management. Successfully managing deadlines is part knowing why specific deadlines exist in the first place, part knowing which are soft and which are firm, and a big part relationship management. Striking the right balance depends on the situation at hand, but generally speaking, deadlines fall into one of three categories and should be managed accordingly. Read the rest of this entry »

Not long ago, I wrote about TDWcamp, a BarCamp-like event for web workers held in Paris a few months ago. It was useful, edifying and a ton of fun. Today, while browsing some showcase articles at Smashing Magazine, I discovered Freelance Camp, a network of freelancers who hold BarCamp-like meetings worldwide. I was surprised I hadn’t heard of Freelance Camp, but it turns out  it was launched just last year.

The first event was a camp in Santa Cruz, Calif., and there have been five of them held in various cities so far. Similar to BarCamps and other unconferences, the agenda is flexible in order to promote learning and free exchange of ideas:

“The concept is easy. Show up. Express interests and ask questions. Break into small groups and exchange knowledge. Become a better freelancer.”

Read the rest of this entry »