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| "People often ask me if I have any words of advice for young people. Well, here are a few simple admonitions for young and old..." - William S. Burroughs |
1) If something sounds too good to be true, chances are it IS too good to be true.
One should always make a point of looking into the background of any potential client to see whether they're as good as their word. I have at times refused to listen to the angels of my better judgement (if only because I've found it all too easy to allow a bit of wishful thinking to get in the way of my common sense), and reaped an unfortunate whirlwind of disappointment. Simply put: it always pays to look beyond a big promise.
2) Get it in writing!
Written agreements - agreements that clearly spell out the goals or expectations of a project, one's specific role in a project, that set timetables and/or deadlines for project milestones and deliverables (as well as establishing a framework for client revisions) - can and will save both you and your client unwanted and unnecessary grief or misgivings should things ever go pear-shaped.
3) Know and set limits.
If a client approaches you with a "rush" project that needs! to be out! this time tomorrow! - Well... that's a very real situation that can crop up from time to time, and if it can be managed, it's usually fine - but: it's important to underscore for your client that this must be considered an extraordinary circumstance, and most importantly that in future, new business should (or must) be discussed and arranged in a timely manner. In rushed situations, when one finds oneself in the position of having to "burn the midnight oil" on a project, missteps and mistakes can creep in no matter how diligent one can be. I've found the best policy is to (whenever possible) establish and stick to set "hours of operation", like you'd reasonably expect of any business - which is what you are, really: a business.
4) Don't make promises that YOU can't keep.
There will be times that a client may ask you to step outside your own skill set - say perhaps to design a print-ready brochure (after having completed work on their promotional video), or to model/animate/render a 3D corporate mascot (after having designing their business cards & letterhead). This sort of thing can and does arise, particularly when a given client hasn't quite wrapped their head around the fact that you're not necessarily a one-stop shop for all their various graphics needs. The question you need to ask yourself is, "can I realistically deliver on a project when I have a less-than professional knowledge of the software required?". If the answer if yes, well you can always give it a go. Who knows, you might discover you've got a knack for it. If the answer is no, then the thing to do is to politely bow out. And should you feel that this is a skill you'd do well to possess in future, then move to acquire that skill. Agreeing to operate outside your professional comfort zone is done at your peril as well as that of your client.
5) Network.
Yes, this is something we all hear about on a near-constant basis, but it is true: it really is a good idea to keep abreast of what others are doing, whether by joining online groups and associations dedicated to your chosen field of endeavour, keeping in touch with past colleagues or even attending a backyard barbeque or two. There's no hard or fast rules as to how or where you might find yourself learning of potential opportunities or making solid connections. Just keep your eyes (and ears) open, remember to bring a few business cards with you wherever you go, and be ready to talk shop - or to pitch yourself in a confident, casual manner. You never know who you're likely to meet.
6) Grow your skills.
I'll refer back to point number 4 on this one. You might be the best at what you do, but what's the guarantee there'll be an ongoing demand for your particular skill set? The best way to circumvent a slow spiral into irrelevancy is to move with the times and expand the arsenal of professional know-how. This might be a question of going back to school for a semester, or a short, in-depth course of study; it might be as simple as availing yourself of online webinars and/or tutorials. Whatever the case, you're hardly going to hobble yourself by growing your skills. So get cracking!
7) Respect yourself.
Whether you're freelancing by choice... or you're simply trying to maintain a liveable income stream between salaried gigs, there will always be bad patches. Quiet times. A lack of paid projects. However you choose to characterize these moments, it can be all too easy to find oneself easing slowly into despair. Anxiety. Depression. Anger. Self-pity. Self-loathing. Hard as it may be, you've got to stop doing that to yourself. Stop beating yourself up - respect yourself! And part of respecting yourself is making sure you're not selling yourself short. Not allowing others to take advantage of you in business. Not allowing circumstance (however unpleasant it may be at times) to dictate your outlook upon the world and upon yourself. Remember, you're not in this alone - you may have family or friends depending on you. You may have a mortgage to keep on top of, student loans to repay, a much-needed new computer to purchase. Heavy responsibilities, all. But the key to coping with these responsibilities is to bear in mind that you are a valuable human being, worthy of the respect and the admiration of others. And draw strength from those friends and family... feeling the need for love and support is not a sign of inherent weakness. It's altogether human.
8) Don't forget to take time to smell the roses.
In some ways this relates directly to point number seven. You're a freelancer... not a Borg drone, a design algorithm or someone's Genie in a bottle. I strongly suggest (even to those professionals most dedicated to their craft) that it is both relevant and necessary to ones' career to cultivate interests that lie outside the pervue of that career. For example, I have come to enjoy gardening. There is a palpable sense of satisfaction that I feel when I tend my garden, or when harvesting fresh vegetables for the dinner table. Part of my garden is given over to flowering plants; many is the time I've found myself watching with wonder the innumerable varieties of pollinating insects coming to pay visits to my stands of lavender, hyssop and joe-pye weed. It's relaxing, pleasant and it's life-affirming. What I'm trying to get at is that there really is more to life than the artful arrangement of 1s and 0s on a computer screen - and that you do yourself a disservice by tuning out the world in which you (or I, or anyone you know and/or care about) live.
