The world has changed. Unlike your parents and grandparents, the notion of working for the same company for the rest of your life is a less likely scenario for many of us. This leaves open spaces for potentially lower paying spans or even no paying spans. The world of independent contracting has never been more profitable, more populated and well, more complex. Being a full time independent contractor can allow you to set your own schedule and call the shots. Whether you are just filling space as a contractor, adding some financial padding to your current job, or doing it as a full time occupation, there are lots of hazards you will want to avoid.
The single most important aspect of being a contractor is to establish complete and full understanding between you and the client regarding the expectations of the job. This is typically the first and most prominent mistake made in contracting. The client thinks they are getting X but the contractor was only going to provide B. And then comes the tension between the two. This can all be avoided if the contractor takes a strict and hard line at defining exactly the terms of payment and labor. This should be in writing (electronic or hand) and should be delivered to the client prior to accepting the work. The contractor should also let the client know that they are willing and able to answer any questions the client may have regarding any of the terms. Do this before you accept money. By implementing this as a part of your contracting work discovery period, you eliminate most of the issues that tend to arise during contracting jobs and you come off as more professional.
Take half the money up front. Unless you know the person really well, you should always take half the money up front. It’s common for clients to not pay or take a very long time to pay. Obviously, you have bills to pay and waiting for extended amounts of time for your earnings can really hurt. When you complete the work, if you can, hold it until the other half of pay is completed. Obviously, there are a lot of ways to handle this scenario, choose the way that’s most comfortable for you.
Ask satisfied clients to support any of your social media efforts and to suggest you to other clients. You can even potentially offer discounts for those who comply with your request. You obviously don’t want to be obnoxious, but a little effort here and there can go a very long ways in helping to paint a really nice picture of you and your business services.
Contracting work can be an extremely rewarding road to go down, particularly if you have special skills to offer up. In addition, sites such as TaskRabbit.com have come along to make even simple task contract worthy. But being good at something is only the start of this journey, no matter how small the jobs you may start off taking are, you are still running a business with clients and learning how to best handle that can only serve to advance you.
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