What do you do if you want to secure a higher salary as a freelancer or independent contractor?

I used to doubt my worth since I didn't attend formal college to learn my skills. But being a self learner I learned the skills required to do my job well as a bookkeeper. I short changed myself for far to many years simply because I thought I needed plaques and certificates on my wall to prove my knowledge. While they are great tools to have (and I have a few now) I discovered I have a natural gifting for what I do and my service is every bit as good and sought after as the professional with multiple certificates festooning their office walls. If you know that you know - let it show!

Showcase a strong portfolio demonstrating your skills and expertise. Research market rates for your services and negotiate accordingly. Highlight your unique value proposition and specialized skills. Network and build relationships with potential clients or agencies. Continuously update and improve your skills to stay competitive.

To successfully negotiate a higher salary, it is crucial to understand your value. This involves researching the market rates for your particular skills, experience, and industry, and taking into account the value you bring to your clients. You can utilize online tools, platforms, or networks to compare your rates with others or ask for feedback from peers or mentors. Additionally, you should consider your expenses, taxes, and overheads, and include them in your rates. Knowing your worth can help you set reasonable and fair expectations, and prevent you from either undercharging or overcharging.

One of the most crucial factors in building self-confidence for negotiations is knowing your worth. It's important to be clear about what you bring to the table, what you want to achieve, and what you are willing to accept or reject. Having confidence is key to a successful negotiation outcome. Negotiators who lack confidence are less successful in achieving their targets. And those who feel neutral see an even lower rate of success, with only 16% of them succeeding.

Not only should you raise your rates regularly, you should build in buffer for the unexpected. What if you need to relocate in a few months time due to a lease not renewing or a new owner of your office building jacking up the prices exponentially above what you had been paying for last 3 years? Do you know the going rent rate for office space in your vicinity? If you are paying less than that now due to some lucky arrangement - still calculate your overhead cost at the going area rate for office space.

Investing in yourself can bring significant benefits to your career, both in the short and long term. You are your most valuable asset, and enhancing your skill-set will increase your market value. This applies whether you're seeking a promotion within your current role or applying for a new job. So, take the time to develop yourself and reap the rewards in your professional life.

Sometimes you will need someone looking on from the outside help you see that a certain client is too high a stress source to keep serving. This can be a hard reality to embrace at times when you really want to help because you know they need it so much. But if they are not embracing the help, advice, and guidance you give and they are contributing to you losing money, sleep, or positive thought processes - They need to be kindly but firmly told they are going to need to seek service elsewhere.