How to Spot Red Flags In A Freelancer?

How to Spot Red Flags In A Freelancer?

Yes, you heard it correctly. There are red flags in a freelancer that should be noticed if you are planning to work with them for a long time.

Before I go ahead and talk about some of the red flags you can spot in a freelancer, I would like to say that I am blessed with a couple of great freelance writers. These freelance writers have created such a peaceful life for me that I feel nothing but gratitude for them!

It took me a while to gather a team of hardworking individuals. Before that, I, too, had my fair share of issues with them. Someone shared documents that were filled with errors, someone called me an a***ole when I asked her to rectify one single mistake in an article (I still have that screenshot), and someone blamed me for providing them with a complicated task even though they said that they could write on anything, someone shared plagiarized content, someone just stopped answering my messages.

To most freelancers, I did give a second chance... not to that one who called me an a***ole and not that writer who lied to me about why she could not deliver the content on time! They know who they are! I know because they are reading this newsletter. Isn't it fun?

Even if you are a client or a writer who is outsourcing your work, the moment you share that you are looking for freelance writers on LinkedIn, you start getting tons of DMs, connection requests, in-mails, and everything LinkedIn allows. If you are like me, whose company's contact details are live, you will start receiving emails from worldwide.

This is a great thing. However, you should be careful when you get on board with a new freelancer.

The most important thing you have to look for in a freelancer is how they present themselves to you. Did they just copy-pasted a message and call you Virat, even though your name is Viraj? It happens more than I can count, and I wonder, where is my Anushka?

When you look for a freelancer to get them on-board in your team or for any project, you should consider a couple of aspects:

  • How are they interacting with their peers on LinkedIn? Are they even active or just commenting 'Interested' everywhere?
  • Is their LinkedIn profile optimized, or are they using some dummy picture or Lorem Ipsum kind of content in their bio section? Sach me! I have seen people copy-pasting Lorem Ipsum in the About section.
  • How are they pitching to you? I mean, are they careful with the spelling? Do they understand your requirements and then work on the personalized note? Or simply pasted, 'Hi, I am a writer... interested in work... plz give me some work.' This is taken verbatim to a recent message from a 'so-called' freelancer.
  • When you are talking with them, how well are they listening to you and the problems that you are currently facing? Do they have an instant solution for it? Or are they stating they will get back to you with a rough draft of the proposal? Understand this that jaldi ka kaam shaitan ka!?
  • When you send them a paid sample to work on, how long are they taking? Are they adhering to your deadlines? Are they following the guidelines that you mentioned in writing up that content?
  • When discussing the payment with them, are they too open to negotiation? Talking from my baniya-point-of-view, too much negotiation starts a slippery slope for everyone. Don't go that way!

As a freelancer, please check these red flags and see if you are doing the same thing unintentionally. If yes, please work up and become a better person that would lead you to become a better writer.

  • If you are not able to work on time, tell your client as such
  • If the pay is too low, discuss it with your client
  • If you do not like the work, tell them but don't ghost them
  • If you think you are not up for this task, be straightforward with them

Whatever you do, just ensure that the client will remember you positively if they have some task or reference in the future because you should learn this thing that Kuch Daag Achche Nahi Hote!

Have a great weekend, you guys!!!

-V

Megha Dutta

Freelance Content Writer ||| Creative Content Writer ?? || Blogs & Articles, Web-Content, Product Posts & Descriptions, Social Media Posts, Email Marketing, PR, Company Newsletter, E-Books, Ghostwriting |||

2 年

Although I started my carrier a bit late, I'm glad I don't have any red flags till now.? Hello Sir, I am Megha, a newbie freelance writer who is already a fan of all your posts & newsletters.

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Sonia Ahmad

Unleash Your Brand's Potential with My Captivating Content: Engage, Inspire, and Drive Results! content writing|Blog post and Article writing| Ghost writing| Editing

2 年

Man your style is really unique,I am just loving it.My second read of your content.

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Jasmin Lochav

I build Done-for-You content systems that 5X your community growth & client pipeline.

2 年

I love your writing style, Viraj. Phrases like "Sach mein" and "from my baniya-point-of-view" make the whole piece so much creative and fun to read!

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Divya Murthy

Fintech Content Writer | SEO Professional | Freelance Content Writer | Linkedin B2B Marketing | Passionate and Result-Oriented Individual

2 年

Good eye-opener not only for recruiters but also for freelancers who are doing some of these mistakes !

Soumen Purkayastha

Senior Technical Writer

2 年

I'll admit, Viraj, that I had been a jerk on an occasion or two in the past. I ghosted a client and reneged on a commitment to deliver. But those shenanigans have been valuable lessons and have shaped me into a better human being.

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