Freelancer Tips

 

Your agent will have specific advice for your area of expertise, but here are a few pointers to get you started.

 

Keep in touch with your agent. Any agent worth their salt will be working tirelessly to keep in touch with their clients for your benefit. Only then do you have access to the latest and best freelance options. By keeping your agent up to date on your availabillity and flexibility you are helping yourself find that next role.

 

CV

 

You'll be pleased to hear your freelancing CV is less important if you have the right agent. The right agent understands your skills and has clients who rely on their judgement. However, the freelance CV should be bang up-to-date and focus clearly on latest relevant work assignments and achievements. It should be targeted and avoid distractions: If any of your work is not relevant to the work you are being represented for, it needs to be demoted to an addendum. The client who wants you to promote gaming software does not need to know that you spent 6 months starting a children's clothing shop.

 

Portfolio

 

Portfolio. Ensure your latest and best work is in there. Ensure you understand the agency and brief you are put forward to and rearrange your work accordingly. Ensure it is a smart portfolio and clearly labelled with your details and those of your agent's details.

 

Interviews

 

Interviews. Flexibility is the key. A freelance interview, if there is one, comes in every shape and form. You may just have a 5 minute chat and be shown the door (probably to find you have been offered the role by the time you have called your agent for feedback). You may have a 90 minute grilling and then be asked to sit an inappropriate competency test. Not every client is set up to get the most out of their freelance interviews (though with our help, they are learning), and some may be used to interviewing you as if you have applied to be MD. As ever, your good agent will be advising you on dress code and type of interview to expect.

 

Flexibility

 

Flexibility. Flexibility is so key to getting the most out of freelancing - we could devote a page to it. However, the most important thing is: where there is a freelance requirement anything is possible and everything could change in an instant. Best case: You grudgingly take on a dull job promised as being 2 days work, only to find yourself asked to stay on for a 'dream' pitch just come in - 3 weeks work that lifts your portfolio to the next level. Worst case: A 3 month job promised to start on Tuesday is retracted Monday morning, the client having suddenly postponed the work.

 

Don't burn bridges. You want to keep your agent on-side for future work and never know where you will next meet that client you let down. As ever, the right agent knows how to represent your interests while keeping face with the client, so keep your agent fully informed of all situations.

 

References and Testimonials

 

References and testimonials. Collect them wherever you go. Your agent will advise you on how best to use them.

 

Exclusivity

 

Exclusivity. Try it. A client's freelance briefs will be open to a wide selection of recruitment agencies. If you are represented by only one agent, you may have the edge on other freelancers. An exclusive freelancer in the hands of a good agent has the best roles offered to them, fast, for more reasons than we can go into here. Ask your Major Players agent if they will represent you exclusively and they will explain. They will not commit to it unless they can guarantee you the best jobs.

 

Know your finance options. You're not permanent - you have options on how to pay yourself! Speak to your agent for the latest advice. A good agent knows hundreds of successful freelancers and the options they have chosen, and why.