2013 June

Tell anybody that you work as a freelancer and they will ask you about either of the two things: what do you write about or what kind of programing that you do? Most people’s idea of freelancing is limited to writing or something related to computers but if you will dig a little deeper freelancing is much more than that. There are hundreds of freelancing jobs, which you might not even have heard about. You can enjoy a freelancing career even without having to write a single article or computer program. In this blog we have listed five such quirky freelancing jobs

Pet Trainer/Groomer: Most people love to have a pet at home but often don’t have the time or clue on how to train them and groom them. A freelance pet groomers takes up the responsibility of training the pet for the owner. All you need is lot of love for the animals and basic knowledge how to train them. Of course there are various specialties in pet grooming also such as horse groomer, dog trainer, parakeet trainer etc.

Freelance finder: A freelancer finder finds things for people. If you need a particular gift item for your loved one or just want to create a replica of an old memory then a freelance finder will find the things you want for a very small fee. Freelance finding can be about anything but is quite different from the detective work.

Freelance shopper: I think this is one of the most exiting freelance jobs of all. A freelancer shopper shops for things which other people don’t have the time for. For example an interior designer will hire a freelance shopper for shopping for interior decoration products needed for a home or office or a manager might ask a freelance shopper to find some office gifts under a budget. Sometimes a freelance shopper might be asked to even suggest gifts or products which further helps broaden his/her horizons.

Mystery Shopper: A mystery shopper is different from a freelance shopper. A mystery shopper is hired by big brands or independent product evaluation companies to shop for their products and give their reviews. These reviews include employee behavior, product quality, billing systems, general ambiance of the outlet etc. For example as a mystery shopper for McDonalds, you get to eat a free meal there and also evaluate the quality of their burgers. Mystery shoppers are paid according to the projects.

Freelance home maintenance: People who are away from their homes a lot need somebody to oversee the maintenance of their homes, coordinate with the cleaning services etc. Freelance home maintainers undertake to take care of your home as if it was their own and make sure that everything is the way you want it when you come back from your holiday or business trip.

K Saravana Kumar

Here is my list of things, which you should never say to a client:

I will submit the work later: Deadlines are deadlines and a freelancer is always expected to follow them. Even if you want an extended deadline then let the client know about it well in advance. Also instead of using the word ‘later’ give a definite time frame for example will submit by xyz date etc.

Sorry for not replying sooner: When a client hires you for a project he/she expects to be communicated with regularly with the progress of the project. The client is not going to be happy with a freelancer who takes up a project and then vanishes to reappear with completed project within the give deadline. As a freelancer make sure that you reply to client emails/phone calls as soon as possible.

I have given you a discount: When you are starting as a freelancer you might be tempted to give ‘discount’ to clients in order to get work. This is a wrong word to use. When you tell a client that you have given them discounts they immediately think that you overcharged them and now giving the actual price. Do not give ‘discounts’ when not asked for. If the client persists then you can may be negotiate a little.

I know a better way to do this: Nobody and with it I mean not even you as a freelancer would like to be told a better way to do your job and that the other way is better. The same goes for the client. Don’t tell the client a better way to do his job. You can talk about the particular section of project that you are working on but unless asked don’t try to turn into a business advisor.

Thnx, OMG, u, hey, and other text language: Keep things professional at all times. Email should be responded to in the correct manner and with correct spellings. I have had some freelancers working for me who did not even bother to spell my name right or took the liberty to shorten my name. Needless to say I did not work with them again. The way you write your email or letters or take the phone calls says a lot about your professionalism. Avoid the text language and use proper words.

I have made some changes to make it look better: Every client loves an enthusiastic freelancer. But to present the client with a completed work very different from what he/she asked for is a completely different thing. Knowing that the freelancer has changed the final work will not make your client happy. Get a green signal from the client before making any changes. There will some core things in a project that the client will not want to change.

I can do it: I admit I am guilty of using this sentient. I have said to a client that I can do the project even though I had no idea how to go about it. I was able to do the project but it involved a lot of extra work on my part. Don’t say yes to things, which you don’t know about.