Helping freelancers get better and better while working for you – For the client

Every employer would like to have a freelancer working for him and also him to work better and better. With every work assignment that he gives, the client would like to see improvement. The challenges that are ahead are quite a few, to get this done. The freelancer has to learn, work, contribute and stay on and continue to do better.

The usual method of providing internal trainings imparts the knowledge required to understand and do the work accurately. Such training will pertain specifically to the type of work the freelancer is involved in. This training goes a long way to help upgrade the knowledge about the new trends and innovations pertaining to the work.

Yet another method of getting people to do better is by providing training in related fields of work. Thereby the employee gathers new techniques and uses it to do better at the current one that he is working on. Incorporating certain techniques from related fields of work will add value to the output, since the knowledge base of the freelancer enhances thus.

Another necessary training, on the agenda, should be in time management. The freelancer is then better equipped to handle assignments to keep up with the time lines for delivery of work. Spending time procrastinating can cause discomfort to both parties involved. Even training in yoga and mind control helps.

There are other means to get better as well. This will include using mental techniques to kick start the day. Using energy management to control the mind and body enables an individual to be in control. “To do” lists help a lot. Listing tasks such that they enable you to complete them one by one by not stressing you up is a great way to finish work well.

It is important to learn not to over commit. This way one takes on work that one is capable of completing within a stipulated time.Employers can guide the freelancer to assess the work that he is undertaking. This will improve productivity of the individual bringing about better output.

Giving appropriate feedback also is a training that helps gear up the productivity of the freelancer. A freelancer should know what is right and good about his work. Accordingly, he can garner his skills. Not knowing about the other person’s view of the work done can only plunge him into darkness. He needs this guidance as well!

Most of the time, we find that there are online training offers for freelancers who take up a certain kind of job. Questions about the effectiveness of these remain unanswered. Generally, the ineffectiveness of such online random training is a truth never discussed since many do not want to share or discuss unpleasant experiences they have undergone.

On the contrary, there are quite a few resources available on line which will enable a freelancer to get up-to-date information from a variety of business leaders and thought leaders. There are also courses available online which when used will help brush up existing knowledge and skills. Some of these courses are available as videos to enable the student understand better. A freelancer could go through any of these to understand more about his area of interest.

Women are at a great advantage when running an entrepreneurship is concerned. In developing countries, there are quite a few organizations which the Government promote to ensure job security to women. There are loans available and proper guidance ensuring that women gain success in the world that is getting more and more competitive as days go by.

The success of a freelancer is in running his own business of freelancing, well. What is required is a focused effort on the work. Training may or may not help. Many times people opt for freelancing after a considerable stint in corporate world. Hence, they already will have the training and development done during their career.

Getting a business degree will help in boosting your image, as far as clients are concerned. They would want to know your educational back ground in order to assess whether you can promote their product. A qualification from a reputed university goes a long way in building the trust that is required to bring forth a business deal.

And last but not the least are training workshops which bring together freelancers from various industries thus enabling exchange of expertise on a common platform. More of such learning helps the freelancer to contribute better, with time.

Scope Creep And How To Deal With It

Scope creep is something that every freelancer has to deal with at some point of an assignment or assignments. A scope creep is the changes and growth that were not predefined at the start of the project. Not only can a scope creep cost you a lot of money and a lot of time. Many times, it happens that freelancers are not able to do justice to other assignments because of a scope creep.

A scope creep is also known as requirement creep and feature creep. There are a number of ways a scope creep can happen without you knowing about it or even aiding it unconsciously. For example if you are working on a website design and the client asks you to write a short home page intro and you do it thinking that it is a simple thing, then he asks you to fill in the contact details too and before you know it you are spending time gathering data then designing. This is called scope creep.

Scope creep is not very difficult to deal with; you just have to know when to draw a line between a little something and a lot of extra work. There are a number of ways to deal with scope creep. In this post, we will take a look at some of the ways:

Talk sooner than later

Most freelancers fall a victim of scope creep because they do not talk soon enough. When you let the scope of the project creep up to unmanageable proportions, only you are to be blamed for it. Talk to the client a soon as you feel that you are being asked to do more than that was discussed. Bailing out at a later stage will not get you a happy client.

Know beforehand how much time you are going to spend on the project

When you get a job, especially a fixed price job spend some time with the client tell him/her about how you plan to proceed with the job. Chart down how you are going to progress with the job and how much time you are going to spend on the job. This will give you a definite time frame of the job and you can leave a little time over I case of emergencies. This way you will know if you should start billing extra for any of the changes in the work.

Sometimes scope creep is good if you get to increase your experience base.

Do not be afraid to say no or present a new estimate

There is nothing wrong in saying no to the client if you have completed the job successfully and do not want to take on more of the same work. Be polite and firm and explain it to them. However if you have to do the additional work then do not be afraid to provide the client a new estimate. The client should know that increase work would add to the bottom line. There is nothing wrong in that and you must have confidence in your work. Also mentioning a price up front will ensure that there are no misunderstandings later on. The client will be more than happy to pay the price if asked upfront rather than haggling about it later.

One way to deal with scope creeps is to opt for hourly jobs. This way you will be paid for the work that you do and the client will also know exactly how much work you are doing. Payments also become easier to calculate. Scope creep affects every freelancing job and therefore keeping the above tips in mind will help you deal with it better.