Based on the the popularity of my comp work post, I thought it might be helpful to put together a post or 2 of comp work stories. So let me know your comp work horror story and I’ll post it up with your name and a link. Just use the contact form.
As a freelancer, chances are you spend most of your days working from home. This makes a comfortable home office crucial. Unplggd has 8 great tips to make your home office the best it can be, not the least of which being:
A Great Chair: In our many years of computer usage, we’ve discovered one thing is true. You can have the best job in the world, but if your chair is uncomfortable, you spend your day slightly annoyed, frustrated and achy! Office chairs can range from high to low, but no matter what the price point, all that matters is that you can sit in it for more than an hour or two. We’ve had some well loved Steelcase chairs and some higher end chairs that have worked beautifully, it really depends on the person, how they’re built, and how they’ll be using the space. But comfort, hands down, starts here.
So check it out; and if you some inspirtation, LifeHacker has some cool home office resources.
(h/t: @freelancesw)
(link to post)Visit 8 Ways to Make Your Home Office Comfortable
Aug 03
Why Comp Work Hurts Everyone
Hey Joe- I was wondering if you’d be able to give us a sample design so we can see what kind of work you do. It will help us make a decision on which designer we should go with.
This is not an uncommon email, especially in the world of web and graphic design. And it seems harmless to a lot of people. Sure, they just want a sample design. But they are really asking for free work. While you as a freelancer might be tempted to do comp/spec work to try and seal the deal on a contract, it’s not the way to go. Last week I posted 10 Reasons to Say No To Spec Work by No!Spec; here is my take on spec work.
As a designer, you will likely be asked to do comp or spec work; that is, work for free to see if a potential client wants to hire you. This is a big no no for designers for several reasons. I’ll write up my own post next week (keep an eye out!), but for today the site No!Spec has Ten Reasons to say to No. You should check that out, as well as the rest of the site as it has reasons, horror stories of doing spec work, and more.
When I first started freelancing, one thing I knew for sure was the importance of having a contract. I drafted one, had a few people (including a lawyer) look over it, and over the years I have rewrote it and added to it (I posted it way back in February). Whenever I get a new client, I will draft a proposal, and once that’s accepted, send over a contract. Most of the time this takes place online, as I’m dealing with people all over the world. Last week I went over a contract with someone in person, and kind of surprised myself.
Jul 15
Ask Me: Properly Pricing
This week Cory, a designer from NJ keeps his question pithy:
How do you come up with pricing?
It’s a question that plagues most freelancers, especially when they are starting out. How do you value yourself? What if the client doesn’t like your rates? Just starting out, the key is about flexibility. Once you get a feel for your skill, and are able to estimate time, the key is confidence. Read on….
