Last Updated on February 26, 2024
In situations where clients who hire or employ professionals to work for them, both parties are basically entering something similar to a marriage, with defined rules and there’s the expectation of permanence for the relationship. In situations where clients hire freelancers, however, both parties are basically entering a dating period that – no matter how much they spend time together or how much they have gotten to know each other – can still end anytime.
Although it is extremely hard to be the first one to break free from a relationship that you previously enjoyed, you – as the freelancer – have more than the other party. Be sure then to watch out for the five signs listed below. If all of them have already come up, then it’s definitely time to make that break-up call.
Sign #1: The client has been late with his payment more than once – and at consecutive times.
It doesn’t matter if the client’s undergoing an extremely difficult time because of the recession. Everyone is going through the recession, and everyone – including you – still need to make a living. If things don’t start changing soon, then you should know that you’re basically doing pro bono work for the client. You just don’t want to admit it to yourself.
Sign #2: The client starts avoiding your calls or doesn’t answer your emails regularly like before.
In other words, communication between you is no longer constant like it was in the past and especially if you have told the client that you want to talk more about the work you’re doing or – even worse for the client – when you are going to get your next pay.
Sign #3: The client is asking for less and less for you to do.
Eventually, it’s not just the pay and the communication that have become inconsistent. You are also starting to notice that the client also has less and less work for you to do. Most probably, this is because your client had long started looking for other freelancers to work with – preferably those who charge cheaper rates than you do!
Sign #4: The client starts getting mad for all the wrong reasons.
You used to have a fairly easygoing relationship with the client – until of course he started getting late with his payments. Unfortunately, that’s not just the only change in your relationship. The client has also become more meticulous, demanding, and generally a pain in your behind.
He nitpicks constantly and finds errors in the things that he used to praise you for.
In other words, the client’s doing his best to provoke you into getting mad in return – hopefully so much so that you end up quitting and without caring about not getting paid for your previous work.
Sign #5: The client is caught red-handed – by you.
It’s easy to deny the truth. You can tell yourself that nothing’s wrong about your relationship with your client – until of course you’ve caught them literally red-handed. It could be that you caught the client trying to hire other freelancers or you learned the client earning so much when he’s told you he’s earning a pittance.
This last sign is the death knell for your relationship with the client. Start packing your things, write your breakup note if you will, but be sure to report your case to the proper authorities if you don’t get paid!
Check out our previous articles!
- The Little Things: 4 Basic Necessities before Starting your Freelance Career
- Be More Productive by Working Early
- How to Find Online Freelance Work
- Achieve the Lifestyle of Your Dreams
- Make Money through Freelancing and Manage Your Debts
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