This question is a part of my Free Q&A Series where I answer questions posed by entrepreneurs around the world on sites like Quora, Clarity, and various freelancing forums.
Knowing when to accept or turn down work is an essential skill for freelancers or contractors.
Most of the time, our clients are easy to work with and the job goes fairly smoothly.
Other times, however, it is best to avoid them altogether.
Some examples of when you may want to turn down business from an existing client or potential client would be:
- A conflict of interest
- A job/project outside your skillset
- A lack of time on your part to take on new work
- A lack of desire or interest in the project
- A client that does not value your work
- A client that does not listen to any advice you offer
- A client that is slow to pay or does not operate within your agreement
- A client who is obviously price shopping, looking for the lowest possible financial outlay
- A client who bad-mouths every freelancer or contractor they have worked with previously
- A client who does not communicate well
Nearly all of these can be overcome, and none should be an automatic reason for turning down work from a client. They are simply red flags to be aware of.
All the best and keep me updated.
-Shaun
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Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
