I'm Not Your Freelance Rockstar
If you are like me, you’ve probably seen the word “rockstar” or “guru” used in one too many freelance opportunities. Today’s podcast is all about why that’s overplayed and why you should run away from jobs that use it.
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In today’s episode, we’ll be chatting about why I’m not anyone’s freelance rockstar.
One Of My First Jobs: Front End Equals Amazing, and Back End Equals Hot Mess
One of the first jobs I got on Upwork seemed terrific on the front end. I was whisked away with talk of a fantastic opportunity to be an editor and content creator for a fast-growing business blog.
Once I was on the other side, I was astounded at how unorganized everything was. Where were the dozens of contributors I was promised? Where was the established brand recognition I was told about? None of this was the case. I was stuck for a few weeks trying to do something I wasn’t cut out for right out of grad school. I had to step away for my sanity.
Looking back, I should have known that the company wasn’t for me when they asked me to write for $12 an hour. I let the excitement of one of my first opportunities blind me to the reality of the situation.
Always Looking For A Rockstar, On A Shoe String Budget
Here’s the thing about clients looking for rockstars; they almost always have a shoestring budget. They are looking for a fantastic freelancer, but they aren’t paying anything to compensate that freelancer. If a client wants a freelance rockstar, you should always look deeper into their compensation plan.
I Felt Like I Was Spinning And Not Getting Anywhere
In 2018, I got what seemed like an amazing opportunity—one of my most consistent client’s to date. From July to December, I made over $5,000 with this client, but here’s the part you don’t see. I spent hours:
Writing
Researching
Outlining
Thinking about writing
Missing out on family time
I was chained to my desk and unhappy. I didn’t have any time to pick myself up and find higher-paying clients. I was writing for .045 a word, so you can imagine how much I wrote during this time. Don’t want to do the math? I wrote over 100,000 words during this time. You couldn’t pull me away from the keyboard, because if I was away from the keyboard, I was in full-on panic mode about my deadlines.
It’s Hard To Find Amazing Clients When You’re Stuck With Low-Paying Clients
What I learned during my time being chained to my keyboard is that it’s hard to find amazing clients when you are stuck with low-paying clients. You don’t have time to pitch companies, apply for jobs, or work on personal development. Low-paying clients are energy zappers, and you don’t deserve that.
If you want to get out low-paying work, take it slow.
Use automation in your favor to connect with better-paying clients when you can (for example, write cold emails when you can, and schedule them out when they are likely to see them.)
Expand your network on sites like LinkedIn. You may not be ready to pitch now, but building your network assures people are there when you’re prepared to do it.
Find a few moments a week to work on content marketing, whether you are filming a video, posting on social media, or writing a blog post.
If You Are Getting Compensated Epically For Epic Content, Go For It
I have nothing against rockstar content. If they want Neil Patel content and they’ll pay you like Neil Patel, go for it. I’ve found that people want Neil Patel content, but the pay will be drastically different because you aren’t him. Don’t mind anything I’ve said if the payment matches the content you create.
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