Career Hacks For Busy Freelancers

In my years of working as a writer and designer, I have learned that having a career as a freelance artist means that you have to be good at what you do. But, raw skill isn't all that you need in order to get ahead. Sometimes, you need to get tricky in order to get everything done, get ahead, or just give yourself the raise you deserve.

Whether you're just starting out or you're a veteran, these following career hacks will help you freelance your way to the top.

Have multiple resumes and portfolios.

The funny thing about freelance work is that it can pull you in a million different directions. Specializing in one thing is often unwise, primarily because doing so could end up with you getting typecasted.

But, as bad as specializing is, many clients will often prefer someone with a specialization in their field. So, what's one to do?

The answer is simple: have multiple portfolios, with multiple resumes. Make one set a "generic" resume, another for finance clients, and yet another for more trendy topics.

Then, when people ask if you specialize in their kind of work, you never have to worry about being unable to show that you do.

Get bad clients to back off via high pricing.

Every freelancer has had a nightmare client who criticized them, moved goalposts on them, or seemed to think that they owned that person by paying them. The truth is that they almost never are worth the price they're willing to pay - and in many cases, they're also the biggest cheapskates.

These are not clients you should take on, even if you are desperate. If you don't want to tell them why you don't want to work with them anymore, there's a more diplomatic way to handle things.

All you need to do is tell them that there has been a price raise due to new clients, and then say that you will do the work they're asking for as long as they pay the fees. Then, name a price that's shockingly high.

They'll almost always tell you they can't do that. If they do pony up the money, then you may be able to decide what to do with them. Freelancers who do this call it "the asshole tax."

Raise, not lower, your prices.

Premium products require premium prices. This is why Philip Plein pants cost $2,000 - and why Kmart pants cost $10. One is clearly cooler and superior to the other. Your services are awesome, right? Then charge more!

The funny thing about people is that we tend to assume that high prices means that whatever we're paying for is really worth it. So, stop pandering to the bottom feeders - and start working with clients who really can offer superb paychecks.

Learn to say no.

This may sound strange, but saying no to certain projects is often the best career step you can make. There are certain projects that, if your name gets attached to them, will ruin your ability to get other freelance clients. If you get the feeling that what you're being asked to do is unworkable, say no. It's better than dealing with the fallout later.

One of the most common things freelancers have trouble doing is dealing with lowballing customers who may "neg" or bully them to try to get a lower deal. If you feel like you're being insult-lowballed, then the best way to deal with it is to tell them that it's not acceptable for you and leave the negotiation.

Contracts are a hugely important factor in success.

There are a lot of people out there who aren't good at keeping promises - or who actively just will screw people out of money just because they can. Part of freelancing is learning to protect yourself from people like this, and this often means that you will need to draw out contracts.

Having six month or year-long contracts is the easiest way to ensure you have steady work for a while. It also makes you look more professional in the eyes of clients.

Ask for references.

A good way to ensure that you aren't going to get scammed by a bad client is to ask for references and do some research on the kind of people you're dealing with. Most clients will be happy to furnish them, and if they're not, then you might also do well to search for them online.

That being said, if you see that they have been sued by former contractors or employees, you should be worried. If they did it to them, they'll do it to you as well.

Nurture your network via social media.

The best way to get high quality gigs is often to network with others via sites that are very freelance-friendly. Places like eLance, LinkedIn, and even Twitter can prove to be very fertile networking grounds for people who are just trying to dip their toes into the freelance world.

You never know where your next gig will come from, so do what you can to ensure that you have a happy network of people who speak highly of you to others.

Set aside money for emergencies, retirement, and vacations... and taxes.

When you're a freelancer, you're 1099. This means you end up paying your own taxes as well as your own health insurance. You're also in control of your retirement funds - and if you're in the mood for a vacation, you will need to pay for that, too.

This means that you will need to manage your money well. The best way to do this is to try to put aside at least 20% of your freelance cash for emergencies, taxes, and retirement funds.

You never know when a rainy day will strike, so make a point of working to avoid going broke.

Outsource, outsource, outsource.

As a freelancer, your goal has to be to get your butt out there. Your number one priority should be getting work, with your number two priority being doing the work you're paid to do.

The problem is that life makes it hard to do this without having to pay attention to things you don't like to do - such as filing, advertising, designing things, and marketing.

Your best shot at making moolah is to outsource the little things that get in the way of you focusing on things. Signing up on a mechanical turking site like Amazon will allow you to get these tasks done at a small price - by someone else.

Join a coworking space.

It's really, really hard to stay focused when you're all alone at home. So, why not link up with other freelancers in a coworking space? They're popping up throughout the country, rent is cheap, and it's a tax-deductible way to keep focused, productive, and successful.