As a Freelancer your qualifications don’t matter much any more

Times have changed and when it comes to getting hired your list of qualifications is now at the bottom of the pile – below experience, reviews and the ability to deliver.

Speaking as both a freelance AND a hirer, I can tell you that the main two things I want when I hire someone to write, code, design, interpret or whatever for me are these:

1. The ability to understand what I want

2. The ability to deliver what I want.

I don’t care where you went to school or how many qualifications you have. I might notice you have a first class honours degree or a Masters in English Lit but chances are I’ve hired people with similar qualifications and while it’s certainly not a bad thing…

…it doesn’t cut much mustard with me because I’m looking for results above everything else.

I’much rather hear about the project you completed for someone who is in the same field as I am and who is delighted with your work or the results you got for him

Whether I’m an editor, project manager or entrepreneur I want to know what you can do for ME.

I’ve been on both sides of the fence and the biggest lesson I’ve learned (actually it was a life changing mind shift rather than a lesson) is that to be a successful freelancer you MUST see yourself from the point of view of the person who is considering hiring you.

You have to sell yourself based on what you can do for me, not how proud of your achievements your mum and dad are.

Tell me what you think you can bring to the party.

Don’t tell me my job of course – I already know my readers, my target market, my product or my visitor demographic.

But when I hear from a freelancer who understands how their skills can complement my existing set-up, then I’m already getting out my cheque book.

But how do you know what I want?

Go back and look at the content or services I’m already providing. Have a look at what I do.

Get your head around my style. Or even easier, if I’ve written a brief or job description go and read that four or five times, because the chances are that I’ve already told you exactly who I’m looking for within the description itself.

If you are looking to be hired by someone, or work with someone as a freelancer, affiliate or partner, spend a week getting to know what they actually DO before submitting anything.

You’ll find your success rates go up by 80% because most of your competition will just fire off an email without much thought…

…and it’s the thinkers I want to hire.

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