Clean Slate with Clients for the New Year

Getting that outstanding invoice paid, thanking a favorite client, vowing to do your homework on new companies that offer you work – these are some good resolutions for freelancers wanting to start off the new year with a clean slate. Client Scorecard (recently mentioned in this New York Times piece) is the perfect place for you to praise companies that have been a dream to work with while alerting your fellow freelancers to beware certain deadbeat clients. So far, over 400 reviews have been submitted on Client Scorecard. While one of the primary reasons for creating Client Scorecard was to help freelancers inform others about companies that don’t pay, there are currently more positive than negative reviews. We’ve also heard some anecdotal evidence that negative reviews may have spurred some companies to resolve outstanding issues with their freelancers. While most reviewers have been writers, editors, graphic designers, and web developers, don’t be shy writing a review if you work in another occupation/industry, such as in health care or in financial services. In 2012, make the commitment to: • Sign in and write a review of each company you freelance for. • Do your research in Client Scorecard before accepting a gig. • Refuse to work for companies who habitually mistreat their freelancers. Need inspiration? Read these entries from Tamika, a designer who had a terrific experience freelancing for Womenkind, and from Alex, who was never paid $10,000 for work he did as a developer. (photo by Pinti 1, via flickr)