Comments on: Freelancing 101: Sign contracts! http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts Information architecture, interaction design and much more Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:14:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Christopher Fahey http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-747 Christopher Fahey Tue, 08 May 2007 13:11:50 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-747 If I was working for the government I would follow your advice to the letter! And I agree that, in the general marketplace, freelancers make mistakes like this and get screwed all the time. The other big mistake they make is to not invoice correctly, delaying their getting paid. If I was working for the government I would follow your advice to the letter!

And I agree that, in the general marketplace, freelancers make mistakes like this and get screwed all the time. The other big mistake they make is to not invoice correctly, delaying their getting paid.

]]> By: Donna Maurer http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-746 Donna Maurer Mon, 07 May 2007 11:34:17 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-746 Yay Chris. I love it when smart people disagree with me ;) Life is never black & white and your comments highlight some of the grey areas. Because of where I live, I mostly work with big organisations - most often big government departments. The administrative process means that paperwork is important - in my second example had I signed the 'extension' the bureaucracy would have forgotten about following up the rate increase, even though individuals had good intentions. I did do some work last week without paperwork - with a small company where I absolutely trust everyone. Once we made a verbal agreement on work and rate, I knew all would be OK. And if something weird happened it wouldn't be like losing my house ;) But I'm also trying to highlight issues that new freelancers may have. And paperwork is definitely one of them! Yay Chris. I love it when smart people disagree with me ;)
Life is never black & white and your comments highlight some of the grey areas. Because of where I live, I mostly work with big organisations - most often big government departments. The administrative process means that paperwork is important - in my second example had I signed the ‘extension’ the bureaucracy would have forgotten about following up the rate increase, even though individuals had good intentions.

I did do some work last week without paperwork - with a small company where I absolutely trust everyone. Once we made a verbal agreement on work and rate, I knew all would be OK. And if something weird happened it wouldn’t be like losing my house ;)
But I’m also trying to highlight issues that new freelancers may have. And paperwork is definitely one of them!

]]> By: Brian Lyall http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-745 Brian Lyall Mon, 07 May 2007 05:22:02 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-745 I once kept on to my wife about having agreements up front and in place before significant work was being done for a client, and for years she always had good, reliable contracts (with one very early exception). And, as would have it, my first client burnt me while contract agreements were begining. Thankfully I smelt something fishy and avoided ended up doing un-paid work. Asmall thing, but it sticks with me. Has anyone experience of things going pear shaped and having to fall back on a legal agreement? Cheers Brian I once kept on to my wife about having agreements up front and in place before significant work was being done for a client, and for years she always had good, reliable contracts (with one very early exception).

And, as would have it, my first client burnt me while contract agreements were begining. Thankfully I smelt something fishy and avoided ended up doing un-paid work. Asmall thing, but it sticks with me.

Has anyone experience of things going pear shaped and having to fall back on a legal agreement?

Cheers

Brian

]]> By: Nathanael http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-744 Nathanael Mon, 07 May 2007 03:48:56 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-744 I got a quote for $3,000 for a solicitors to draw up a contract for me. Obviously I didn't go ahead with it. I don't have a contract per se but I always write up a specification for work and get clients to sign off on that; specification includes functionality, schedule and budget - is at least 5 pages and usually closer to 15 for a medium sized web site development project. That's good enough for me for now. I got a quote for $3,000 for a solicitors to draw up a contract for me. Obviously I didn’t go ahead with it.

I don’t have a contract per se but I always write up a specification for work and get clients to sign off on that; specification includes functionality, schedule and budget - is at least 5 pages and usually closer to 15 for a medium sized web site development project.

That’s good enough for me for now.

]]> By: Christopher Fahey http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-743 Christopher Fahey Sat, 05 May 2007 20:35:37 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-743 I wrote a long reply disagreeing with this, but I opted instead to keep it short. Simply put, if two sides in a business deal, whether it's a client engaging a vendor firm, or a company hiring an individual contractor, cannot trust each other enough to proceed with a <i>reasonable level</i> of work without finalized paperwork, the wheels of business would grind to a halt. Companies and businesses do this every day, whether it's a huge corporate merger being publicly announced, complete with a new logo, based only on a handshake and a cigar... or a graphic designer attending a kick-off meeting a few days before their contract is actually signed. It's a tough job to accurately guage the level of trust and faith you have in your employers, clients, and business partners. You want to gravitate towards businesses and partners you can trust in this way, at the very least. If you work for someone who you trust so little that you think they might actually screw you over on a few days of work without a contract, you probably shouldn't work for them at all, even <i>with</i> a contract! A hard-and-fast rule of not working without a contract will quite simply preclude you from a lot of work for fast-paced clients, and it will give you a reputation as unreasonable to work with. I wrote a long reply disagreeing with this, but I opted instead to keep it short. Simply put, if two sides in a business deal, whether it’s a client engaging a vendor firm, or a company hiring an individual contractor, cannot trust each other enough to proceed with a reasonable level of work without finalized paperwork, the wheels of business would grind to a halt. Companies and businesses do this every day, whether it’s a huge corporate merger being publicly announced, complete with a new logo, based only on a handshake and a cigar… or a graphic designer attending a kick-off meeting a few days before their contract is actually signed.

It’s a tough job to accurately guage the level of trust and faith you have in your employers, clients, and business partners. You want to gravitate towards businesses and partners you can trust in this way, at the very least. If you work for someone who you trust so little that you think they might actually screw you over on a few days of work without a contract, you probably shouldn’t work for them at all, even with a contract! A hard-and-fast rule of not working without a contract will quite simply preclude you from a lot of work for fast-paced clients, and it will give you a reputation as unreasonable to work with.

]]> By: Andrew Boyd http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-742 Andrew Boyd Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:29:11 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-742 Good idea :) I remember being slightly mad at myself for not reading the fine print on a couple of contracts through the years, but the thought of a freelancer starting without the paperwork is really scary - the insurance risks alone should frighten people off. Thanks, Andrew Good idea :)
I remember being slightly mad at myself for not reading the fine print on a couple of contracts through the years, but the thought of a freelancer starting without the paperwork is really scary - the insurance risks alone should frighten people off.

Thanks, Andrew

]]> By: Peter http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-741 Peter Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:52:33 +0000 http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/2007/freelancing-101-sign-contracts#comment-741 I always use a "statement of work" which outlines the agreement and the price, but has no legalese and is 1 page only. I should probably use a real contract, but so far I've only had good clients who pay promptly :) The client then agrees via email that they *agree* to this - believe this is legally binding, but I'm not 100% sure. I always use a “statement of work” which outlines the agreement and the price, but has no legalese and is 1 page only. I should probably use a real contract, but so far I’ve only had good clients who pay promptly :) The client then agrees via email that they *agree* to this - believe this is legally binding, but I’m not 100% sure.

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