Jumping into a new development project is an exciting time. If you\u2019re a client, you\u2019ll be bustling with ideas, ready to get started and make your dreams come alive (or fix up where the last person stuffed up!). If you\u2019re a developer, you\u2019ll be keen to get the ball rolling and start laying the project groundwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are some things that a client can say to a freelance developer in that first conversation, or even halfway along with the project, that won’t leave a good impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s check out what freelance developers might just be thinking when a few words are uttered, and our tips for clients and developers who encounter these scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking for top talent fast? See how <\/em>Arc<\/a> can help you:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u26a1\ufe0f Find developers, designers, marketers, and more Hire top talent with Arc risk-free \u2192<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Ah, you don\u2019t know what you really want, so you want me to come up with the ideas for you? The last guy I did that for said that it wasn\u2019t what he envisioned at all, without outlining his vision. Nope, not going down this rabbit hole again.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0Make sure that your project requirements are well outlined<\/a>. Think of your developer as a builder \u2014 they can\u2019t build your house without a plan. Feel free to ask for their informed suggestions or opinions, but realize they are just that: suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Explain to your potential client that you require direction to build the product of their dreams. You can suggest options to gain further understanding of what they are looking for, but they should make the ultimate decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Huge, complex platforms are years and years of work with a team of great developers. It\u2019s not like I can just copy and paste Facebook!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0If your project has a lot of \u201cbits\u201d and is like a large, existing platform, you will need to invest a significant amount of time and money and hire a team of developers, not just one developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Outline to the client the time\/money involved in such a project, and if the client has the resources and you can pull together a team, the project may still be workable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: The Ultimate Freelance Software Developer Hiring Guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Does this mean you\u2019re asking me to reduce my rate? Look, I might be able to take a pay cut if it sounds like an amazing, ongoing, and well-planned project or it’s something I\u2019m very passionate about \u2014 but that’s it.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0A developer\u2019s advertised rate is because that is their current market worth. You may be able to negotiate a lower rate, depending on the project, however lowballing can be seen as insulting. You can use the\u00a0freelance rate post<\/a> as a guideline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Assuming you’ve properly\u00a0set your freelance rate, decide whether you\u2019re interested in doing the project at a reduced rate and whether it will be worth it to you personally. Make sure to also have a rough idea of how long the project might take and the hours involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I don\u2019t work for free, no matter how successful you think this is going to be. I still have bills to pay.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0If you can\u2019t afford a developer, your other options are learning to code yourself, spending the money (if you have it!), or seeking out financial backers to help build your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Explain politely that you can\u2019t afford equity as payment, and your going rate is your current market value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I don\u2019t know you, and you\u2019re asking me to be your business partner? Ok, that\u2019s not weird at all, no.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0Even if you think the developer sounds amazing and you want to be partners straight away, play it cool. Think of it like how strange it would be asking someone to marry you on the first date! Go on a few work dates with a potential partner first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Laugh and say I\u2019d have to get to know you first!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: Good Developers Don\u2019t Always Make Good *Freelance* Developers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Hey, I\u2019ll build it for you if you like, but if you\u2019re basing your market research on people who like you after a few glasses of wine, you might not have thought this through enough.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0Do some solid market research before building your product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0If you are happy to build the product for the client, go ahead. Product success is not your concern unless you have equity shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The freelance platform I use is to ensure I get paid! The last client I had that I went off-platform with disappeared without a cent in my bank account\u2026”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0Developers use freelance platforms to protect themselves financially. By all means, use Zoom meetings or Asana, or whatever tools you prefer for planning and communications, but keep time tracking and payments via the platform you found them on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Explain that using the platform protects you both – that you will do good work for the client, assured by the public feedback system, and that it makes payments easy and safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sure, you say that now. Let\u2019s just see how this pans out first.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0See how the project works out first!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t get your hopes up too high. Test out the waters and see if this really is a client that you would also want to work with in the future if an opportunity arises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How to Create a Software Development Workflow for Freelance Hires<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Do you know how you want to use it, if it\u2019s applicable, how much time it\u2019s going to add to the project and someone who knows how to do it? Cause I sure don\u2019t, and the learning curve is steep!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019ve researched the technology enough and know how it\u2019s applicable to your project, ask the developer how to proceed with it \u2014 and if it\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Ask how it will fit into the project and make a decision about whether it is going to be possible \u2014 with estimates of time, budget, and whether other developers will need to be hired for the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Looks like we\u2019ll be archiving half the codebase then. I wonder when this will ever be finished? Is this going to be impossible to achieve? At least I have work for the foreseeable future.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0You might be excited about pivoting, but it\u2019s a curveball for your developer. Try your best to instill that excitement within your conversation so your developer is on the same page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Hey, don\u2019t they say a change is as good as a holiday? Perhaps it pays not to be too mentally invested in a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How to Integrate Freelance Software Developers Into Your Current Team<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Hmmm, I guess this project is up in the air unless someone else is interested and excited about ownership on your end. I wonder if I should start looking for new clients…”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0As a courtesy, try to have a migration plan in place so your developer can feel assured of how the project will be progressing once you leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for freelance developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Make contact and start a conversation with the new technical lead of the project to determine the next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Uh-oh. Company infrastructure changes are often painful, buggy, and drawn out. This should be fun<\/em>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients:<\/strong>\u00a0Provide documentation for the new systems and as much info as possible to your developer, as well as the reasoning behind the new changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Be patient with the process and let your client know if it is causing disruptions to your workflow, so that you can work out how to streamline it more and not have schedule blowouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Looks like it\u2019s time to start looking for work again! I hope it\u2019s not because you\u2019ve gone into administration, and I haven\u2019t been paid for the past month yet, eep.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for clients<\/strong>: Let your developer down gently and make sure all payments are up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip for developers:<\/strong>\u00a0Look for new opportunities and reach out to your networks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How to Do Taxes When Hiring a Freelancer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a client seeking a developer, make sure you\u2019ve scoped the project properly, have some idea of the difficulty or technology level required, and realize that this is your freelance developer\u2019s full-time job \u2014 they can\u2019t afford to work for nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Devs? If you think a client is wasting your time, it\u2019s fine to end the conversation politely (and if you are happy so far, don\u2019t forget to ask them vetting questions, before you start a project, too!). And if you haven’t already, apply to be\u00a0a freelancer\u00a0on Arc<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With these tips in mind, clients and developers can both try to avoid huge unforeseen changes in the middle of a project \u2014 it\u2019s (generally) no good for anyone involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re a developer, what “interesting” things have clients said to you, and how did you respond? Let us know in the comments section below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also try <\/em>Arc<\/a>, your<\/em> shortcut to the world’s best remote talent:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u26a1\ufe0f Access 450,000 top developers, designers, and marketers <\/a>Try Arc and hire top talent now \u2192<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “I’ll pay by equity since this will be 100% successful” and other things clients probably shouldn’t say to a freelance software developer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1123,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hiring"],"yoast_head":"\n
\u26a1\ufe0f Freelance or full-time remote + fully vetted<\/em>
\u26a1\ufe0f Save up to 80% with global hires<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn pre-project discussions\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. You\u2019re the expert, I trust your judgment!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>2. It\u2019s like a combination of Soundcloud, Facebook, and Skype<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. I have a tight budget<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>4. I pay by equity since this will be 100% successful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. We could be partners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. I think it will be really successful, I asked a few of my friends\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Let\u2019s take this off-platform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>8. We will have more projects in the future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Halfway through the project\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. Can we use blockchain \/ React Native \/ X? I\u2019ve been reading a lot about it lately<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. We\u2019re pivoting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. I\u2019m retiring \/ changing jobs \/ going on an extended vacation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>12. I\u2019m going to need you to roll over to these systems as part of our internal IT restructure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. We\u2019re canceling the project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wrapping Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u26a1\ufe0f Vetted and ready to interview<\/em>
\u26a1\ufe0f Freelance or full-time<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n