10 Reasons Why You Should Help Your Fellow Freelance Colleagues

Last month my friend Rozanne, who is a freelance photographer, came over to my home for a few days.  On one afternoon we spent talking about her freelance photography business, marketing, strategies and social media.  Rozanne was taking notes and was happy to get advice.  She even told me I should think about being a business consultant.  

I'm always glad to help her and others.  Although our entrepreneurial endeavors are different, the foundations of freelancing are the same.  I simply want Rozanne to succeed, not only because she is my friend and a fellow freelancer, but also because it feels good to help others.  There is more joy in giving than receiving and I want Rozanne to be happy.

In fact, when you analyze the different ways freelancers can help each other, you then realize that ultimately your help goes full circle.   

See for yourself.  If you help your fellow freelancer it will help to:

1. Promote Good Business Practices

Supporting good business practices ensures freelancers not only compete on fees but quality, value, and professionalism.  

Defending good business practices is good for your own welfare as well as everyone else.

2. Keep Fees Fair

New freelancers need to research the average fees for the type of work they do because they tend to price incorrectly.

3. Inform, Inspire, and Protect

When you connect with other fellow freelancers, you share ideas, experiences, mistakes, accomplishments, resources, and solutions.  

The more of us who are informed, inspired, and knowledgeable about our profession, the more of us are able to represent and protect the interests of the profession as a whole.

4.  Provide and Receive Work

Let's say you have too much work, if you have a network of freelance colleagues, refer a client to a fellow professional.  

This way you help the client and your colleague, in the future they may want to return the favor when they are busy too. 

5. Find Answers

Many social networks have groups or forums with hundreds of freelancers posting useful information and answering various questions related to the profession.  

Feel free to ask questions and contribute answers.  

If you know of a solution, add your two cents, (you never know) you just might help someone.

6. Improve Quality and Value

The profession is ever changing and evolving. 

Experienced freelancers can recommend organizations to join or training to attend.  

There are many blogs, Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds by seasoned professional translators and interpreters that offer great advice and best practices.  

Re-tweet, share, and encourage each other, freelancers should rely on each other for support.

7. Improve The Profession

By helping one another out we create a stronger profession through knowledge, quality, value, and professionalism which in turn will help justify our fees.

8. Find Something New

What if you are growing tired of what you do?

A fellow freelancer may tell you about a certain niche within your language pair(s), specialization or services which might be of interest to you.

9. Inform The Client

All freelancers should be working together on informing the client from all angles, offline and online.

Remember, studies have shown that people need to see or listen to something 7 times before it sinks in, thus growing the respect, value, and raising awareness about our profession.

10. Feel Good About Yourself

"Kindness fosters more kindness.  It opens eyes instead of closing them.  It is contagious and it feels wonderful." -Bruce Kasanoff.  

Maybe a couple of freelancers might be your competition in the future, but you will create a stronger and better profession which in turn benefits you and everyone. 

Still worried about the competition?

You have nothing to worry about as long as you are very good and have achieved quality work, services, and professionalism. 

As you can see, in the end, by helping others you ultimately help yourself.

So this is my short list of 10 reasons why we should help our fellow freelancers.

Can you think of any others we could add to the list?

Everyday we learn something new and grow.

And the same goes for translators and interpreters...

There is enough work for everyone!

As always, thank you for reading and sharing my posts. Please if any of my blogs inspire you, give credit where credit is due.  Let's be fair, honest and professional.  Let's help each other be great and stay great!

 Feel free to connect or email me, Carmen Arismendy.  I'm a professional Spanish interpreter-translator and founder of eLingual.Net.  I started the eLingual Network because I could not find a fair, no middleman, no job bidding, ethical, and transparent meeting place for translators, interpreters, and clients online.  The website is in beta phase and by no means perfect but it's a step in the right direction.

eLingual.Net's mission is to spread happiness worldwide through happy translators, interpreters, and clients.

For the professional translator and interpreter, this means no middleman, no job bidding, the freedom of setting their own fees, having control over their services, and who they choose to work with.

For the clients, this means working directly with ethical and professional translators and interpreters committed to quality and value.

Join our happy community, let's work together!

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Updated 10.29.16