2 insider secrets to negotiating a higher rate

It’s spring, and a freelancer’s fancy turns to… work. Well, let’s be honest. Freelancers are always thinking about work.

Our industry’s a bit up and down at the moment – while those in the energy sector are struggling, with layoffs and rate cuts everywhere, those in critical roles in financial services are seeing the industry finally start to spend some money after a few lean years. But whichever way your market is going, freelancers need to make sure they maximise their available rate.

As a manager who’s hired many freelancers over the years I feel a bit like the “masked magician” – having spent many years negotiating to keep the rates of the freelancers working for me at a reasonable level, I’m about to earn the ire of other managers by showing how to break the cycle. I know that this is a great example of a win/ lose negotiation – simply put, every pound the freelancer can increase their rate by is a pound that comes out of the company’s pocket. And that might make you think that it’s always going to be rough. But in fact you , as the freelancer, have one key strategic advantage, and one key strategic disadvantage in this negotiation.

Read more on the hiredbyme website!