One of the perks of freelancing is that you don’t have to answer to a boss—other than yourself. The challenge is to make sure that if you’re your own boss, you’re a great one! That may mean that you don’t overload your schedule, take unfulfilling jobs, or stand for low pay that doesn’t match your skill set. To make this happen, you might need to turn down some clients—even if it means missing out on income opportunities. As our crowd-sourced panel can attest to, some freelance jobs just aren’t worth it. The trick is being able to detect and avoid those jobs.

Out of my normal hours or scope of work

I have turned down clients in the past if they ask me to work past normal “work” hours. For example, I recently had a client ask me to join meetings at 7, 8, and even 9 pm. While I understand time zones can be an issue, if a client is asking me to regularly join meetings past my work hours, I usually turn them away respectfully.

I have turned down clients for asking for things I don't normally provide clients. For example, I recently had a client ask me to create a media list for them that they then were able to own and use however they saw fit. That is not normal practice in my industry, and thus I had to pass on working with them. There are businesses out there who want a cheap way to get the resources they need, without investing in a long-term relationship with you.

This leads to my next reason for turning down a client… if a client wants to continually work on an hourly or project basis. I don't mind working on a project or hourly basis for a new client, to begin with, and build trust. However, if a client wants to continue with that format, they aren't working towards creating a long-term relationship with you as a freelancer. You'll end up putting in way more time/effort than you're getting paid for.

It isn't the right fit

Yes, I know it's cliche, but there come times where a project just isn't the right fit for me. I've worked as a freelance copywriter for just over a decade and, while there are months where any money seems like good money, I've learned to nurture my quality of life and the enjoyment of my work over my bank account.

It's a great idea to ask your prospective clients just as many questions as they inevitably ask you. Find out whether your prospect's brand, message, and perhaps most importantly, their values align with yours.

Burnout is a pretty hot topic right now, though it's nothing new – it's been around for a very long time and I guarantee that being mindful of how well your prospect fits you will work to fight burnout better than any other solution you've found!

You don’t have to take every client that comes your way

As a freelancer of 8 years, I’ve definitely had to turn down a number of clients over the years. Before signing a client, you have to understand who your ideal client is – are they based in a country or time zone that works with your schedule and location? Can they afford your pricing? Are they a small 2-person business or a 100-person company?

I’ve mostly turned down potential clients who try to negotiate my pricing – and not because they’re negotiating, but because these clients are typically the ones who end up being the most difficult—the ones who bargain the most, and the ones who are messaging you at 8pm on the weekend. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but as a freelancer, you have to be able to recognize certain behaviors in your less-than-ideal potential clients.

As you get more experience as a freelancer, you tend to realize that you don’t have to take every client that comes your way.

I avoid high-complexity projects that aren’t commensurate with pay

I typically turn down clients if I sense that there will be more complexity involved with the project relative to the amount the client is willing to pay. While sometimes this can be difficult to gauge, I am learning more about what I can and cannot or am not willing to do. Being able to estimate the time sink of different tasks and project milestones is the key to creating that time versus value relationship.

I also turn down clients if I suspect that I can't deliver enough value to them, whether that's because the project is outside my current skill set, the project requires more than one person to [complete], or the client and I have differences of opinion on how the project should be completed. I try to get a sense of whether or not the client is communicative – projects are very challenging to complete if there isn't ongoing communication, and so I don't take on clients who seem distracted, disinterested, or less involved in the progress of the project.

Payment:

Sadly, there are still some people who think freelancers should earn less than a “formal” worker. Especially when I was starting, I received so many proposals offering full-time jobs with a payment that was less than minimum wage, and when I told them my prices they just left the chat! I remember seeing clients who were seeking freelancers abroad in Latin America and Asia because they could pay them way less than American and European freelancers.

The client is asking one freelancer to do the job of 3 people:

This is something quite specific, but it has happened so many times I now spot them immediately. There is this type of client who wants a freelancer to do everything. For example, they will ask for a social media manager to run their SM account and create content, and take pictures, and offer customer service, and do graphic design, and a long etcetera. Usually, they also offer terrible payment and tend to be extra bossy. Runaway from those!

Saying no is sometimes necessary

Considering that paychecks are not automatic when you’re a freelancer, it may be strange to talk about turning down potential freelance work. However, believe it or not, there will come a day when saying no will become one of the best decisions you will ever make.

As much as I’d love to take on every project that comes my way, I sometimes turn down a client when I’ve already got prior work commitments. While it’s tempting to always accept new work opportunities, adding new projects to my plate when I no longer have the time or energy to spare would only lower the quality of my work. Hence, as much as possible, I make it a point to simply focus on delivering my best work to my existing clients.

I also tend to refuse a freelance job when a client insists on quantity instead of quality. Not only do I disagree with this approach, but I also find little value—and absolutely no pleasure—in working for these kinds of clients.

There is a reason why I started freelancing in the first place, and that is to find freedom and meaningfulness in my career. While saying no isn’t easy, and rejection isn’t fun, I knew that taking on every project that came my way would only come to bite me in the ass someday.