In this world of modern business, those that practice fast and loose have increased. It’s unfortunate to say but there are people that will take advantage of your business, and never blink and eyelid in shame. But a woe is you is not an approach that is sustainable. As a sole trader you are in charge of everything. Right down to the type of printing paper you use, to the kinds of standard of work you are willing to produce. You and only you can watch your back, no one else can help you along when times get tough. There are some ways you can protect yourself both from clients and when you are working. However there are different kinds of sole trader so you need to have a well-rounded understanding of how you can do this. Using technology to your advantage is one of the key factors that you must learn quickly so you don’t have to worry about the little things.
Freelance writers
Many companies are looking to hire freelance writers of all kinds. Whether they are an online newspaper, a political magazine or a copywriting company that deals in many different industries, freelancers are well-sought after. Most of the work will be done online which means before you do agree to a job you should note two key things. Is there a contract to sign and how will you be paid? Online contracts carry as much weight as real-world contracts do. You don’t need to be in-person anymore to sign and make a contract official. You can sign contracts online using various software that reads mouse movements and or virtual pens. Always make sure the company asks for your bank account information. This will give you a clear indication that they will wire transfer the money to you upon task completion.
Be cautious and prepared
You can go onto a website like Glassdoor and read the reviews of many different companies that hire sole traders. If you are offered a job from one of the companies with a bad review score, you may want to consider Invoice Insurance. Even if the company falls through and doesn’t pay or goes bankrupt, this insurance makes sure that however much you were going to be paid, you are. It’s a nice security net for when you are essentially robbed of your hard work and time and you are scammed from your rightful payment. It’s a good idea to have this because even when a company seems to be polite and legitimate, they could stop answering your emails and phone calls as soon as the work you agreed to is finished. They think that because it’s online that you can’t do anything about it. Firstly have your insurance at the ready but you can always threaten to take them to the small claims court.
Being a sole trader is great because you get to work for yourself and do the kinds of hours you are comfortable with. However you also don’t have a big company behind you that is adhering to certain laws and rules, so you really need to look out for yourself.
