Freelancing for an ex-employer
May 3, 2011 6:08 AM Subscribe
How much do I charge the person who fired me?
I was involuntarily terminated (not for cause) two weeks ago and am just now finalizing the paperwork with my ex-employer, who is a real estate broker. I'm getting a decent severance and she has said that I could list her as a reference. So, yes, we are still on good terms.
One of the projects she and I had been working on ever since I started working for her three years ago was her WordPress-based blog and we were almost at the point to where I would be blogging for her almost full-time in addition to my duties as her executive assistant. She is still not done with the design, but she's very close to having that finalized with the web designer, and once that part's done, she'll be ready to fill it with content (part of which I'd already done to test out the kinks with the web designer). She just now asked me if I'd be willing to work with her on updating her blog on a part-time basis.
Based on what I know about the way the blog will work, to maintain it, I would be required to update it at least once a week when she has an Open House. I would be required to add a new post when she has a new listing, update the listing once it goes into contract, and update once again when the listing gets sold. These things could happen at any time. If a listing of hers gets in the mainstream news, I'd need to add a new post. This could also happen at any time, but at least I'd get more warning. Finally, I'd also have to update the blog when a new market report comes out (every quarter) and when the chief economist releases a new monthly report.
Based on that and the answer to this question, I know I should charge per post. What would be a good competitive rate that wouldn't price me out of the job or destroy the goodwill I have with this employer, upon whom I'm counting for references?
Your help is most greatly appreciated.
I was involuntarily terminated (not for cause) two weeks ago and am just now finalizing the paperwork with my ex-employer, who is a real estate broker. I'm getting a decent severance and she has said that I could list her as a reference. So, yes, we are still on good terms.
One of the projects she and I had been working on ever since I started working for her three years ago was her WordPress-based blog and we were almost at the point to where I would be blogging for her almost full-time in addition to my duties as her executive assistant. She is still not done with the design, but she's very close to having that finalized with the web designer, and once that part's done, she'll be ready to fill it with content (part of which I'd already done to test out the kinks with the web designer). She just now asked me if I'd be willing to work with her on updating her blog on a part-time basis.
Based on what I know about the way the blog will work, to maintain it, I would be required to update it at least once a week when she has an Open House. I would be required to add a new post when she has a new listing, update the listing once it goes into contract, and update once again when the listing gets sold. These things could happen at any time. If a listing of hers gets in the mainstream news, I'd need to add a new post. This could also happen at any time, but at least I'd get more warning. Finally, I'd also have to update the blog when a new market report comes out (every quarter) and when the chief economist releases a new monthly report.
Based on that and the answer to this question, I know I should charge per post. What would be a good competitive rate that wouldn't price me out of the job or destroy the goodwill I have with this employer, upon whom I'm counting for references?
Your help is most greatly appreciated.
You charge this person the same amount that you would charge another employer; I don't think the firing enters into it. Have you checked out the links in the old post (i.e, problogger) to see what's competitive?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 6:53 AM on May 3, 2011
posted by Admiral Haddock at 6:53 AM on May 3, 2011
Agree with both of the above. Also, make yourself a contract. No ifs, ands, or buts. Make a contract for every single freelancing gig you have, every time. There are a number of good sample/fill-in-the-blank contracts on the web, and make sure to include a clause saying that you retain all intellectual property rights to the content until you're paid in full (this is to ensure against the most despicable but also most common problem freelancers encounter; if you have that clause and they go ahead and use your work without paying you, you can sue the shit out of them).
posted by Jon_Evil at 7:11 AM on May 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by Jon_Evil at 7:11 AM on May 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
A rough rule of thumb when moving from salary to freelance is that your effective hourly rate can be along the lines of your annual salary divided by one thousand. Adjust this up or down based on how much unique domain knowledge you have and how fairly you were being paid earlier--if you were underpaid and/or have a ton of special knowledge that makes you irreplaceable, you could increase that figure by as much as 25-100%; if you are easily replaceable, you might need to go lower (although probably by not as wide a margin as you could potentially go up).
posted by phoenixy at 7:24 AM on May 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by phoenixy at 7:24 AM on May 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
The general rule of thumb as a freelancer is to change double your (fulltime) salary per hour. I'd figure out how long it takes you to create a post, start to finish, and use that as a rough guideline to start. If it ends up being out of the range of "normal" for a blogger (I have no idea what normal is), then use it as a negotiating starting point.
posted by cgg at 7:28 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cgg at 7:28 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ask her for a letter of reference now, addressed to: To Whom It May Concern. Then make your (new) arrangement with your (former) employer-turned-client.
posted by TruncatedTiller at 7:36 AM on May 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by TruncatedTiller at 7:36 AM on May 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
The wording of your post isn't totally clear, but it sounds as though there are times when she wants you to be "on call" to post listings and sales. If she wants posts up immediately, she needs to pay you for your "on call" time, even if nothing comes in and you don't write anything. Otherwise, I think you should tell her that for the rate you're charging, the posts will go up once a day at X time (a time that is convenient for you). Unless she wants to pay you to sit around and wait for her call, you shouldn't have to put your life on hold to be available to her.
posted by decathecting at 7:36 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by decathecting at 7:36 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
No one is going to pay a blogger an hourly rate. $25 a post is really good. When I was a paid blogger I got base of $15.00 per post with a bonus for extra hits and "media mentions".
Depending on the platform, you can build the updates ahead of time, and then set them to go "live" when the contracts come through, etc.
posted by Ideefixe at 8:20 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Depending on the platform, you can build the updates ahead of time, and then set them to go "live" when the contracts come through, etc.
posted by Ideefixe at 8:20 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
decathecting: "The wording of your post isn't totally clear, but it sounds as though there are times when she wants you to be "on call" to post listings and sales. If she wants posts up immediately, she needs to pay you for your "on call" time, even if nothing comes in and you don't write anything."
IMO, this is the most important, and troubling, part of your arrangement. It doesn't sound like the mechanics of your duties are that demanding- I assume you're not writing new creative content for these posts, just more informational, correct? It definitely comes across that her expectations are that you are essentially on-demand for her services. Typically, that kind of relationship requires a retainer rather than piece-work fee.
At the very least, make sure that you two are on the same page regarding turnaround expectations. Get it in writing. Do not agree to any kind of "trust me, we'll work it out" stuff.
posted by mkultra at 9:33 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
IMO, this is the most important, and troubling, part of your arrangement. It doesn't sound like the mechanics of your duties are that demanding- I assume you're not writing new creative content for these posts, just more informational, correct? It definitely comes across that her expectations are that you are essentially on-demand for her services. Typically, that kind of relationship requires a retainer rather than piece-work fee.
At the very least, make sure that you two are on the same page regarding turnaround expectations. Get it in writing. Do not agree to any kind of "trust me, we'll work it out" stuff.
posted by mkultra at 9:33 AM on May 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I can't help with specific numbers, but don't agree to do it for less than your time is worth.
posted by Mad_Carew at 6:52 AM on May 3, 2011