The Experience of a Job gone wrong

At some point in your freelance writing career a job will turn into a disaster. This may happen today, tomorrow, or not until next year. Or maybe it has already happened to you more than once in the past. While nobody wants to run into this problem, it is something you should expect. Everything cannot always go smoothly.

A seemingly good project can go wrong for a number of reasons. For the sake of this post, and the following information, let’s assume that the client did not approve of the end result. In this case, there are three things you can take away:

1. You can look back and see what went wrong. Maybe you will realize that it was your fault, maybe you will see that the client did not give you enough direction. No matter what you find, make sure you go over each and every step and detail with a fine tooth comb. It is good to know what went wrong, even if you are partly at fault.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. There is nothing wrong with asking the client, even if they are upset, for further information. Feedback, good or bad, can benefit your business in the long run. If you did do something wrong the client can tell you, and in turn you can avoid the same mistake in the future.

3. It will make you more grateful for other clients. Sometimes it takes a horrible client to make you realize what the good ones mean to your business. You should never take a client for granted – especially if they are easy to work with and treat you with respect.

The next time a job goes terribly wrong, use the three points above to learn from the experience.