At first, it’s uncomfortable. You stand awkwardly in the corner with a drink in hand. You pray that someone will take you under their wing and introduce you to other guests.
Let’s stop right there.
This is exactly what it can feel like to be a freelance writer or freelance editor hired by a company. You’re working with them, but your relationship is usually temporary. That makes it easy for your main contact to forget to give you the inside scoop.
If you’re just starting your freelance writing career or shifting into the world of corporate freelance gigs, this one’s for you. Over the next couple of posts, I’ll be sharing five quick freelancing tips to help you work more confidently and efficiently inside a corporate setting.
1) “Barbara and Jeff who?” – Learn the Need-to-Know Employees
When you’re a freelance content writer, copywriter, or contract editor, you won’t know who the key players are right away. This may be obvious to you, but not to the full-time team.
I remember being on an intro call with a company—during a staff meeting, no less—and the project lead kept saying things like, “Follow up with Barbara” and “Ask Jeff about that.” I jotted down those names in panic, adding notes like “Who is Jeff?” and “Look up Barbara in the company directory.” When we hung up, I had given myself unpaid homework: time-consuming research that took me away from the writing work I was actually hired to do.
The Freelancer’s Call to Action
We love a good CTA, right? So here’s mine:
Be that kid who raises their hand on the first day of class.
Ask questions up front. It might feel awkward, but it’s way easier than hunting people down later, especially if you’re working with CEOs, VPs, or other hard-to-reach team members. Tackling it early saves time and money for you and them.
Pro Tip: Learn the Communication Culture
Not every company uses email as its go-to. One agency I worked with preferred Slack and even Voxer (yes, Voxer!) over email. As a freelance writer used to inbox-first communication, I was floored. But it made all the difference once I adapted.
Whether your new freelance project involves Slack, Zoom, Google Chat, or Teams, find out the preferred method from the get-go. This helps you respond faster, stay in the loop, and be seen as a true professional—even if you’re not technically on the team.
Are you starting a freelancing career in writing or editing?
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