Don’t dig the job? Here’s how to *politely* turn down a freelance gig
Let’s face it: while you might be super grateful to have been offered a gig at all, some are just better — or at least more in line with your area of interest and expertise — than others. In these cases, it’s obviously advised that you decline the offer, leaving the job free for someone who can do it justice. But saying ‘no’ is something that many people struggle with, in both their personal and professional lives, especially when there is a monetary figure attached to it.
If you have found yourself in the awkward situation of wanting to turn down a gig but not knowing how to do it in such a way that a) you don’t burn any bridges, and b) keep the door open for any future work, we’ve got tips to help you do it. Nicely.
1. Express your gratitude
The freelance market is an incredibly saturated one, even more so now that the COVID-19 pandemic has left many people unemployed from their permanent positions. So even if the job on offer doesn’t appeal to you and your head is screaming…
…it’s important that you let the client know how grateful you are that they thought of you and that, while you might not be able to take on this particular project, you would still like to work for them in the future.
2. Give the client a reason
While this isn’t mandatory — you don’t have to justify why you don’t want to take on a job to anyone — it will help to make the rejection seem less personal. So instead of saying ‘this job looks mind-numbing’, instead you could blame another time-consuming project you are working on. Or, you could be honest and say that you don’t feel as though you would be able to do this job justice because it falls outside of your realm of expertise, or that the fees are below what you would expect. Sometimes honesty is the best policy!
3. Offer a solution
People don’t like to be confronted with problems. They want to be presented with solutions. You turning down the job is a problem, so rather than leaving them hanging, why not offer them a way to fix it? This can be by referring another freelancer who you think would be a good fit for their project, or, if it’s the level of commitment that is turning you off, trying to renegotiate the terms of the proposed contract and workload so that you, and the client, are happy. It’s a win-win!
