Top 10 Tips for Acing a Freelance Interview

A freelance interview is your chance to show a prospective employer that you are the perfect person for their job. You want to be prepared and do everything you can to ace an interview, but it’s not always easy. There are many things that could go wrong. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of 10 freelance interview tips:

Top 10 Freelance Interview Tips

When you’re interviewing for freelance work, it can be tough to know what you should do. However, there are some basic steps that you can follow to help make the process go more smoothly.

How should I prepare for a freelance interview?

You’ve landed an interview for freelance work and you’re feeling confident. You know your skills, the position is a perfect fit, and you can’t wait to get started… but there’s one thing that might be holding you back: how do I ace this freelance interview?

With these 10 tips, we’ll help make sure your freelance interview goes well and that you land the job.

1) Research the company and position before interviewing

Doing your research before an interview is key. Know everything there is to know about the company, what they do, and the position you’re interviewing for. This will show that you are interested in the company and have put thought into your application. Most companies have a website that supplies the information you need, but if they don’t you can always do a Google search.

If you’re interviewing for a freelance position, it’s also important to know what services the company offers. This way, you can talk about how your skills and experience match what the company is looking for.

If you are unsure about something, don’t be afraid to ask questions during the interview. The interviewer will appreciate your interest and willingness to learn more about the company.

Bonus Tip: Check out our virtual assistant interview questions article for more freelance interview tips!

2) Practice your elevator pitch

Your freelance interview elevator pitch is a short, concise sentence that describes what you do and why someone should hire you. It’s important to practice your freelance interview elevator pitch before the big day so that it comes easily to mind during an actual meeting. If this seems like too much work, I’ve included some freelance interview tips on how to write a freelance elevator pitch.

Read More: How to Write a Freelance Elevator Pitch [Including Examples]

3) Make sure you’re dressed appropriately

Just because you are interviewing for a freelance position doesn’t mean you show up to the interview dressed shabbily. You still want to make a good impression, so dress in business casual attire.

Business Casual Attire: men should wear slacks or khakis with a collared shirt and tie; women can wear pants suits or dresses with heels – no jeans! Make sure your freelance interview clothes match the company’s culture. For example, if you’re interviewing for a creative company, you may want to dress in more creative clothes than if you’re interviewing for a conservative bank.

Most freelance interviews are conducted on Zoom and you don’t want to find yourself in an awkward situation when the client asks for a video call.

4) Be confident in yourself and what you have to offer

No one can believe you unless you believe in yourself first. This freelance interview tip goes for not just interviews, but also in your work life. When you’re confident in yourself and what you have to offer, it will show through in your work.

The interviewer wants to see that you are excited about the position and believe that you are the perfect person for the job. Stay upbeat throughout the freelance interview and make sure to sell yourself.

Being confident also includes not being afraid to ask questions during the freelance interview. If you are nervous, it will show in your voice and body language. Try to relax so that you can come across as calm and confident when answering freelance job interview questions. Remember – if you believe in yourself, the interviewer will too!

5) Ask questions about the company culture and work-life balance

One of the best freelance interview tips is to ask questions about the company culture and work-life balance. This information can help you decide if the position is a good fit for you. Just like a regular job interview, freelance interviews also allow you to ask questions. Make sure that you use this in your favor and come prepared with a few questions of your own.

Some questions you can ask are:

• What is the company’s work culture like?
• Does the company value work-life balance like?
• How is freelance work rewarded?
• What does the typical freelance employee do on a daily basis?

Asking these questions will help you determine if it’s really worth applying for the freelance job. If you find that there are too many things about the company culture you don’t like, then interviewing isn’t going to be productive in your end goal of freelance job hunting.

6) Bring copies of your portfolio or resume with you

Freelance interviews don’t happen in person. But that doesn’t mean you don’t get an opportunity to share your portfolio during an interview. As a freelancer, you need to have a digital portfolio that is easily accessible and can be shared with clients and freelance interviewers.

Your freelance resume should also be easily accessible on a device like a phone or a tablet, which means keeping copies stored there too. This way all you have to do is share the link to your website, portfolio site or drive and let the interviewer scroll through your work.

7) Arrive on time for the freelance interview

Just like a regular job interview, arriving on time for a freelance interview is very important. This freelance interview tip also shows that you are organized and can manage your time well.

If for some reason you can’t make it to the interview on time, be sure to let the interviewer know as soon as possible. They will appreciate your honesty and understand that things happen. Just make sure to apologize for the inconvenience.

Zoom is a very popular video call software, but there are other options out there. Make sure you are familiar with the software before the freelance interview

Though the freelance interview is not in person, that doesn’t mean you should treat it any less important.

8) Always make eye contact with the interviewer when speaking (unless you’re shy!)

This freelance interview tip is especially important when you’re on a video call. Making eye contact with the interviewer will show that you are engaged in the conversation and interested in the position.

If you find it difficult to make eye contact, try focusing on the interviewer’s nose or mouth. This should help ease your anxiety and make it easier for you to make eye contact.

9) Bring a notepad and pen to the freelance interview

This interview tip is especially important if you’re interviewing for a copywriting, design, or social media position. Taking notes during the freelance interview will show that you are interested in the position and want to remember all of the details.

If you’re not sure what to take notes on, try focusing on the following:

• Details about the freelance job position you are interviewing for.
• Specific instructions on the position you’re interviewing for and where information can be found if needed.
• Questions that need answering from your end (for example, freelance salary requirements).

10) Follow the energy of the interviewer

When it comes to freelance interviews, you want to make sure that you are following the energy of the interviewer. If they are speaking quickly and seem excited, try to match their energy by speaking quickly as well. This will show that you’re engaged in the conversation and interested in the position.

On the other hand, if the interviewer is speaking more slowly and softly, try to match their energy by slowing down your speech and lowering the volume of your voice. This shows that you are focused on listening to what they have to say and taking everything in.

Bonus freelance interview tip

11) Thank the interviewer for their time and opportunity when the interview is over

It’s good etiquette to say thank you. And this is no different from when you are done with an interview.

Follow up with an email

After the freelance interview is over, take a few minutes to send a thank you email to the interviewer. This will show that you appreciate their time and opportunity.

In your email, be sure to mention something from the interview that stood out to you and why it interested you in the position.

If you enjoyed the freelance interview, let them know. This is also an opportunity to follow up with any questions you may have forgotten to ask and find out what the next step is.

Interview In Style!

These freelance interview tips are about how to ace a freelance interview and get the freelance working relationship off on a good foot with your client. You can read more freelance career advice from our blog. We publish new articles every week, so be sure to check back often for some great freelance career information you can use in your job search!

You can’t control the freelance interviewers, but you can definitely make sure that your freelance job hunt is on the right track by following these freelance interview tips!