From Brazen Careerist.
Newbie freelancers face a major challenge when it comes to where to set their pay rate. Determining what your skills are worth and making your rates competitive can be quite a daunting task. You want to make a reasonable living, but you also want to build up a solid body of work and contacts.
Several options are available, whether you set an hourly rate, a fixed price, a one-time charge or a combination of all three, but the task can seem a bit overwhelming. Here are some tips on determining what your services are worth and upgrading your value in the marketplace:
Complete a certification program or take a class: The main ingredients to making yourself more valuable are your skills, experience and reputation. One of the best things I did to add value to my business (and bottom line) was completing a certification program. Now when people look at my resume or portfolio, they see the effort I made to get certified. This not only shows my dedication, but that I believe the work I do is good enough to invest in.
Read more at Brazen Careerist…