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A
freelancer or
(freelance worker) is a self-employed person working in a
profession or trade in which full-time employment is also
common. The word's etymology derives from the medieval term
for a mercenary, a "free lance," which literally described a
knight who was not attached to any particular lord, and could
be hired for a given task. Fields where freelancing is
especially common include journalism and other forms of
writing, computer programming and graphic design, consulting,
and many other professional and creative services.
Freelance practice varies greatly among its practitioners.
Some require clients to sign written contracts, while others
may perform work based on verbal agreements. Some freelancers
may provide written estimates of work and request deposits
from clients, though for others this is not practical or
necessary. Payment for freelance work also varies greatly.
Freelancers may charge by the day or hour, or on a per-job
basis. However, large clients such as businesses may have
internal policies regarding freelance pay, so a freelancer
accustomed to charging by the hour may be asked to accept a
lump sum payment for a particular job, although if a client's
conditions are undesirable, the freelancer often does not
hesitate to attempt negotiation before accepting or rejecting
the job. You can read more about this in
Wikipedia.
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