# Freelance Career Advice This Infographic Lists Common Errors Freelancing Designers Can Make By Alyson Wyers | Published 2015-07-24 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/freelance-career References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/378025/Infographic-Five-Common-Mistakes-Every-Freelancer-Makes/) & [creativemarket](https://creativemarket.com/blog/2015/07/23/infographic-5-mistakes-every-freelancer-makes) This infographic covers common errors people make in their freelance career that you should avoid. From Creative Market, 'Five Mistakes Every Freelancer Makes' will be especially useful for people trying to build a [successful design practice](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/productize-fast). However, even through failure, invaluable lessons can still be learned. The first error to avoid making in your freelance career is not knowing when to say no. Many people take on every job or additional task from clients. Trying to appeal to everyone is a bad idea. Instead, specialize in one or two services and create a niche for yourself. Working too much will result in burnout. This is something you can't afford, especially if you aren't charging enough for your work. You should also use a [formal contract](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/checkya). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 33% | Activity: 42% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Specialization in Freelancing:** Choosing one or two services and creating a niche for oneself can potentially disrupt the market and increase profitability. - **Burnout Prevention in Freelancing:** Developing effective strategies to prevent burnout can lead to positive outcomes in terms of productivity and overall well-being. - **Formalizing Freelance Contracts:** Introducing formal agreements can be a disruptive innovation opportunity for freelance designers to build more structured and stable work relationships. ### Where This Applies - **Graphic Design:** Due to the nature of this article being specifically targeted at graphic designers, it falls under the graphic design industry. - **Creative Services:** The creative industry as a whole can benefit from the insights and recommendations provided by this article. - **Professional Services:** By formalizing contracts and establishing boundaries, this article can be utilized across various professional service industries to increase stability and profitability. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Designer Portfolio Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/good-designers.md) - [Creative Career Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/designwhiz-v2.md) - [Freelancer Lifestyle Organization Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cluee-platform.md) - [Educational Freelancer Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/online-learning-platform.md) - [Confidence-Boosting Design Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solodesign-os.md) - [Freelance Client Managers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/penpoint.md) - [Client Management Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crm-for-designers.md) - [Custom Design Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/free-design-concepts.md) - [Freelancer Management Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ticktrack.md)