Here, with her permission, is Kelly's list of "PITA Warning Signs":
- Asking for a discount or questioning whether the investment is worth it.
- Saying their project will be "simple" (the "simple" ones are always PITAs!)
- Saying anything that reveals doubt/skepticism about your qualifications
- Mentioning they had a problem with another resume writer (ask for details!)
- Asking for a watered-down version of your services with a lower price tag (is it really something you can scale down?)
- Calling/emailing with unusually high frequency (sign of being high-maintenance or disorganized)
- Calling before 8:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.-ish (unless for a scheduled call)
- Complaining about any aspect of their experience with you (your voice mail, how long you took to get back to them, etc.)
I wrote a previous blog post on the subject of challenging and pain-in-the-a$$ (PITA) clients in 2008 that also contains some warning signs to be wary of: "We Do Not Negotiate With Terrorists."
Kelly says when you encounter one of these warning signs, "trust your instincts and just say no. If they end up being a PITA, it won't be a profitable project regardless of whether you get paid (and keep it) or not."
Do you have other warning signs to share? Please add a comment!
