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<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-language:JA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style> <br /><h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TEN PROVEN METHODS OF WORKING FOR FRIENDS – AND KEEPING THE FRIENDSHIP</span></b></h2><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">We’ve all heard the saying: Never hire a friend. Believe it or not, friends can definitely hire and work for each other, and I’m here to tell you it works just fine. The reason many people avoid the tactic is because they’re either afraid to be honest, or uncomfortable making the switch from friend to workmate. Working for friends can be very rewarding, but there has to be a straightforward discussion beforehand. And by straightforward, I mean brutally honest. If either friend is unable to have that type of conversation, then working for a friend could result in disaster. Additionally, if the pre-work discussion is vague and unclear, you can expect the final results to be just as unrewarding. With more and more people choosing freelance work, working for friends can and should be an option, but only if you draw the line and separate the friendship from the job.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eU5fcGPl0C..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eU5fcGPl0C..." width="200" /> <style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-language:JA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-language:JA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style></div><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">         Here are ten ways to assure you can work for a friend, or vise versa,          and keep a healthy friendship afterwards.</h3><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-language:JA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1  Understand the job in full detail.</b> From creation, to repair, to finishing and testing; be absolutely clear about what is expected from both parties. Don’t leave any room for the famous last words, “I thought you were going to do that.” In other words, being vague is a sure-fire way to flush the job down the drain, and possibly your friendship. If you plan to work for a friend, you need to be perfectly honest about your capabilities. Don’t say you’re able to do something when in fact you’re not. If both parties decide to give something a try, that’s a different story, but that, at least, is an honest approach.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2  Know your time frame.</b> If the job is hourly, discuss the hours in advance. What time will you start? How long will you work? When will you leave? Those details, if left unsaid, could leave you in an awkward position. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">If the job is project based, do your homework and identify how many hours it will take to complete the task. Then provide an estimated time of completion. It’s best to leave a grace period, but not much, so know what you’re getting into. If you have to stay up late to finish a task on time, then do so, but whether it’s hourly or project based, set a time frame and live by it. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3  Discuss travel.</b>If a job is thirty to forty minutes away, that’s an acceptable travel time for any job. If the job is three hours away, you can expect to add an additional six hours to your day. Add that on top of an eight-hour workday and you’re suddenly working a fourteen-hour day. Unless travel time has been discussed in advance, you’ll be feeling slided on your pay. If travel time appears to be a deal breaker, you may want to consider offering an alternative rate just for travel, but regardless, location and travel time should always be discussed. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>4  Appearance.</b> You never know who may appear at a job, friend or not, so dress well, be clean, and look respectable. Put your best foot forward and always remember that you represent your boss. Make a respectable impression for the sake of your friend, now boss.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ppr8YHYadv..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ppr8YHYadv..." width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>5  Arrive early.</b>Don’t expect your friend to be lenient with you because you’re friends. Be early, be attentive, and be eager to help with the task at hand. In other words, don’t start the day off by waiting for the day to end. If you’ve already set the time frame in advance, then you know what’s expected, and it’s your job to fulfill the obligation. If your friend asks you to stay late, fall back on the discussion you had prior to being hired. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Don’t take a two-hour lunch in the middle of the day. Don’t come up with an emergency. Don’t leave without getting a confirmation that it’s okay to leave. If your boss isn’t around when you finish, send a message or make a call asking what you can do next. That message will be well received, as opposed to a message saying ‘can I leave now?” – even though both messages are saying the same thing. Always remember that your friend is working, too, and as a boss, he or she has other duties besides checking on your needs.</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>6  Keep a log.</b>Make notes about the job and provide your employer with a clean report. Let’s say, for example, that someone named Bob held you up. Make it clear on your report why Bob held you up, the time frame involved, and who made the decision that Bob’s duty took priority over yours. Your friend is hiring you for a reason and any excuse will be seen as a fault on your part unless you document everything and give your employer a clear, unbiased report on any event that caused you even the slightest delay. </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></h2><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>7  Ask for help.</b>If you’ve come across something you don’t understand, or feel you’re not able to complete by yourself, by all means ask for help. In other words, focus on the task at hand instead of what others may think of you. Every person, in every job, needs help at one point or another. Don’t pretend to be superman for the sake of your friend. Ask for help if you need it.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">If the job you’ve been hired for requires tools, have a clear understanding about which tools you will need. Having the right tools means effectively completing the job, and discussing the task will help you determine what tools to bring, what tools to ask for, and what tools to leave behind. When it comes to tools, I personally expect the unexpected and bring more tools than needed. Never feel bad about asking for tools, which comes down to asking for help.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><b>8  Discuss the pay rate.</b> It’s awkward to be paid one rate when you’re expecting another. Be upfront from the beginning. Agree to a rate that works for both of you, and that includes overtime—if it applies. If the pay is unsatisfactory, then respectfully decline the job. Period. Some people will accept a job even though the pay is less than what they’re accustomed to. As a result, they will often cut corners.</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is completely unacceptable. If you’ve agreed to something that doesn’t work for you, then you’ve learned a lesson. Don’t do that again, but never provide second-rate work. Do your very best regardless, and when working for a friend, it’s your duty to go above and beyond.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><b>9  Discuss the payday. </b>Don’t expect your friend to pay you right away unless it’s been discussed and that’s the arrangement. Most companies pay weekly or bi-monthly. Since you’re working for a friend, don’t expect anything different. You may need to submit an invoice. If so, make it legible, professional, and clearly state your hours and rate of pay. Did you agree on cash or check? If you’re receiving a check, make it clear whom the check should be made out to, and include copies of receipts for all ‘out of pocket’ expenses. Remember, every business needs the paperwork to be completed before the check goes out. Don’t put your friend in an awkward position by holding your hand out at the end of the day.</div></span></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiG1DSwLWL..." style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiG1DSwLWL..." width="200" /></a>  </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Flip side: If you have submitted and invoice, then you are indeed a contractor. It’s standard practice for an invoice to be paid within thirty days. You have every right to politely inquire about an invoice that’s exceeded the thirty-day time period.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>10  Make your boss shine.</b> It’s best to stay professional when working for a friend. You may have entered a situation where everyone is super relaxed, and that’s okay, but you need to be better than that. Say as little as possible around the client, and never discuss alternatives unless you’ve been asked to provide one. If you disagree with the approach you’ve been asked to take, simply pull your employer to the side and offer an alternative. </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal">If your idea is not supported, respect the final decision and carry on with a smile. This can be tricky if you’re accustomed to doing things a certain way, but ultimately, after you’ve offered your ideas, you have to let go of what you know and do what’s been requested. Period. If the job doesn’t come out so well, never say I told you so. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />Bottom line? Give the job every thing you have until it’s done. If the job will take several days to complete, don’t delay finishing because you feel you have it under control. Your number one mission is to make your friend -now boss- look good, to respect his clients, and to follow orders like a pro. </div></span></span></span><br /><h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">  </span></b></span></h2>