13 Freelancing Tips From TV Show Friends

In a time when you are wrecked by the fear and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the familiarity of your favorite TV show or characters can be comforting. Over the years, Friends has left many with laughter and happy tears. We’re glad to report that it also has some freelancing lessons you can use. 

13 Things Freelancers Can Learn From Friends

Here are a few freelancing tips from Friends you can apply to your freelance career. 

1. It’s essential to proofread

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Proofreading your blog, social media post, or any piece of content before you publish it is important. Remember when Rachel misprinted her résumé, which talked about her excellent “compuper” skills? You certainly don’t want similar mishaps to occur. 

2. Don’t lie on your résumé

While adding many skills to your resume looks great, if they aren’t true, you’ll get into trouble. Think back to the time when Joey had an audition and needed to learn French on short notice, as his résumé said he was fluent in it. 

3. Be passionate

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Being passionate about your job makes all the hard work easier and the rewards sweeter. By passionate, we mean as passionate as Ross is about Dinosaurs.

4. Get the brief approved

Getting approval before going ahead with your idea is much better than reworking your content piece repeatedly. Don’t waste your time like Monica did when she created desserts from Mockolate, which never received approval from the FDA.

5. Develop multiple skills

Having multiple skills as a freelancer broadens your horizons, gives you the capacity to work independently in an emergency, and is helpful in a team setting. Take inspiration from Phoebe, who worked as a masseuse, caterer, TV extra, and a lot more!

6. Always ask for timely payments 

If sending the deliverables on time is your duty, then paying you on time is the client’s duty. And when they fail to do so, you must follow up persistently. Remember the episode when Phoebe protects Monica’s catering business by asking a difficult client to pay up? That’s also a great lesson in friendship. 

7. Have a written contract

It’s better to be safe than sorry, and having everything in writing is always the safest bet. Otherwise, you might be as sorry as Rachel was when she didn’t get her promotion after her manager passed. This was because there was no paperwork in place, and no one else knew about this agreement. 

8. Know your strengths

It’s essential to know what you’re good at and accept it as Joey did. He may not have read a lot or been a great thinker, but he truly persisted in his acting career.

9. Be punctual

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This is one of the oldest rules in the freelancing book, and one of the most important too. Punctuality is key, as it leaves a good impression on others. If you’re late, you may miss out on great things. Case in point: Monica and Chandler locked their friends out when they showed up almost an hour late for Thanksgiving dinner. 

10. It’s never too late to follow your calling 

It is imperative to like what you do and be satisfied at your job. If you’re not happy, it’s never too late to try something new. If Chandler can leave his statistical analysis and data reconfiguration job to pursue an advertising career in his 30s, so can you.

11. Be organized

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Having a schedule and finishing your tasks in a systematic way will help bring order to your daily routine. It will make things less chaotic and more streamlined. And when it comes to organizing, there is no one better than Monica to inspire you. 

12. Have complete information before committing

You should always know what you’re getting into before committing to something. This will help you avoid overpromising and under-delivering. For instance, even if a contract is dreadfully long, it is essential to read it in its entirety, lest you miss an important clause. Remember when Ross lied about reading an 18-page letter, as asked by Rachel, and found his relationship with her turned upside-down yet again?

13. Be yourself

Being true to yourself is important. Don’t change yourself entirely just to fit into a specific role. It might help to recollect the scene in which Joey pretended to be a 19-year-old for an audition, and Chandler strongly discouraged it. 

Friends may have become an incredible source of entertainment, but look closely, and you will find many more life lessons—professional and personal—lurking between seasons. Treat every moment as an opportunity to learn, and success will soon be yours.