Found out my "dream client" was paying me 40% less than their other freelancers

I was scrolling through some public contract data on a government transparency site last month and decided to look up a company I had been working with for over a year. They always acted like they were doing me a favor by giving me steady work. Turns out they had three other freelancers doing almost the exact same type of graphic design work and were paying them all between 40 and 60 bucks an hour. I was getting 25. I found the actual contract numbers right there in black and white on usa.gov. Called up my contact the next day and asked for a raise to 50 an hour. She said no. So I quit on the spot. Has anyone else ever looked up their own rate vs market data and gotten sick to their stomach?

2 comments

2 Comments

gibson.troy1d ago

Ouch, that stings worse than stubbing your toe on a coffee table, right?

smith.lee1d ago

Did that actually happen or are you exaggerating for effect