You got that right.

I might have a negative experience with a client or a colleague, but that doesn’t mean that yours would be similar. There are times when despite the freelancer giving the project their best effort, things just don’t work out. That doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t have a good working relationship with that client, and the classy thing to do is learn from the experience and move on….without giving in to the temptation to take a swipe at them publicly.

I can’t control what other people decide to do but I can make choices about my own behavior that I know are right. I prefer to make my own decisions about people I am dealing with based on my experience, not what other people are saying about them online.

In my opinion, using a pseudonym is one of the main problems in the online discourse. If Robin or anyone else voices either a positive or negative opinion about a client, colleague, or boss, why should I believe it unless I can verify who she is and her own reputation?

It is similar to clients/employers doing background checks merely via Google or social media sites. Instead of asking for veritable references or testimonials. While Jodee’s and Anne’s points are well-taken with regards to your online persona, what happens if you have a common name, and the other party bases their decision about you when in fact it was someone else?

Many on either side of the equation don’t want to expend the effort to do proper due diligence, and then make informed, unbiased decisions. Your bad client could be my good one. Because I don’t know how much you contributed to the situation, or have a personal agenda.

The point is well-taken about avoiding the wrong clients; however, as Jodee noted, in many cases, less is more on this topic.

“Google doesn’t replace shoe leather.” Andrew Jennings, investigative journalist.

Good topic.

Would we like it if clients were venting about us online? Not that we would ever give them a reason to….

On a more serious note, maybe I worked for lawyers for too long, but I am very cautious about anything that I put in writing. I can have a personal opinion about something but some things are better left unsaid.

I think prospective employees and freelancers have a right to be forewarned about clients from the dark side. The key to protecting one’s career when letting off steam online is to use a pseudonym.