How to Work with Students Who Need Essay Writing Services

- Working with Students

When you're first working with students who seek your services as an academic writer, you might find yourself perplexed by some of the seeming contradictions inherent in the process. For example, the student may tell you that he or she is an excellent writer, always earning As in class, and yet here s/he is, needing your help. The client might also tell you that it is critical to follow all instructions, and yet getting ahold of those instructions might be like pulling teeth. These and other, similar, situations can easily turn into conflicts that sour the relationships between you and your clients, as well as potentially hurt your reputation. On the other hand, such situations, if handled correctly, have the potential to show you as the consummate professional you are. Here are some strategies for dealing with clients effectively and smoothly.

First, never be afraid to set boundaries. If you do not accept instructions that are communicated by phone (which you would be smart not to do, as such phone conversations leave no paper trail), then do not bend when the client tell you that there is no way s/he can possibly type everything out so that you will understand it. You can be nice, but firm, and remind the client that s/he can send you the instructor's own instructions and therefore avoid the problem altogether; you can explain why you have this policy; and you can show the client why it is in his or her best interests that you have clear and complete written instructions.

But do not bend – and use this as an example of how else to set and keep boundaries. That means always getting payment before beginning writing. It means not working with drafts if that is how you work. Whatever your own professional rules and standards might be, stick with them, politely but firmly, always offering an explanation, and you will notice that clients respect you for it.

Second, do not begin work on a project until you have clear and complete instructions. If you do, you risk having to do work over again because the client will send you something s/he forgot; you risk having your client be unhappy because you did not follow some instruction or other (which would not have happened had you had the instructions in the first place); and you risk looking a bit muddled and confused yourself.

Third, remember that your clients are, for the most part, very young, possibly quite disorganized, and very nervous about using your services. Do not hesitate to take an adult role in a proactive fashion. For example, do not allow clients to swear at you and speak in an angry tone. That is not professional, you are not paid for that, and frankly, it does them no good to learn that this is acceptable behavior. Be calm, be firm, be the intelligent professional writer that you are, and, in this case, be the grown-up.

If clients are unable to cooperate with your rules and procedures, and you seem unable to explain to them why it is in their best interests to do so, you might need to decline the project. This sounds insane – turn down money? – but honestly, it is better to do so than jump into a project that is doomed from the beginning. Furthermore, if things get to the point at which you are telling the client that you cannot work with him or her, this might well be the point at which s/he suddenly realizes s/he can, after all, send you those instructions you need, or those sources you cannot locate on your own that are nevertheless required. Panic and need tend to inspire people to find a way.

In the end, the main things are to practice your communication skills to the point at which you are expert at working with people who are most likely nervous, a bit disorganized perhaps, and probably rather young. Learn to set and keep boundaries; that is to say, learn to insist upon following your own procedures – the procedures that you know work best in terms of ensuring an excellent model project – and learn how to do so in a way that makes clients appreciate you for it. It's possible to do, as long as you never doubt that you are a professional whose time and expertise are worth it.