Hello Superpath community! We have a new "Dear Superpath" question. This is a way for folks to ask anonymous questions. Career stage: senior (8+ years) "I have a full-time job and I freelance as well. Recently one of my freelancers asked me for a content strategy and I have invested around 40+ hours of time to create a content strategy and content briefs. Now, after seeing my plan he has decided that he wants to hire me full-time as the plan needs a full-time person or more than one freelancer to execute it. He's offering an attractive salary package and a permanent WFH option but he seems like a hire and fire type of person, so I just don't feel like taking the risk and it is a very early stage startup so I'm unsure about their stability as well. But I'm afraid that if I outright deny him he would close the project and leave without paying me. However, I don't feel like two-timing him promising that I'll put down my papers only to leave him hanging for months. That's just not me. What do you suggest I do?"

best thing is to be honest to yourself about what you want from work and life, then you’ll know what to do.

Not sure what " ..close the project and leaving without paying.." implies? Divide this into projects with timelines and a contract in place Get paid for the strategy. offer a 1,3,6 <month> plan for execution. Evaluate after each, see if you/client are interested in still working together. Listen to your inner voice. Ps:This is my personal opinion. Wish you success in whatever decision you take!

I think you should ask yourself why you’re afraid he’ll close the project and refuse to pay you if you don’t accept a full-time job offer from him. Has this person acted in that manner in the past, or are you trusting an instinctive feeling you have about what kind of person he is? I think the best case scenario here is: thank him for the full-time offer and say you’re excited to consider it but you’d like to keep that possibility separate from the freelance work you’ve already completed, so you’d like to be paid for the work you have done and end the freelance relationship before moving forward in a new capacity. Then you can let him know whatever you decide about the full-time contract without fear of not getting paid. Ultimately I think what you have to decide is: would you prefer to behave in a way you feel is the most ethical and accept not getting paid if he chooses to be unethical? Or are you willing to be a little more cutthroat and play along to get your payment before terminating the relationship? No wrong answers, just what’s right for you.

absolutely trust your gut instinct! and follow others' advice about closing up the freelance work and making sure you get paid, while dealing with the job offer as separate