Tiếng Việt
What Matters More Than Skill for Freelancers: Integrity
Is having strong skills enough to succeed as a freelancer?
Unfortunately, the reality says otherwise. No matter how technically capable someone is, if they lack integrity, clients will gradually stop wanting to work with them. Today, I’d like to share a real-life incident I experienced that clearly shows why ethics and integrity are absolutely essential for freelancers.
A few days ago, a Magento developer from Vietnam—let's call him "V"—who had been working with me on a project caused a major problem.
A Freelancer Who Misused Confidential Information
V had previously worked on a project for a large Korean enterprise, where highly confidential authentication keys were involved. These keys were strictly forbidden from being used or shared outside the project.
Shockingly, V later reused those confidential keys in a project he was working on for another company. Even worse, he uploaded them publicly on his personal GitHub account—an unbelievable and reckless action.
The enterprise’s security team discovered this through code tracing, and they immediately prepared for strong legal action. The situation escalated quickly, and my company—listed as part of the project—was also at risk of legal liability.
A Disturbing Attitude from the Freelancer
As soon as I was made aware of the issue, I contacted the enterprise and explained the situation, making it clear that V had acted independently and that we would take immediate action on our end.
Thankfully, due to our sincerity and quick response, the matter was resolved without a lawsuit. Still, the experience left a deep impact on me.
What disturbed me even more was V’s attitude.
Rather than apologizing or showing genuine remorse, he repeatedly lied and tried to shift the blame. It became evident this was not a simple mistake, but a deliberate, unethical act—one that could even be considered criminal.
A Freelancer Without Ethics Is a Liability
This incident reminded me of an important truth:
A freelancer without integrity isn’t just a problem in isolation—they become a risk to everyone around them.
Skills can be taught, and performance can be improved through experience. But ethics and moral values are rooted in character, developed over time.
When evaluating freelancers, we often focus on resumes, portfolios, and tech stacks. But before all that, we should ask: Can this person be trusted?
Are they responsible? Do they understand boundaries?
Especially in B2B projects that involve multiple parties and sensitive data, a single unethical act can unravel months of hard work and destroy trust.
How We’ll Respond Moving Forward
Someone like V should not continue freelancing.
His actions went far beyond a minor mistake—they were deliberate breaches of trust and confidentiality, and completely unacceptable as a member of any professional or ethical community.
If I discover that V is working with another Korean company in the future, I plan to formally report him to that company’s ethics committee. Preventing further damage to others in the industry is, in my view, a responsibility I must uphold.
In Closing: What Makes a True Freelancer?
The freelance market is growing rapidly. Today, companies prioritize skills and trust over formal education or age. And at the foundation of that trust lies ethics.
A true freelancer isn’t just someone with great technical skills.
They’re someone you can work with without anxiety,
someone who respects client trust and takes full responsibility for their actions.
Skills may be replaced by automation one day,
but integrity and reliability will always be in demand—no matter how times change.
If you want to build a lasting career as a freelancer,
take a moment today to reflect on your own ethics.
Because at the end of the day, integrity is the ultimate skill.
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