I have worked with many seos. They key to a successful engagement is clarity about roles. If the roles and responsibilities are not clear, you are a consultant, not an SEO, and should be paid as a consultant. If they are clear, then the value should be clear (to everyone) and you can decline the job if it’s not adequate for you.
If you call yourself an SEO and go in with some secret sauce, the hiring SEO will always be looking for it (to make sure he’s getting promised value). In my experience, that’s where “young” consultants drop the ball (and sometimes blame their client for “not getting it”). If you rely on secret sauce yet can’t control the engagement, you will be disappointed (or let go, etc).
Some of the best engagements are with top tier SEO people… they ask great questions and have powerful resources that help clarify assumptions and move things to scale faster.
On the other hand, many SEOs present themselves as needing help on Small Project A when in fact the real plan is to use you to do Big Project B. They think they can pay for Small Project A and they themselves will be the Grand Master SEO for Project B (using your advice and tactics). Will they succeed? No. That whole approach is a fail in modern SEO, but that is something they will have to learn for themselves (and sometimes they do learn that, during Project A).
I think I learn from every client project, but I know I learn the most from those involving other SEOs, especially good ones. But I don’t go in with the SEO Grand Master hat and attitude… I go in as John Andrews, the consultant who brings his knowledge, experience, and insights to the project to help achieve business goals. It’s usually pretty easy to see potential clients who are just looking for the secret sauce.
