I reckon it really depends on the kind of clients you’re looking for. I’ve had clients call that just started building an app and were looking to hire their first dev. They didn’t need a resume, but also found me too expensive.

Most companies that are interested are aware of the going rates. But they want to be sure I’m as good as my marketing says - many companies have been burned before by seniors who weren’t senior - so in my experience they usually do ask for a resume and an interview just like an employee. Main difference seems to be the trust in the work I’ve done; I’ve never been asked to make an assessment. That might also be because I filter out these clients before we get to that point.