freelance anxiety
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- ukit
Anyone feel nervous being a freelancer considering the grim economic news? I hope things don't get as bad as they say they might
- ********0
This is a question for americans, understand
- This is a question for all, understand.********
- Europe is quite safe in this respect, I think********
- I hope so? The term "global recession" keeps coming up.********
- Anything that happens to the American economy affects the global economy.Concrete
- affects, but doesnt define global economy********
- The world will be affected by this, and it already has. A Scottish bank went under last week.monospaced
- it's obvious that europe will be affected by this....dyspl
- "Europe is quite safe in this respect, I think" - uhm, NOT really!!!janne76
- catch up people... this started affecting Europe like 6 months ago...ribit
- actually 9 months.. timeline:
http://news.bbc.co.u…
ribit - WOW...that is fucking naive
better school up Chip...Europe will feel thismarychain - er 11mths...ribit
- This is a question for all, understand.
- ********0
Nope. Companies panic and spend money on advertising, re-branding, and re-positioning. Everyone scrambles to keep their customerbase motivated.
- Yes and no, it really depends on your business model, you might see a spike for the first few months, but a decline later, and few agency's look/map out projects farther ahead than 3 months.NONEIS
- few agency's look/map out projects farther ahead than 3 months.NONEIS
- If the last twelve years are any indication then eveything should be fine. It's not going to be a spending free-for-all but companies will still need us.********
- companies will still spend on design/advertising.********
- actually, ad expenditure has been going down recently.janne76
- at least here it does..janne76
- ukit0
What I am worried about is a lack of confidence. 90% of it is psychological. If people lose faith in the economic outlook then they will put off their business ventures that require a website or a logo.
- ********0
I personally have been through this twice. During the last recession under the moron Bush in 2001 I watched the job market evaporate in the matter on months. Our firm went out of business and freelance was difficult to find. This time around I was better prepared, as soon as I saw the reccession coming 5 months ago I got a full-time job and continue to freelance.
- ********0
Maybe new ventures will slow down — but there's always opportunity in situations like this for many types of service and product providers.
- e-pill0
i suggest if you havent picked it up already to go and find this issue of Computer Arts Projects #114
http://www.computerarts.co.uk/ab…
its a Freelance Issue and has a ton of great links for everything needed for any level freelancer. its contents are rather like a how to book and shows how to maintain goals and a constant work flow.
go get it!!!
-e
- hallelujah0
we've been busy in terrible economies and slow in great ones... so I never know what to expect. We're coming off a decent run and have some money banked in case things get bad
- ********0
a whole bunch of "green" companies will pop up in the states that will need all types of advertising. Not mention all the companies that will adapt their business model to be "green" will all need their marketing materials updated.
- Yep, this has already started. Solar power. Green this. Hybrid that. Eco something else.********
- Yep, this has already started. Solar power. Green this. Hybrid that. Eco something else.
- NONEIS0
Probably not worth getting anxious over, but it might help to start mapping out projects in advance if you can. Look for work when you are working, always have a next project who knows about your current one, and keep as much stuff on the calendar for the next 3 months as possible.
- ********0
I actually think freelancers can benefit from this, considering companies are less likely to want to take on permanent staff and will make use of using freelancers as and when they have lots of work on, rather than having fulltime staff doing nothing in quiet times.
that's what I tell myself anyhow
- ukit0
As someone on here once said..."I was laughing all the way to the bank during the last recession.
Of course, I was laughing because I was high on crack and going to rob the bank."
- ********0
The shit really has hit the fan in the USA, I just hope it does not bring down the UK? If America cannot agree on terms about the finance rescue plan, then I think we could really could be in for a long time recession like we have not seen sense the 1920. It really is that bad.
- ukit0
I agree, this is not just a recession. Most people don't understand the real situation, we are talking about credit freezing up which would be a disastrous situation.
- heavyt0
i had a convo about this yesterday. There is some merit to the idea that as fulltime employees are fired, businesses will still have a need for design/dev work. They just cant afford to have people there 40 hr/week. Thus, freelance work could pick up. Just keep your networking up, and make sure people know you are available.
- This is a bullshit idea. If you fire too many full timers no one can do real work.Iggyboo
- Llyod0
in the past an in-house position would be safe but not so much anymore. companies will be out sourcing. so it you have some steady clients you could be better off. they'll probably put the squeeze on you at some point.
- monospaced0
Invest in gold.
- ********0
Invest in QBN
- janne760
Invest in canned food
- babaganush0
I don't get it. You think you're really much more safe in a full time job? Self-employed or employed the effect will be much the same. If your boss goes out of business so do you...there's no passengers