Getting Laid Off
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- monospaced0
This book can be helpful.
- / when / did / doing / this / become / cool / ?mrbee2828
- ive just finished this book, it does have some good tipsFallowDeer
- Who / else / does / this?
Yes, this is a very helpful book for starting a design firm.monospaced - That/ Book/ Is/ Over/Rated********
- tkmeister0
I don't know if the market is completely dead. I am not even looking and still have people reach out to me if I am interested.
Starting out on freelancing now is probably rough because you need to compete with the ones who have been freelancing for years with very good reputations and connections with agencies/design studios.
You should always have a plan b because in life, you just never know.
- I have been freelance for over two years now_And it is just rough. Im tired of people blanketing the fact. I have amazing connections with my agencies and headhunters. Headhunters are now complaining to me how people are undermining them doing their job.********
- head hunters crying to me now about how people under mind them and what it is that they are trying to do.********
- It's a fucking recession.********
- The market is not dead, but people are hoarding money as if it is going out of style. The laws of physics will tell you********
- If you hold on to money, your buyers will hold on to theirs.********
- 2 years freelance experience isn't that much and headhunters usually suck regardless of recession or not.tkmeister
- 2 years of my freelance work is more experience than 2 years of your agency work. Headhunters are amazing. Sorry you feel differently.********
- I get to go in and out of each company, see what works, see what doesn't, and take that knowledge with me to the next place.********
- I avoid office politics, have the freedom to make my own schedule, and continue to work towards the idea of me being my own boss.********
- My own boss.********
- I have been freelance for over two years now_And it is just rough. Im tired of people blanketing the fact. I have amazing connections with my agencies and headhunters. Headhunters are now complaining to me how people are undermining them doing their job.
- fyoucher10
Mega list of freelance sites from freelance switch (you can't link to it here, so here's a link that goes to it) >
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAns…
- ********0
Who knew that being a designer in NY was like being an actor or actress looking for the next part. Server/Bartender by day_"Tryouts" and job searching at night.
- ********0
- ********0
Blowing this bitch up_
- tkmeister0
Jteore,
I did about 8 years of freelance before I decided it’s time to go back to fulltime. So I know how it goes around. After the first few years of freelance, I never went through a recruiter. I can get paid more by cutting the middlemen and having direct contact with the companies. I like to negotiate directly with them than having someone represents me and negotiate for me because I don’t trust most of the recruiters. Of course, in tough times, you have no other options and some companies only go through a job placement agency. That’s why I said, people who have been doing freelance for years with a very strong network have an advantage.Though, in general you probably have to work more as a freelancer, you don’t necessary get to work on the same account long enough to really understand the clients/brands or have a chance to provide a long term solution. As a freelancer, you are a mercenary who goes in to rescue a project, help a new business pitch, fill a temporary assignment or whatever comes. I think my freelance experience made me a better art director but my fulltime experience is just as valuable.
You can’t generalize that 2yrs of your freelance is more than 2yrs of a fulltimer agency work. It’s totally a different kind of experience. I know many talented agency people who work crazy hours producing one campaign after another. The funny thing about being in this business is that, if you are good, you get to work on weekends.
Sometimes, I miss full on freelancing, especially the money(probably not as good as used to be now) and a month+ vacation part. But it’s all relative. Now I don’t have to hustle as much and working with the same team(great team) is kinda nice.
- ********0
Trusting a recruiter is just as important as working with a great team and understanding long term client solutions. It is entirely unfortunate you did not experience this concept first hand; and seems as if when you took out your "middleman" you also took out the idea of working for yourself.
As you stated "I decided it's time to go back to full time," I have to wonder what was lacking in your network (security) for you to decide full time was better than working directly with companies yourself and reaping the benefits.
Being a freelancer does not mean I lack understanding a brand and client loyalty. In fact, I understand it more so because I am on the outside looking in. I am the mercenary that companies like yours look to in order to think "outside of the box" because their own seems to be missing a piece to the puzzle.
Enjoy the ongoing continuation of being a lemming in our market today.
- recruiter v. direct contact..hmm...guess a lil of both is what most freelancers do anyway...junetic
- i didn't say fulltime is better. i was given an great fulltime opportunity to work for a great account. fulltime job doesn't offer you more security, it just offers you a false sense of security.tkmeister
- you any security. it offers only false sense of security. plus, i still freelance and close to doubling my income.tkmeister
- regardless, you are missing my point entirely. good luck on giving 30-50% of your take to your recruiters.tkmeister
- hektor9110
I just want to wish you the best. Most of the time things happened for a reason. There are always great things, positive things waiting for us ahead. Keep your path and your eyes open.
Cheers.
- ********0
Drive a forklift.
- FallowDeer0
best advice I was given;
keep your chin up & your mop down...
- ********0
