boring fulltime or exciting (sometimes sporadic) freelance
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- imstupeid
HELO QBN. FIRST WORLD DILEMMA ALERT
So i've been freelancing as a motion graphic designer at an educational institution since late August. Pretty good money, but more importantly, more consistent paychecks than I'd ever received up to that point.
That being said, never really wanted to stay here forever, as the work I do is all internal and total shit—boring and corporate; the animation itself is two shades from a snazzy powerpoint presentation.
But today I was offered fulltime here. I'm making 32/hr here, and was told payment would be comparable.
So I have two questions:
1. Would you take the fulltime gig at an incredibly boring office, or take the gamble on remaining freelance (which by the way, would mean I would probably be let go here very soon, and have to find freelance elsewhere)? Again, this gig is the most consistent work I've had so far, but would also mean my portfolio would not evolve at all (outside of personal projects).
2. If you took the fulltime, what salary would you request/demand? If i'm making $32/hr, that figures out to roughly 62k/yr as a junior-level freelance animator/designer. I'm thinking 55k at least for salary, since benefits would unfortunately consume a chunk of that paycheck.
Health insurance is no matter—I can be covered under my father's plan for the next 2-3 years.
- dirtydesign0
freelance for awhile.
maybe you'll end up somewhere fun and get hired full time.
- bigtrick0
if you ask for fulltime, ask for the flaming $62k/year. if they can't afford it b/c of the benefits, let them negotiate your salary down... don't do it for them.
- This is wise.ian
- 62 is nothingEPtype
- 62k + health + 2-3 Weeks Vacay + and don't for get to ask for your own office for some privacy. =)umbee54
- thanks EPtype. no really, it's great to be told that your salary is shit.Projectile
- hellojeehae0
weird. exactly my friend's issue. :)
I would say freelance! What's the point of being bored and safe.
If you are not satisfied now, you wont be satisfied ever.. even with the benefits of having a full time.But agree with bigtrick, I would say 62k!
- "weird. exactly my friend's issue. :)"
lol you have a terrible poker face babeimstupeid
- "weird. exactly my friend's issue. :)"
- kalkal0
Go in at $100k and negotiate from that point.
- autoflavour0
gay porn, its the only way to make money
- no straight porn?hellojeehae
- and make friendsautoflavour
- guys never make money in straight porn. i am assuming you are a guy, as the few women on QBN wouldnt ask this kind of questionautoflavour
- sorry Jeehae, didnt realize you were a women. Yep, straight or gay, they are both cash cows for your genderautoflavour
- not that i really know anything about porn industry.autoflavour
- < end thread.Hombre_Lobo
- hah..you're in germany. that's the king of hardcore porn in europe.akrokdesign
- yep, the most disturbing thing i have seen here is a meat fetish video.. all raw meat.. ewwwwautoflavour
- atomholc0
"never really wanted to stay here forever, as the work I do is all internal and total shit—boring and corporate; the animation itself is two shades from a snazzy powerpoint presentation."
keep in mind about not compromising your happiness just for a study paycheck.
are you getting W9ed? make sure you write all your shit off. as a freelancer the tax benefits is a BIG WIN
- imstupeid0
Fuuuuuck my main concern is that I have been at this one studio since August, and am afraid that I'll face that dreaded week or two of not finding work again.
AND in favor of fulltime here, I've been wanting time to make music (which is arguably what I want to do even more than motion design), and I was thinking with a fulltime gig, my schedule would be steady enough to make time for music. fucking dilemma ass shit fuck
- u've answered your own question.
keep the steady paycheck, do what you love on the off time.umbee54
- u've answered your own question.
- pinkfloyd0
Depends on how the market is out there. If you're a good designer, and the market is good, I would stay as a freelancer and look for something more interesting.
If the market is bad, and you're a bad designer then take what you can get.- that's the problem—I don't think I'm either terrible or particularly amazing. Got work with one of the studios on the motionographer cream of the crop list, but otherwise, a LOT of the work I've done in general is pretty humdrum.imstupeid
- motionographer cream of the crop list, but otherwise, a LOT of the work I've done in general is pretty humdrum.imstupeid
- moldero0
$32/hour is comparable to something like$20/hour with benefits
when I went from in house freelance to full-time at the same company it was like they kicked me in the balls, cut off one of my legs and offered me health insurance.
- haha well if you put it that wayhellojeehae
- and the fact that i am actually covered for free under my father's insurance for the next two years is salt in that woundimstupeid
- full time does offer security though, i took it because i bought a housemoldero
- Ranger0
Sounds like you are still young and not particularly broke, I'd say bounce around while it's easy and get some perspective on work places before you really get yourself into a situation where you can't leave the money.
- Hombre_Lobo0
take the full time, and get looking for exciting work elsewhere.
SAFE BET.
- +1. Best advice.dMullins
- im not a moron?
news to me! dmullins you changed my life! :PHombre_Lobo
- e-pill0
take the fulltime, and continue to look for freelance gigs building up your client base. if you see your current "boring" job is lacking in the creative sense, you can set up future freelance gigs and move on away from that fulltime gig. think of it as a 3-month trial even though you been in that office since august. taking a new step in your career to full-time should allow you to choose to make the decision to further your career in something that challenges you and gives you happiness will benefit you more so than any paycheck..
just dont quit while waiting for freelance gigs to happen.. since this is happening, perhaps tell them you wish to continue to be a freelancer and not a full time employee.. this way you can keep your options open and have less anxiety towards making the decisions of your career that others are implementing for you.
best of luck!
- EPtype0
-work fulltime and freelance on the side to get your creative kick.
-62k in nyc isn't really high at all.
-62k for someone without experience is to high.
- if you work freelance somewhere and get offered fulltime... they usually wont offer you any more then you make... so you will end of making less with benifits.- < +1 this.akrokdesign
- are you saying offsite freelance? is it that common for people to get fulltime after working remotely?imstupeid
- plus, "-62k isn't high.
-without experience 62k is too high."
watimstupeid - well i have never meet anyone that got a job at 62k with only a year under the belt.EPtype
- I dont think you realize how much benefits really cost...EPtype
- i'm well aware of how much benefits cost—well no, i'm well aware of that. i've talked to fulltimers who tell me to prepare for a 20-30% loss in income from freelance to fulltime because of benefits, HR duties, etc. along with that, the person who offered me the fulltime job specifically mentioned benefits costing in the range of ~10k.imstupeid
- for a 20-30% loss in income from freelance to fulltime because of benefits, HR duties, etc. along with that, the person who offered me the fulltime job specifically mentioned benefits costing in the range of ~10k.imstupeid
- me the fulltime job specifically mentioned benefits costing in the range of ~10k.imstupeid
- oops just meant to say i'm well aware once. ignore the redundancyimstupeid
- I would say they are more than 10k depending on what this company has to offer.EPtype
- true—i was told to expect 20-30% taken out for benefits during my interview yesterday. just saying $10k because that's what i was actually told when offered the fulltime gig.imstupeid
- what i was actually told when offered the fulltime gig, so sounds like $10k's the final number?imstupeid
- imstupeid0
re: everybody saying 32/hr isn't enough—that's not really what i'm asking at all, but thanks for your neverending wisdom.
for what it's worth, i graduated in summer '09, so I've only been freelancing a little more than a year now. but i'm trying to get 300/day or 40/hr instead of old rates.
- EPtype0
alot of companies have you start at freelance to fulltime. What i am saying is, make sure you are asking for what you would get when working fulltime with benefits because they wont give you more when that time comes.
for someone only with a year under the belt I think that 32/hr is enough. It is not ideal, but i wouldn't shoot it down.
If you are in a city I think it will be hard for you to find that 40/hr you are looking for with that experience and to be able to be creative...
here is what i would do-
-lookout for those 40+/hr from those big boring companies. (you will prolly make postcards and ad resizes)-take the 25-35/hr jobs to build up experience and your portfolio
(the more creative you can get usually means the less they pay... until you get more experience.- i think i mentioned i do motion graphic design specifically, which has higher salaries than print/web from what i've seen, so ixnay on the ostcard-pay esign-dayimstupeid
- ixnay on the ostcard-pay esign-day. but are you suggesting i try and find remote freelance work for my portfolio? i just haven't seen much offiste freelance motion work.imstupeid
- just haven't seen much offiste freelance motion work.imstupeid
- oh you are right... motion is higher... i apologize.EPtype
- check out video editing houses. I am always working with motion freelancers there.
EPtype
- ross0
Id say work fulltime and do music/fun motion stuff on weekends and evenings for creative outlet...
except then you get the golden handcuffs, and give up your rock and roll dreams, get a bad back, grow a beard, get fat, and start wearing sunday pants out in public.
- dMullins0
I'm pretty sure this right here answered the entire question for you:
"which by the way, would mean I would probably be let go here very soon, and have to find freelance elsewhere"
- how? i should take the job because i'd be let go otherwise? or i should leave and find freelance elsewhere? watwatimstupeid
- i would rather have the full-time and look for something else, than be unemployed looking for something else.dMullins
- oh good pointmcmillions
- mcmillions0
just take the job asshole
- Another QBNer with tourette syndromepinkfloyd
- eh, (SPOILER ALERT) its my thread, i can do what i want.mcmillions
- hektor9110
thank god you have a job offering dude!