RE: FN-FORUM: Freelancing - Top ten tips

date posted 21st January 2004 00:01

Not sure I agree with all of your comments Richard. Private clients &
agencies aren't interested if you can't provide URLs for commercial work
(not a site you've spent 5 months doing for yourself). Perhaps I'm wrong
but the original poster sounds like he's read a book and now wants to get
freelance work. If so, my advice is he's facing an uphill struggle.
There's too many developers / designers with the proven experience. Agree
with the Indian food comment ... caught myself adding chilli powder to a
Batchelors soup today! Anyway time to watch Arsenal lose on TV ... hope I
haven't ruined the outcome for any Gooners.
Paul.

> > Since, people want to see examples of your work before
> > giving you a job and you can only get examples of your
> > work once you get work.
>
>What kind of work are we talking about? Website design/development, graphic
>design, print etc...
>
>1. Do your own web site. It's a commercial website (or at least we'd hope
>so), it's an example of your work in itself, it's a good form of
>advertising
>and you can display any work you've done on it, commercial or otherwise.
>
>2. Use the job agencies. I haven't finished my web site yet and I'm
>currently working, but I have four years full-time commercial web
>development experience behind me and a religious daily routine of scouring
>the recruitment agencies. I won't lie to you and say I'm finding it easy
>though - since I went freelance last June I've been out of work longer than
>I've been in it and pro-rata I'm earning much less than when I was working
>full-time. It's a tough old market out there.
>
>3. Network luvvy. You're here, you're making contact with others in the
>same
>field, good start, keep up the good work!
>
>4. Advertise in the free local rags. Not sure how effective this is
>personally, but I'm struggling to get to 10 already.
>
>5-10. Move to India. There's plenty of work for us out there AND the food's
>better ;)
>
>Richard Harfst

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