Comments on: How do Freelance Designers Find Design Work? http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/ Graphic Design Tutorials, Graphic design news and information by a freelance graphic designer in Northamptonshire UK Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:52:19 +0000 hourly 1 By: gary bowes http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-31125 gary bowes Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:52:25 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-31125 Hi Tara I work full time as a creative artworker, but because financially it's a bit tough at the moment, (I actually earn less than I did 5 yrs ago), I am considering investing in a mac next year to do some part time freelance graphic design and illustration. I came across your article, as I was interested to know how other freelancers go about finding work, and you've confirmed for me what I already thought about bidding sites and agencies, and that actually the best way to find work is by word of mouth and networking. Just wondering, but how are you finding freelancing during the current climate. Thanks Gar Bowes Hi Tara

I work full time as a creative artworker, but because financially it’s a bit tough at the moment, (I actually earn less than I did 5 yrs ago), I am considering investing in a mac next year to do some part time freelance graphic design and illustration. I came across your article, as I was interested to know how other freelancers go about finding work, and you’ve confirmed for me what I already thought about bidding sites and agencies, and that actually the best way to find work is by word of mouth and networking.
Just wondering, but how are you finding freelancing during the current climate.

Thanks
Gar Bowes

]]> By: Tara: Freelance Designer http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-24990 Tara: Freelance Designer Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:56:39 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-24990 Thanks Lisa - good luck with finding some more work. Thanks Lisa – good luck with finding some more work.

]]> By: Lisa Simmonds http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-24989 Lisa Simmonds Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:44:05 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-24989 Hi Tara, This blog is excellent! I have just started out as a freelance designer and am finding it hard to find work. I am signed up with a few bidding sites and must have bid on about 30 jobs, I was offered one and now the client has gone silent! Also some people are bidding as low as £1.50 per hour!!! I think I’d better start networking as I certainly can’t live on that wage! Lisa lisasimmonds.moonfruit.com Hi Tara,

This blog is excellent! I have just started out as a freelance designer and am finding it hard to find work. I am signed up with a few bidding sites and must have bid on about 30 jobs, I was offered one and now the client has gone silent! Also some people are bidding as low as £1.50 per hour!!! I think I’d better start networking as I certainly can’t live on that wage!

Lisa

lisasimmonds.moonfruit.com

]]> By: fred design http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-24770 fred design Thu, 20 May 2010 15:40:20 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-24770 Hi all, thanks so much for all the good advice. Its great to get so many opinions from people who have been there and done it. I remember reading that whatever you do, the majority of work comes from word of mouth or networking. However I guess everyone is differen't and it is great to hear how people get work through blogs too. Thanks again Hi all,
thanks so much for all the good advice. Its great to get so many opinions from people who have been there and done it. I remember reading that whatever you do, the majority of work comes from word of mouth or networking. However I guess everyone is differen’t and it is great to hear how people get work through blogs too.

Thanks again

]]> By: UK Freelancer http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-15364 UK Freelancer Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:23:01 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-15364 Tara, Thanks for the information. I have been looking for list of good freelancing sites to find work and this info is going to be helpful. Tara, Thanks for the information. I have been looking for list of good freelancing sites to find work and this info is going to be helpful.

]]> By: Wildfire Pro http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-12153 Wildfire Pro Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:19:40 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-12153 Just wanted to firstly to thank Tara for posting this blog... the article itself and the subsequent comments are indeed very insightful! Although I own a studio, I still call myself a freelancer since I am in essence a one man (or woman!) show. I moved back from Cairo to London in 2006 and I have experience in all ways of trying to get business and here is what I have learned so far: In Cairo I found Elance very useful. Granted it was new at the time, but it did generate some good work, and we were perhaps less expensive, but never anywhere near the cheapest of the bids. Whoever is shooting just for the lowest bid a designer wouldn't want to work with anyway, because you know they are simply not going to understand the design process and the whole job will just be a nightmare. Furthermore, you will just come out feel sour and used at the end (I know... I've been there). I would tend to agree that Elance is almost useless for people particularly in the UK. For one, there simply aren't enough UK or European buyers on Elance, which makes it impossible for us to be competitive in such a global marketplace where our cost of living is pretty much higher than anywhere else in the world! Now that I am back in London, I have found that networking and face-to-face introduction really works best. Carry business cards EVERYWHERE and whatever you do, follow up those contacts the next day. Call, write an email, whatever... and remind them of who you are. Touch base every few weeks. At one point your communication will come on the day that they've run out of brochures, or a new project has just been launched and you will be fresh in their minds... Lastly, with regards to the online 'work', for the amount of time that is put into placing thoughtful bids, it ain't worth it, so my personal advice is stay away from the mad bidding sites. The site that has REALLY worked for me for big contracts (£5000 +) is Approved Index and The Seed, who I believe have just joined forces, but you do have to work hard and produce proper proposals to win the bid. The nice thing about Approved Index is the RFP only goes out to a handful of providers (6-8 I believe), so your chances are that much better. Anyway, it ain't easy out there even for the network savvy, but just thought I should let you all know what has worked for me. I am definitely going to try this online blogging and networking... from what I am hearing it's really very effective. Good luck! Just wanted to firstly to thank Tara for posting this blog… the article itself and the subsequent comments are indeed very insightful! Although I own a studio, I still call myself a freelancer since I am in essence a one man (or woman!) show.
I moved back from Cairo to London in 2006 and I have experience in all ways of trying to get business and here is what I have learned so far:
In Cairo I found Elance very useful. Granted it was new at the time, but it did generate some good work, and we were perhaps less expensive, but never anywhere near the cheapest of the bids. Whoever is shooting just for the lowest bid a designer wouldn’t want to work with anyway, because you know they are simply not going to understand the design process and the whole job will just be a nightmare. Furthermore, you will just come out feel sour and used at the end (I know… I’ve been there).
I would tend to agree that Elance is almost useless for people particularly in the UK. For one, there simply aren’t enough UK or European buyers on Elance, which makes it impossible for us to be competitive in such a global marketplace where our cost of living is pretty much higher than anywhere else in the world!
Now that I am back in London, I have found that networking and face-to-face introduction really works best. Carry business cards EVERYWHERE and whatever you do, follow up those contacts the next day. Call, write an email, whatever… and remind them of who you are. Touch base every few weeks. At one point your communication will come on the day that they’ve run out of brochures, or a new project has just been launched and you will be fresh in their minds…
Lastly, with regards to the online ‘work’, for the amount of time that is put into placing thoughtful bids, it ain’t worth it, so my personal advice is stay away from the mad bidding sites. The site that has REALLY worked for me for big contracts (£5000 +) is Approved Index and The Seed, who I believe have just joined forces, but you do have to work hard and produce proper proposals to win the bid. The nice thing about Approved Index is the RFP only goes out to a handful of providers (6-8 I believe), so your chances are that much better.
Anyway, it ain’t easy out there even for the network savvy, but just thought I should let you all know what has worked for me.
I am definitely going to try this online blogging and networking… from what I am hearing it’s really very effective.
Good luck!

]]> By: Bex White http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-11744 Bex White Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:56:30 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-11744 A lot of people have been asking exactly that on the forums I use, especially for those new to the industry finding work can be a daunting task. I always find that word of mouth is the best advertising, which means that if you do good work, and stay in touch with your clients and maintain a good relationship, as well as get back in touch with anyone you used to work with and let them know you are available, eventually your good work will lead to people approaching you. To aid this, I think networking events and networking online via blogs and social networks such as Linkedin can really help. I say this not because it is in vogue and should work, but because I myself was offered a 4 month dseign contract because someone saw a post of mine on Linkedin, then from there looked at my profile and my portfolio website. I do use freelance websites from time to time, however I usually just bid on ongoing contracts with an hourly rate, this avoids the 'logo for £25' issue raised above. Generally, just stick to your guns and don't undervalue yourself as it sets up a precident that that is what you are worth. Quiet times are rough, but people can use them to work on their portfolio site, brand, network and blog or perhaps do some design work for charities (the only time I suggest working for little or nothing!). Or, if the quiet period looks to be a few months, go to recruitment agencies and try to get a 2-6 month contract to bridge the gap. I have been putting together some posts and advice based on my own experience which can be found here - <a href="http://www.bubblegumkitten.com/blog/category/freelance-resources/" rel="nofollow">http://www.bubblegumkitten.com/blog/category/freelance-resources/</a> - I hope they are of use to your readers. A lot of people have been asking exactly that on the forums I use, especially for those new to the industry finding work can be a daunting task.

I always find that word of mouth is the best advertising, which means that if you do good work, and stay in touch with your clients and maintain a good relationship, as well as get back in touch with anyone you used to work with and let them know you are available, eventually your good work will lead to people approaching you. To aid this, I think networking events and networking online via blogs and social networks such as Linkedin can really help. I say this not because it is in vogue and should work, but because I myself was offered a 4 month dseign contract because someone saw a post of mine on Linkedin, then from there looked at my profile and my portfolio website. I do use freelance websites from time to time, however I usually just bid on ongoing contracts with an hourly rate, this avoids the ‘logo for £25′ issue raised above. Generally, just stick to your guns and don’t undervalue yourself as it sets up a precident that that is what you are worth. Quiet times are rough, but people can use them to work on their portfolio site, brand, network and blog or perhaps do some design work for charities (the only time I suggest working for little or nothing!). Or, if the quiet period looks to be a few months, go to recruitment agencies and try to get a 2-6 month contract to bridge the gap.

I have been putting together some posts and advice based on my own experience which can be found here – http://www.bubblegumkitten.com/blog/category/freelance-resources/ – I hope they are of use to your readers.

]]> By: Peter Yang http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-11123 Peter Yang Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:07:07 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-11123 Tara, Thanks for the great read. I've been wondering the same too about freelance sites since I'm trying to increase my clientele. I've done the site, portfolio, blog thing. But now I'm trying to find other ways. Your advice is definitely valuable. Thanks again! Please come by and support a fellow graphic designer :) Tara,

Thanks for the great read. I’ve been wondering the same too about freelance sites since I’m trying to increase my clientele. I’ve done the site, portfolio, blog thing. But now I’m trying to find other ways. Your advice is definitely valuable. Thanks again! Please come by and support a fellow graphic designer :)

]]> By: Omer http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-10641 Omer Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:08:47 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-10641 Hi all I just had a visit at your website and i got alot of information of how freelance work actually I will keep in touch with you guys and use your pearls of wisdom to find freelance work Wish me luck Hi all I just had a visit at your website and i got alot of information of how freelance work actually
I will keep in touch with you guys and use your pearls of wisdom to find freelance work
Wish me luck

]]> By: stan http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/comment-page-1/#comment-5198 stan Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:27:55 +0000 http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/how-do-freelance-designers-find-design-work/#comment-5198 There is a wealth of knowledge here. I have even begun to reference it on my blog <a href="http://poh-pursuitofhappyness.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">"here"</a> Randa Clay, that sounds like some good advice. I'm a few years out of design school with little work and little-to-no contacts. Everyone seems to get jobs from networking, so I must be doing it wrong, or networking with the wrong people. I have begun to reach out to people to feature on my blog, so to maintain those contacts is something I could do. This method must work, so I will try harder. I need work!! There is a wealth of knowledge here. I have even begun to reference it on my blog “here”

Randa Clay, that sounds like some good advice. I’m a few years out of design school with little work and little-to-no contacts. Everyone seems to get jobs from networking, so I must be doing it wrong, or networking with the wrong people. I have begun to reach out to people to feature on my blog, so to maintain those contacts is something I could do.

This method must work, so I will try harder. I need work!!

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