Hey there!
My question is if here there is anyone who’s actually pulling off working full-time as a web UI/UX designer remotely? I’m really curious what’s it like if you are? I would love to hear from you.
Hiya, I’m not all UI/UX as I also do product concept illustration, comic illustration and art on top of web design, html5 ad creation, restaurant menus. I haven’t gotten to full time remote. Getting some freelance… but sometimes it trickles in, sometimes none at all. Then there are some times with a ton all at once.
It all takes a lot of time. Even when you’re not doing paid work, you have to constantly advertise on social media if you are not spending money on facebook/google ads. Keep a watch on related forums/reddit/subreddits/sites/craigslist/linkedin/facebook/twitter hash tags as well.
It’s possible you can get constant work from some clients who need it but you have to form the connection first.
Line
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I’ve worked designing websites full-time for remote clients. Highly competitive, obviously, and the low end of the market is sufficiently fulfilled by low cost offshore workers with a low cost of living. In markets where design is valued or necessary the low end designers aren’t competitive in skill, or cultural awareness. Maybe cultural awareness isn’t the right terminology. Anyway, I eventually lost my best client to crowdsourcing. That sucked. The worse part was that I had just moved to a very rural area with zero local design opportunities.
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I worked for a software company back in 1999-2000. That was the closest thing to full-time UX/UI I did. But it was also plenty of content to populate the UI. I also did a little bit of print for that company as we needed stationery.
I know much has changed in the last 18 years. The way that companies these days are downsizing while looking for jack-of-all-trades designers, I would be surprised if anyone is doing exclusively UX/UI anywhere without also doing a little bit of something else. It’s even less likely that such a person will get to work remotely as full-time (salary or hourly) employee. Remote work is best priced by the piece.
Yes, really working remotely has its struggles even more when you are a freelancer and do jobs here and there … The last year and a half I have been dedicating time to work from home looking for a way to work that way full time. All the projects I’ve done except 2 have been one-time projects, with these two I’m trying to create a long term connection although one of them is a difficult client to communicate and does not make full payments or on time, I really do not know if it’s worth having a long term relationship with this one.
unfortunately it is like that, every day more competitive.
Due to this reason that you mention I am trying to work with local clients of the city, where I live there is a market to work and make new clients.
I’m looking for the best way to advertise in the city and reach the right customers to make long term relationships.
How is your remote work now that you moved?
Yep, if they don’t pay on time and you have to chase… another option you can do is offer a prepaid update time bundle for customers who give you constant work that is updates. They prepay 8 hours up front and in return you can offer a discount. This way you know you’re paid and can manage your time.
If you have to chase after a customer… well, it’s a waste of time for everyone.
-Line
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I also doubt it, from time to time I look at the offers of remote work in my city and it is incredible the things that they ask a designer to do, it is difficult to work doing UI / UX work only, you always have to do something additional. In addition to that the pay and hours of work are reduced in comparison to the employees who are working on site.
that is a good idea, I have been trying to find a solution to this situation, I will consider what you say.
Praxis!
When did you return? Good to have you back!
I used to be a member, but went by praxis11.
We moved again after a few months, not entirely because of my work situation, to a more urban area and I got a job at a small agency (who serves local clients) only a few blocks from my house.
I see, I hope things get much better to you…although working few blocks from home is not bad!
My husband has been working remotely as a front-end programmer for 4 years, and it’s working very well for him. He’s self-motivated, enjoys his work, and has a dedicated office workspace to help keep him focused. He spends 15 hours/week in conference calls, which is annoying for him, but it keeps him connected with the rest of the team.
I worked as a freelancer for 13 years and never met most of my clients in person—everything was online or phone. Again, self-motivation was/is key.
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Your husband’s work sounds great (without all the hours in conference calls, haha) I’m glad to hear that there are people working remotely and having stability!
Hi all, I’d like to share a website featuring remote design vacancies, if this helps: remotedesignjobs co