I’m interested in hearing from designers, whether you work full‑time, part‑time, freelance, or are retired. What do you like about the way you work, and what do you not like? And which work mode do you think is the best for you personally? Thanks.
I work full time for a flexographic printing company, and freelance remotely for 3 other clients that do everything from vehicle wraps to storefronts, barricade graphics, monument, pylon, fascia, etc…
I like to make money, bottom line.
I don’t have a “work mode” per se.
1 Like
It all depends on whether one considers graphic design as a career or a calling.
1 Like
I run a small graphic design company — currently just one person. Some might consider that “freelance,” but I’ve never applied that word to myself. In my mind, freelance sounds like it’s a side gig or you’re between full time jobs. There is nothing wrong with either of those things, but neither of those descriptions apply to me.
1 Like
In all reality, it is a buyer’s market. The mode differentiation has no practical meaning.
1 Like
If you are in business, you need to figure out all of your business expenses (including your health insurance. ) Or you work for someone else who provides that overhead.
Then add on what you want to be paid per hour to do the things you want to do in life.
Then you can figure out what kind of “work mode” you can afford.
I sure as heck would prefer to be in retirement mode. But I can’t afford it at the moment. Less so with each passing moment…
1 Like
At one point or another, I’ve done all the things you mentioned. I’m not sure what you mean by “the way you work” and “work mode”. However, what I’ve enjoyed the most in some of those jobs is being part of a creative team composed of top-notch talent. What I’ve disliked the most are environments with toxic or inept people, or in places where the company culture didn’t lend itself to innovation or quality.
I realize I didn’t actually answer your questions.
What do you like about the way you work?
Laid back lifestyle, I spend most of my life in shorts and a t-shirt, no commute, working from home, I got to see my kids a lot when they were growing up. Being an introvert, I am pretty content with a one-person office.
What do you not like?
Client acquisition is on me, and getting new clients is tougher than it used to be. There are times, mostly during the winter, when I am in a super busy stretch that I’ll realize it might be three or four days since I’ve actually left the house. This isn’t a problem in spring, summer, and fall when I spend a lot of time outside.
And which work mode do you think is the best for you personally?
Self employed work from home is best for me, but it’s definitely not for everyone. If you are not comfortable with sales, bringing in new work, and all of the other aspects of running a business or if you are an extrovert, working by yourself from home probably isn’t the best option.
2 Likes
I thought I clarfied it enough.
By “work mode” I meant like full-time, part-time, freelance etc.
This might sound like a silly question, but - how do you get hired? Do you sit and wait for someone to call up, or look for opportunities yourself, like I imagine a freelace designer would do?
You’ll be waiting a long time if you’re counting on people discovering you, then asking you to work for them. After a few years, if you’ve enjoyed enough sucess, received lots of rewards, worked at the right places, had your name splashed all over the internet, and become a recognized top player in the field, headhunters will take notice and contact you with opportunities. Until then, it’s matter of searching for work, submitting dozens of applications, networking, and building a killer portfolio.
4 Likes