Has anyone struggled to find a full time position after a long time of being freelance?
I’ve been a freelance creative for 12 years (Video, photo, creative directing) although within those roles have also done shoot production, coordinating, social media assisting, copywriting, creative strategising, content researching etc (this is often hard to show on a cv). Now with wanting to move to a full time role I’m finding as I don’t have the years of agency experience although I’ve worked on many many projects with agencies, i’m not fitting the job requirements for even junior roles but am way over qualified for any roles lower than that.
I’ve been looking at roles that allow a little bit more creative leading & strategy vs just solely being the creative. I’ve looked at different marketing, social media, content agencies, and general companies that are of interest.
Has anyone else experienced this? If there’s any tips of how to get past it that would be amazing
Replies6
- @ɐɹoᗡ ɐuu∀ ˥ thanks. That makes a lot of sense and with so many years working for agencies & even sometimes working for a large period of time for some of them it does count. Definitely have to get this point across more somehow as that comment of not having agency experience has been the defining thing of why I wasn’t selected for job even when everything else matched up.I’m not looking to change roles as what i have been doing fits up perfectly with the jobs I’ve been applying for just without the actual job title. As every freelance job requires something different my job title would technically change often although I’ve always just stuck to “creative or creative director” to make it simple, so these particular roles I’ve been looking out somewhat encompass all my experience into one as much as possible.
- @Peter Jackson thanks for your response. Yeah i’m definitely looking for a smaller agency where i can make a bigger impact & have more creative control than one too big.
- Hi Rianna,If you worked with agencies for years as a freelancer that counts just as much being employed by agencies for years. On the job specs when they ask for agency experience they are looking for if you can work in a creative team and if you are familiar with the process.Viewing your question in a more hollistic approach yes it can be challenging to move to employment after freelancing. There are certain jobs that generally more seeked as a freelancer fi. illustrator, photographer etc. so that can be a possibility why you have a hard time finding a job. Also as I can see you are also try to change path not just freelancing and that's what is more difficult in your situation. Also in current landscape junior / starter positions are lacking bt it hopefully will change in 1-2 year.
- Hi RiannaFirstly are you sure you want a full time role? Does it provide some security you’re seeking or are you looking to settle down and bed into an agency?I ask because your experience will be invaluable to the right people. If you’re happy with working on very different briefs, in different cultures and on different projects then maybe assess what being freelance could look like - long projects, IR35 options or create your own practice and build a small team for yourself.If you want to go full time, think about reframing your experience. You HAVE loads of agency experience. Maybe think about how you present it, shape it. Talk about what you learned and how it would be over and above what someone else might have done (who was constrained by agency etiquette or rules that you may have bypassed :-))Tell stories, use your skills to shape how you present and position your experience as a freelancer as adding loads of value (you’ve probably experienced more agency work than a lot of other people).Finally, address the issue that some employers have that freelancers would get bored. Show them why you wouldn’t and how you use your curiosity in ways that will help them.Stay Boom!S
- Maybe look at the reasons for wanting to go full-time.Do you want to be a small part of something big or a big part of something small?Freelancing by it's nature is entrepreneurial.Finding the right fit, joining a team or merging into an agency culture can be a challenge.A small agency, working closely with the decision maker, could be an option.Ongoing freelance work can lead to a full-time position via IR35.
- Personally I didn't find it difficult (but it was 3 years ago and I had experience as employee/in-house designer too) but some agencies told me that they were reluctant to hire freelancers because they feel they will be bored/not used to the employee life anymore and the they'd quit sooner or later.Maybe address this problem when approaching potential employer, highlighting also why you want to be in a full time job (working in a team, being part of something, stability...). You have big names in your portfolio so I'm surprised they don't find you interesting.
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