Open for discussion: does being a multidisciplinary creative make it harder to find and secure work as clients seek specialised creatives?
Replies8
- @Nas Abraham Agreed - and even better if you offer full-service and work alongside creatives with different specialties behind the scenes. It means more creatives get to collaborate, you get to make something really cool, and the client has an easy time too (in an ideal world, of course).
- Then make sure you’re not undercutting your fellow creatives in their respective industries and make sure you’re charging appropriately for each service you’re providing. I had to learn this over the years: “just because I can, doesn’t mean I should”, I’ve had clients say things Like “since You’re taking photos can you take some video for us too?”, my response is “sure, that will be an extra £___ for video services” to which you will charge the correct amount that a videographer would charge.2/2
- Hey Olga, this is a topic I love And have had multiple back and fourths over the years on the issue as I have branded myself as a multidisciplinary artist. The key word being branding, in the sense of communication. What are you communicating? That you’re so indecisive that you do “a bit of this and a bit of that” aka a jack of all trades master of none? Or does your portfolio communicate confidence in your ability and professionalism in working across different disciplines and can confidently nail any project within those fields? If what you’re communicating is confidence and competency, you will look more attractive to clients as you can offer a combination of different services rather than them having to hire multiple different people.1/2
- @Kiera Black , hi! Thanks for your reply, I am glad to hear someone can relat too. Exacty the same thing applies to me - I contract at a startup and my skillset varies from graphic design to photography to project management. These 'many hats' are very useful for the company, but result in my title being quite vague and hard to communicate to anyone on the outside.
- Hi Olga,I often wonder the same thing so when I saw your question I immediately thought 'Thank God someone feels the same!' I work across copy, art direction and strategy in my agency, due to it being so small, and my title is literally just 'creative' but I worry about moving on one day that I'll be too Jack of All Trades to land another role, as everything offered tends to be so specialised!On the one hand, it's really frustrating, on the other, I wouldn't particularly want to be any different - I love the variety, and think the previous comments around never stopping learning and developing your skillset and network are so true.
- Hi Olga,First things first let's separate skillset in case of technical and conceptual availabilities. On a technical level you should never stop learning and never can be enough. On a conceptual level fi. specialising on branding, or moving content etc. it's better if you do but being 'specialised not limited'. And btw that should come naturally what you like to do so you will do it more and more and that's how you become an expert. By the end of the day people won't look your speciality or skillset but the overall package if you are the right person for the job. Hope it makes sense.Feel free to check out my work on https://www.instagram.com/annadoralascsik/
- The more the merrier.
- I don't think so, I feel you need to give them a good service, that's what matters ....
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