Getting a move on with freelance.

11th January, 2010 by Kyle Mac

After graduating from my design degree I wish to fish out and continue to go hammer and tongs with my freelance objectives!

The hard part is where to start, I have been emailing out to studios which reflect my style in one way or another but am finding it difficult to land any jobs.

Is there a fantacy freelance job board out there on the web where achiving a job is actually possible??

Does anyone have any tips on getting clients from a portfolio of work rather then word of mouth/friends?

any help/hot tips would be great!

my work can be seen at: http://www.kylemac.com.au

Thanks!

kyle.

View comments

Kyle, your portfolio looks excellent, so I would say just keep at it. Let the world know you are looking for work. Often the jobs come through friends, or friends of friends, or relatives or relatives of friends :)

Among all the "no"s you get, you only need to get ONE "yes"!
Posted by Tatyana Temirbulatova on 20th January 2010

Hi Kyle,
I suggest working in a studio and doing freelance on the side for a bit. The experience you gain from more senior designers is invaluable: usually as useful (if not more) than the knowledge you acquire at Uni. For example, a multitude of things can happen to a great design when it goes to print, and in a larger studio you can learn the solutions to everyone's print problems. Ethics, contracts, managing relationships.. all vital tools you can pick up while a junior.

This way you can pay the bills while you start to build a good freelance portfolio, and you can select the clients you want to work with (no, I'm sorry, I can't do a logo and business card for $300). Eventually you will have enough clients to go it alone, with the experience to handle any of their requests.

Almost all of the clients I keep have arrived at my door via word-of-mouth, and with my years of studio experience I have the credibility and knowledge to ensure the relationship is a mutually-effective one.
Posted by Becky Green on 27th January 2010

Hi Kyle,
I suggest working in a studio and doing freelance on the side for a bit. The experience you gain from more senior designers is invaluable: usually as useful (if not more) than the knowledge you acquire at Uni. For example, a multitude of things can happen to a great design when it goes to print, and in a larger studio you can learn the solutions to everyone's print proble
Posted by Becky Green on 27th January 2010

Hi Kyle,

The key is getting exposure - going out and meeting people and letting people know what you do ! ...

I have no studio experience at all (I've always thought that this was a dissadvantage ... until now ... because I don't think it really matters in the end if you love what you do).

I started graphic design as a hobby 10 years ago now ... back then ... I freely volunteered my services - whether it was a charitable organisations, associations or friends/family members. Then one day ... someone asked if I would do a "commercial job" ...

Sure it was slow going in the beginning ... Eventually "Word of Mouth" is inevitable - especially if people are pleased with your work, they can't help but recommend ...

During this time I was employed in a totally non related profession... but the people I worked around knew about my passion for graphics ....

so its about letting EVERYBODY you come in contact with KNOW what you do ... because whoever you meet may lead you to where you want to go ...

Think 4 degrees of separation ...

Incidentally ... I still haven't stopped volunterring my services for worthwhile causes because you meet so many people in the process and have a great sense of satisfaction that you have contributed ....
Posted by Adele Taylor on 9th November 2010