Crowd-sourcing sites blamed for tougher freelancer conditions
Pip Jamieson
Crowd-sourcing websites have been accused of contributing to tougher conditions for creative freelancers, with a survey revealing almost half claim to have been underpaid and three-quarters saying they have not landed permanent roles from their contract work.
The findings of the survey conducted by creative industries networking community The Loop found on average full-time freelancers only work for eight months of the year, with creative freelancers typically spending more than five weeks actively searching between roles, with just over half of the 1,127 respondents saying they have taken on more junior roles just to get work
It also found 76 per cent of the respondents said a freelance contract rarely or never turns into a permanent role.
It’s glib and easy to blame websites like this for whatever woes plague freelancers. Actually I have found sites like this expand opportunities, revealing freelancers who otherwise would have been undiscoverable.
The real problem lies in client procurement departments – the constant, obsessive drive to squeeze costs down to levels where servicing some clients is no longer viable, but an act of charity. And I’m referring to global brands. Their OCD approach to margin reduction leaves no room for agency development, including expanding creative teams.
From a different angle, I’ve observed the better the freelancer, the less likely they are to seek a permanent position. Why would they? They are in demand, earning well and maintaining independence. What they are talking about is job-seekers, not true freelancers.
Mike’s right. Freelancing, like any career path or choice, is all about doing the hard yards. At the start it’s harder to make a name for yourself and you spend more time on the phones, sending emails, and unsolicited drop ins than you planned, and yes it can be tough.
But a few years in and you suddenly find that your phone starts ringing and you start getting emailed for availability. For the vast majority it’s how it works (wunderkinds not included). It worked this way for those that went before me, for me, and now those that follow.
You can’t join a website and sit back waiting for the work to roll in, that’s lazy. Additionally, these companies are hiring for short term gigs so it’s little wonder they don’t end up with full time employment.
Now not getting paid for your work, that’s a whole other story…
As a freelancer reading this article, I have read some success stories from sites such as Themeforrest. They seem to be hardcore coder types that really put in the long hours. Of course there are those that don’t fare well too. However, I personally feel the real issue facing a freelancer is choosing a specialised field.
Being a “Jack of all Trades” is fatal. You need to be seen as a complete expert in one given specialty. So if you’re a logo design freelancer, just focus completely on logo design. Be the best at it and have a distinct signature style that you’re famous for. Then you can totally avoid the cheap sites out there. Yes they devalue your work.
John
http://www.mediaace.com.au
So is it strange that The Loop just launched something called Freelance Pro then? https://www.theloop.com.au/freelancers