Re: UKNM: Going Freelance

[Steve Junkston]

Jess,


I think the difference is mostly to do with the nature of the work I do.

Board-level strategy. The sort of thing that senior execs know they need if

they are in a non-networked business but nevertheless feel that they have

failed by having to rely on external experts.


> 1. What do you mean 'Be prepared to accrue nothing'?

My point here is that unlike part-ownership of a business, or god forbid,

share options, at the end of ten years freelancing you have nothing to sell

to someone else that has got more valuable by dint of you doing a good job

over that time. The important points about experience etc. that you make

are, of course, crucial to your day-to-day value to the market - this point

was also made by Lois - and to your ability to find work tomorrow. However,

I find it impossible not look ahead like this and ask what will happen when

I am fed up doing other peoples stuff. If you are not looking ahead, then

fine, you will probably find you are just filling a gap. Otherwise adopt

Lois' 10 point plan but remember the pension contributions :-)  Jeez, I feel

like the grandaddy of the list.


I accept that if your skills are more practical, in terms of design,

programming etc, my points may seem a little extreme.


Steve.

----------------------------------------

stevejohnston [dot] co [dot] uk

t: +44 (0) 7050 6050 33

f: +44 (0) 8707 3455 33

----------------------------------------


----- Original Message -----

From: Jessica Cross <

JCrosshillandknowlton [dot] com

>

To: <

uknmchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 2:21 PM

Subject: RE: UKNM: Going Freelance



> Steve,

>

> It sounds to me like you have had some pretty horrendous experiences of

> freelancing. I'm not sure what your speciality is but you sound like

you've

> really been through the mill. Maybe the companies you worked for were

> wankers but not all freelance contracts result in the points you mentioned

> below. The negative sweeping statements you make happen in permanent work

> all the time. At least as a freelancer you can pick and choose, whatever

> your specialised skill, whatever industry.

>

> 1. What do you mean 'Be prepared to accrue nothing'? Experience and

examples

> of work are exceptionally valuable and are no less than what you would

> necessarily accrue in a permanent position. As long as you keep examples

of

> work that was successful (and it really was your work to begin with)

future

> employers have no need to doubt it's authenticity. All they have to do is

> check with prior employers. You also accrue contacts. If you did a good

job

> in the first place then employers will be more than happy to recommend you

> for future work.

>

> 2. Be prepared to be forgotten? - er, no. If you are utter crap then

maybe,

> but not if you work well, deliver and are well liked. Not all companies

> resent paying freelancers; some contractors signed off days I wasn't even

> there because they know I'll help them out and work unsociable hours if

need

> be. And I am still very much in touch with people I have worked with, I

> would even call them friends now, who would happily recommend freelancers

to

> their colleagues if a position became available. As for glory

> stealing...people may take credit for your work the world over whether you

> are still working there or not - that's just life! As for saying it will

> never make you rich - freelance fees are so much higher than regular

> salaries you can't help but be better off and with the demand for

technology

> specialists you are seldom out of work.

>

> I'm sorry that you seem to have been burned in your freelance experience.

> And anyone wanting to go freelance shouldn't be put off. In my experience,

> the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Yes, there are some arseholes out

> there, but overall, there are some good agencies, companies and

contractors

> around who aren't waiting to screw you over on every opportunity whatever

> your specialised skill.

>

> Just my point of view...

>

> Jess



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 looking for useful books about the new media biz?

 check out the UKNM books page for some suggestions:

 http://www.chinwag.com/uk-netmarketing/books.shtml

 Email suggestions to:

helpchinwag [dot] com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/uk-netmarketing or

helpchinwag [dot] com