G’day is something no one really says in Australia, disappointing right?
In 2018 I moved to Australia with dreams of immigrating to live life ‘down under’. After a year working in a digital marketing agency and multiple freelance roles, due to tough visa requirements I decided to return to the UK.
Upon my return I was facing the next unknown journey. With jobs being sparse in my hometown, the next best place was London, but even there jobs were hard to find.
This is where Pitch came in, Julia is very friendly and approachable and set me up for a full-time Graphic Designer interview with a growing FMCG brand. She helped me to prepare for the interview, providing insight into the business and arranging all interview logistics.
Though I interviewed for a full-time role, the company were willing to take me on as a freelancer for a trial period. These initial first 4 weeks quickly turned into 4 months, where I supported the team across a range of projects including social media, product launches, NPDs and photoshoots, using my knowledge to provide artistic direction and even some amateur hand modelling!
Why take a freelance route?
It was never my desire to be a freelancer, the unstable income can be stressful, but sometimes the leap is worth it, especially with an unstable employment economy we are now in from Covid-19. Though unstable, one of the greatest perks of freelancing is the money, with rate of pay dependent on experience and skills, taking this route allowed me to rebuild my savings following my year abroad and boost my skillset in a new and fast-paced environment.
How can I get past the insecurity of freelancing?
To get past the insecurity around freelancing I would suggest having regular meetings with your line manager and recruiter to discuss the requirements of the contract, how long it will be and when you should start looking for work when the specific project ends.
Knowing these can provide a sense of control and keeping communications open with a Pitch freelance recruiter can get the ball rolling in terms of your next contract, helping to ease money worry.
What did you learn from freelancing?
I've learnt so many skills from my freelance roles. Not specifically a range of tasks from packaging, campaign material, events material, digital assets, editing and much more but also the transferable skills such as being confident with new people, able to pitch ideas, alongside building confidence around making decisions.
Having the courage to step out of a stable wage to experience freelance can be a little scary but luckily worthwhile.
About Bradlee
Bradlee considers himself to be a hybrid designer. With a combined degree in Graphic Design and Marketing, he is competent in understanding how these elements should form a harmonious relationship, taking the time to understand how designs can be improved to work in the best possible way for user experiences and to influence.
Having worked in multiple start-ups, property, government and multiple agency roles, Bradlee is currently on the hunt for a more exciting and fulfilling role either as a freelancer or permanent employee.
