Exploited designers in a down economy?

don’t do spec work.

http://www.no-spec.com/

"don’t do spec work.

http://www.no-spec.com/"

LOL!!!

What I noticed recently is an increasing amount of competitions for students, where they have to design a particular part or product for a company. It’s either an attempt at crowdsourcing design to students for free or a fresh look at reality of things. Maybe the reality is that portfolios may not be good enough for entering workplace, only winning competitions may be a step up the ladder.

Even British Army has outsourced some of the R&D work to universities and general public.

This situation happens to design firms as well as individual freelancers. Stop and start due to finances is a common business practice in all industries. Having a solid working agreements with well understood milestones and progress payments are essential to keeping yourself within an acceptable level of financial exposure. If you feel the client/company is treating you unfairly you need to assure your agreement with them will protect you from unnecessary exposure. If they are unwilling to make you accommodations that are balanced then it is up to you to decide whether it’s worth the risk. How bad do you need the work? Can your time be best served finding a better client?

Stay Smart,

Max Beach, IDSA
Partner
IDA-Los Angeles

Thanks for the words Max. Great advice.

If you’re trying to sell yourself as a freelancer, how can you prove that your service is useful and has a positive outcome? If you’re are using “cutting edge” marketing techniques, you can sell an ancient used car whose engine would break down every 20 miles.

I used to freelance in graphic design, but then I gave it up, just for that reason. There is such a thing as ethics and usefulness. Creating unnecessary demand is not necessarily a good thing. There may be a million tricks when it comes to setting yourself up as a freelancer, but in the long run, they will begin to fail.

What I know is the best way forward in current times is to develop a relationship with a number of businesses and work as a consultant there. Blog, travel around, look at market, invent things, and of course, exhibit your stuff and skills at fairs and trade shows. Learn from people who are consulting for major corporations rather than those who created “cool” stuff for a couple of years and then made a trillion excuses why they couldn’t continue.

…or gets 11 miles to the gallon

sounds like Detroit

I think a lot comes down to relationships. Develop them and things work out in your favor. I’m in good with some clients and they let me know when I need to have my invoice in with them to receive pay promptly, and will even call me to make sure I get it in. I have 2 or 3 of those and I’ll get paid within 2 weeks. Others, usually the “1 timers” will take 30-60. I had one that took me over 6 months to get paid (for a small amount) it happens.
If it’s a place that you work with consistently, talk with the secretary or whoever submits the info for pay, get in good with them and they’ll let you know what you need to do to get paid the quickest. I even had one call to tell me the single invoice was too big and would have to go directly to the pres and take longer to send out. But if I just resend them as 2 smaller invoices, then he can okay it with no delay. Build your relationships people!