Consider your freelancing life as an evolving novel with you as the star. Let's dive into its chapters and learn how to recognise when you're ready to turn the page.
"Start building your brand by showcasing your work and values on LinkedIn or other platforms where your ideal clients are."
I reckon this is only relevant for very visual or illustration focused. The way the freelance recruitment fonctions has very little to do with your "brand" but more about being connected to the right persons, and go through a very classic hiring process where your resume and portfolio will do the job.
Your #1 job is to get to the screening step with a recruiter, and believe me, they never check your portfolio, especially in this economic climate. Get the connection, get the right key words on your Linkedin and resume, and learn to write a short yet convincing cover letter.
It’s about staying top of mind for people. You can do that by cultivating connections and relationships on various channels, as well as LinkedIn.
Writing messages is a 1-to-1 connections posting is a 1-to-many message.
Another aspect that I would consider is that not every client hires through recruiters some opportunities are found directly.
Generally people hire people that they know, like and trust. Based on where you are and what clients you are looking for there are different ways to get known and trusted.
"Generally people hire people that they know, like and trust."
That's a gospel I heard but it is a fallacy. People will favor people that they know, like and trust, but will never say no to having a broader choice.
Writing messages to initiate a discussion, on the scale of all freelance product designers for instance, will always trump having a nice piece of case study floating on dribbble or linkedin and waiting for people to "think about you".
You'll always be in some kind of competition for other people, whether they are Linkedin randos or the other hiring manager's "top of mind". And expecting that people (recruiters, hiring managers etc) keep you in mind, with all the mental charge working demands in 2023 is overestimating our own importance.
Things like web design are supported by the awwwards that sanctify the "top of mind" list for a year or so, but that's a quirk of this very specific design industry. More often than not, what matters in your capacity to create a quick connection, tell a convincing story and be a people's people.
"Start building your brand by showcasing your work and values on LinkedIn or other platforms where your ideal clients are."
I reckon this is only relevant for very visual or illustration focused. The way the freelance recruitment fonctions has very little to do with your "brand" but more about being connected to the right persons, and go through a very classic hiring process where your resume and portfolio will do the job.
Your #1 job is to get to the screening step with a recruiter, and believe me, they never check your portfolio, especially in this economic climate. Get the connection, get the right key words on your Linkedin and resume, and learn to write a short yet convincing cover letter.
It’s about staying top of mind for people. You can do that by cultivating connections and relationships on various channels, as well as LinkedIn.
Writing messages is a 1-to-1 connections posting is a 1-to-many message.
Another aspect that I would consider is that not every client hires through recruiters some opportunities are found directly.
Generally people hire people that they know, like and trust. Based on where you are and what clients you are looking for there are different ways to get known and trusted.
"Generally people hire people that they know, like and trust."
That's a gospel I heard but it is a fallacy. People will favor people that they know, like and trust, but will never say no to having a broader choice.
Writing messages to initiate a discussion, on the scale of all freelance product designers for instance, will always trump having a nice piece of case study floating on dribbble or linkedin and waiting for people to "think about you".
You'll always be in some kind of competition for other people, whether they are Linkedin randos or the other hiring manager's "top of mind". And expecting that people (recruiters, hiring managers etc) keep you in mind, with all the mental charge working demands in 2023 is overestimating our own importance.
Things like web design are supported by the awwwards that sanctify the "top of mind" list for a year or so, but that's a quirk of this very specific design industry. More often than not, what matters in your capacity to create a quick connection, tell a convincing story and be a people's people.