How to Freelance as a Creative and Stay Sane.

As most adverting creatives know, freelancing isn’t easy. You’re always hustling
for work, even when you’re working. So, it's easy to feel like you’re on a 24/7 job hunt with no end in sight. And if you feel this way, things can get a little crazy. Especially between your ears.

To help other creative freelancers keep some sense of sanity, I put together this list of tips based on my years of freelancing.

Treat your freelance like a real business.
There are two ways to become a freelancer. Some creatives go freelance because they want the freedom. Others find themselves freelancing because they got laid off or fired.

It doesn’t matter how you got into it, I suggest that you work it like a business. Even if it’s only temporary until you find a new staff job, if you run your freelance as a legit business, you won’t stress out as much and you’ll have a better chance of success.

So, how do you do this? The first thing you should do is write a one-page business plan. Don’t freak. It’s just a few paragraphs on how you’re going to market yourself, handle your finances and prepare for the future. As a creative, you know how powerful it is to take something from your mind and put it on paper. So do it!

Make a list.
If you’re going to really market yourself, you’ll need to put together a large, up-to-date list of agency recruiters and creative managers. This is the second most valuable thing that you can have as a creative freelancer - after a great portfolio.

So, how do you make this list? You ask agency creative friends for names and emails of agency recruiters and creative managers; search on LinkedIn for creative recruiters and creative managers; and see who’s posting on Facebook’s NYC or California Ad Jobs. 

Create a plan and put it to work.
Next, you’ll need a plan for how you’re going to use that list. I split my list into 1/3rds and contact the first 1/3rd of recruiters during week 1, the second 1/3rd during week 2, and the third 1/3rd during week 3. This way, you’re not contacting the same recruiters every week. You’re spreading it out so your name and work will be familiar to them, and you won’t be a pain in the ass because you’re contacting them every 4 days. 

In addition to working your list, you should also look for work on LinkedIn Jobs, Glassdoor Jobs and indeed. 

Be your own kick ass CFO.
I know, creatives suck with money. Get over it! You’re running a business now, so you’d better know how to handle your cash.

If you’re working as a W2 freelancer, you’re having taxes taken out. So, that’s one less thing to worry about. But you do have to save money for those weeks when you’re not working. So, try to put as much away until it hurts. And then put away a few bucks more. 

If you’re working as a 1099 freelancer, you can’t mess around. You need to put away at least what the percentage is for your tax bracket. Plus, some money for those weeks that you’re not working. I know, that’s big. But you’re the fucking CFO of your business. So get to it.

If you don’t hear back, don’t go ballistic.
Agency recruiters are busy as hell. Their jobs entail a lot more than just answering your emails. So, if you don’t get a response in what you consider to be the proper amount of time, don’t have a fit. They’ll respond if there’s a job there and they think you might be right for it. A few will also respond just because they want to. I think that if you’re getting a 5% response rate, you’re doing good.

Know your worth.
So, how much should you charge? If you know, great. If you don’t know, just ask your freelancing colleagues what the day rate/hourly rate range is for certain jobs, as well as for specific agencies. Decide what you want to make and don’t sell yourself short.

Based on my experience, general agencies pay best, followed by digital/direct and then pharma. On the flip side, it seems that pharma has more jobs, followed by digital/direct and general.

Work your ass off and don’t bitch.
This should go without saying. But, I’ll say it anyway. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 10-year staffer or a one-week freelancer, you should outwork everyone in that agency. Why? Well first off, you’ll probably do the best work of your career. And second, that’s what you’re getting paid for. CDs and recruiters remember the person who outworked everyone else. Oh, and don’t bitch about how hard you’re working. That’ll just kill everything you worked for. 

Know the difference between headhunters, outside recruiters and agency recruiters/creative managers.
Agencies can’t run without smart recruiters - both inside and out - who know how to put the right creative in the right job. There are three types of creative recruiters.

A Headhunter/Talent Manager/Creative Recruiter will work with you to find the job that you really want - either freelance or staff. You’ll be hired by the agency and the agency will pay the Headhunter/Talent Manager/Creative Recruiter a commission. In my experience, you usually have a long-term relationship with this person because they’re trying to help you build a career, not just find a job.

An Outside Recruiter can also place you in an agency job, but you’ll be hired and paid by the Outside Recruiter’s firm, not the agency. The agency will pay the Outside Recruiter a commission.

An Agency Recruiter/Creative Manager is the in-house person who works with the Creative Directors to bring in the best creatives for their open jobs. They either find creatives themselves or work with Headhunter/Talent Manager/Creative Recruiters or Outside Recruiters. Some of these in-house pros are solely recruiters, while others recruit and manage the Creative Department. They not only have a very important job, but also a very intense one. Please be nice to them.

No matter which recruiter(s) you deal with, always be open, honest, respectful and professional. It’ll help you in both the short and long run.

Do other stuff besides looking for a job.
I know how caught up you can get when you’re trying to find freelance. But if you spend all your time looking or work, you’ll lose your mind. I suggest that you schedule a few other things during the day that will benefit you. You can do stuff like work on a personal project, learn a new skill, take a quick day trip to somewhere, go see a film, visit a museum or have lunch with a friend who you haven’t seen in a while. You can even work on your portfolio, if you’d like.

Save for retirement. Seriously.
I know how tough it is to try to put money away when you don’t know when your next paycheck is coming. But you have to, because you’re going to need it later on. And later on comes really fast.

Now, I want to let you in on one of the worst kept secrets in advertising: a lot of the big holding companies allow W2 freelancers to have and contribute to 401k plans. This can be huge for you down the road. So, while you’re filling out your paperwork on your first day, ask the HR person about how you can get on their 401k plan. Every holding company has different requirements.

Help others get work.
This isn’t some karma thing where the good you do will come back to repay you. No, this is just basic decency. I believe that everyone who wants to work, should be able to work. And if I can help them find a job, I’ll do it. it’s good for them, good for our business and good for the economy.

Well, those are my tips. I hope they can help make your freelancing less stressful and more successful.