The hot topic this month is spec work. Work that you do for free in the hope that the client will choose it and then pay you for it. This includes design competitions and 'crowdsourcing' sites that are not for a common good. Our position at Freelancentral is that spec work undermines the creative industry and that freelancers should never do work unless they're being paid for it. Donating your services to a worthy non-profit organisation is the exception. Read more about spec work in our articles below (even Pike has something to say about it) and at www.no-spec.com
issue 31 ::
Febuary 2009
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IS YOUR PORTFOLIO DOING YOU JUSTICE?
Are you selling yourself effectively in your Lite or Full portfolio? Wouldn't it be great to have someone give you an honest assessment of your portfolio, and tips on how to improve it? For just R350 we will review your portfolio and send you a personalised report on how you can make it more appealing to clients. Just call the Freelancentral team on 021 780 1364 or mail us on info@freelancentral.co.za
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Don't forget that if you send us your Freelancentral success stories and we publish them in our newsletter or on the site, you'll get 25% off your next month's Full portfolio. Submit your stories by sending us a mail.
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SPEC WORK: Is it OK to work for free?
Spec work is any work you do for a client in the hope that they'll like it and then pay you for it. Jo Duxbury has been exploring this topic on her BizCommunity articles lately. Check out why she reckons " 'Spec' is a four-letter word" and her "Spec work: tips for agencies, freelancers and clients". There's quite an interesting discussion going on in the comment sections so if you have an opinion on this topic, please do add yours.
PIKE: Money's alright to mention
The other day, while busking for money under the Kalk Bay railway, my performing monkey and I got talking about the subject of spec work (working for free). Ricardo - for that is his name - was musing aloud: "Why would anyone work for peanuts? Especially in these times?" As I handed Ricardo his morning bowl of warmed bananas mashed with peanut butter, I thought about it... Read on for more quirky wisdom from Pike.
CHRISTINE ONLINE: Online portfolios: Your new (media) calling card
Last time I wrote, I spoke about self-promotion and building an online persona for yourself to amplify your visibility in the online space. The emphasis was on participation and getting your name and expertise out there. This month, I'd like to revisit a freelance classic - the portfolio. More specifically, I would like to explore the ways in which you can maximise your exposure and make it easy for your clients to get in touch with you. Read on
OUR NEW PLACEMENTS MANAGER
We're thrilled to welcome Joanna Hone (back) to Freelancentral as our new Placements manager. Some of you may remember her from when she held the fort during Jo Duxbury's trip to the US last year. She did such a great job that we just had to have her back. And no, being called 'Jo' was not part of the job spec!
FEATURED RESOURCE:
The Standard: A Sappi Guide to Designing for Print: Tips, Techniques and Methods for Achieving Optimal Printing Results. Sappi have recently published this handy guide - indispensable for all print designers and DTP operators.
Got a resource you'd like to recommend to the Freelancentral community? Send your favourite blog or website links, book titles or software recommendations to info@freelancentral.co.za.
CHANGES TO FULL PORTFOLIO REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS
Freelancentral members no longer need two pre-approved references in order to qualify for a Full portfolio listing. We have removed this requirement as quite a few referees do not respond to requests for feedback, preventing freelancers from getting their portfolios online. Clients can still see how many references a freelancer has had pre-approved by the Freelancentral team on each freelancer's portfolio. The more approved references a freelancer has, the more reassured a potential client will be, so we encourage freelancers to continue submitting references on the site. Clients can click on the little blue speech bubble on each portfolio to fill in a feedback form about that freelancer.
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on our new Testimonials page - and do send us your success stories too.
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whether you're a client or freelancer, we'd love to hear from you.
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