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Fri 4 Jan, 2008 11:49 am
So I took this freelance gig at an ad agency about seven months ago. Here's how it's gone so far.
First I sort of thought it was a good place, so I told them I'd be interested in permanent work if that option was available. Then they put me in a position that I hated, so I told them forget it, I'd rather stay freelance. Then a little while later, they again asked me if I might be interested in permanent work. I said not so much. Then, after seeing one of the positions that were coming available, I decided it looked like a good situation. So I changed my mind and said that yes, I would be interested in being considered for permanent work.
Well, that job went to someone else, but my boss told me there was another opportunity and asked if I would be interested in that. I knew nothing about it, but I was still in this mode of thinking that I wanted to get something permanent, for various reasons, so I said, sure, let's see how it goes.
So far this new spot is absolutely horrible. Many people on the account team seem to be pretty new to each other, there is a ton of work, and nobody really seems to have any answers about who is supposed to do what and when. It is very frustrating. There are many other things that also completely suck about this position, but I won't bore you with the details. Just trust me, it's not a good situation right now. Maybe it will get better soon, but I'm not into dealing with adversity unnecessarily.
At this point, I think I'd just rather be a freelancer. Somewhere else.
I feel like after all this push and pull about a possible permanent hire, if I say no to another offer, they'll just figure I'm a flake and be done with me. The only thing I'd really like to get out of this at this point is for them to consider me worthy of working here on a freelance basis sometime in the future.
So here are my questions: If you were my boss and I turned down a permanent position AGAIN after all this back and forth over the past several months, would you ever want to hire me on as even a freelance employee again? Do you think there is any way I can present my case so as to make that option more of a possibility?
I'm so bad at leaving jobs on good terms. Help.
I think you've painted yourself into a corner and you're going to need to blow someone.
Think of the income. Scope is only 3.00 a bottle.
Maybe I can hire someone else to blow someone for me. You still charging twenty bucks a pop?
Try telling them the truth about what you want and ask if that is possible to attain with their company. The truth can work wonders sometimes.
Truth and advertising....can those be in the same sentence?
kickycan wrote:Maybe I can hire someone else to blow someone for me. You still charging twenty bucks a pop?
no kick, for your pop I can only get 5.00.
Well, as a previous business owner who hired & fired people, I would rather hear the truth then some made up bullsh*t. I saw that change Rockhead
ok - so they like the work you do.
you're a bit flaky - that's part of being an artist (right?)
they probably think you're perfect as a freelancer - who'd want someone that flaky on permanent
can you talk to the boss about the jobs you've enjoyed there and let him know that you'd really like to be considered for similar projects when they come up?
ehBeth, the problem with that is that the work itself isn't anything I really like. The only times I've thought about the possibility of permanent work was when I knew the situation and liked the people I was working with, and even then I wasn't so sure about it. Mostly I was trying to find a way to get good health coverage, but now I have that somewhat taken care of.
I really just want to get out of this pharmaceutical ad agency stuff and try to find work at a consumer agency. If all this stuff hadn't started happening right around the same time that winter showed up, I probably would have been gone a month ago. It's a real slog looking for work in the dead of winter.
What I'd REALLY like is to work as a freelancer on my own. If I could get some damn clients on my own, the money would be more than enough to allow me to live a more Kicky-like lifestyle.
on a serious note, keep the gig that pays the rent and start looking for your own clients until you have enough to go full time self employed.
Gotta side with the Bear here, as well.
Rockhead wrote:Gotta side with the Bear here, as well.
so there's two votes for the blowjob suggestion?
Rarely say no on that front.
If you're looking for another freelance job anyways, what have you got
to lose?
Talk to your boss and tell him/her that you would have liked to work
permanently for them when this particular position opened up, as you
saw great artistic potential in it. However, as that position was filled,
you're much rather stay on a freelance basis until a similar position
becomes available, or if they have a more artistic challenging position
they could offer now.
This way, you're telling them what you want and at the same time
give them a reason why you shy away from a permanent position,
yet you leave your options open.
Hmmm...Rockead and Bear, I see what you're saying, but there is a catch-22 deal that goes along with doing that. To get new clients doing what I do, you pretty much have to work at the workplace of the new client so that they get to know that you're the greatest freelancer in the world. So trying to get new clients without leaving this job would be very very tough, to say the least.
get your portfolio together then and take a chance dude. the only down side is that in 40 years you'll be dea no matter what you do.
CalamityJane wrote:If you're looking for another freelance job anyways, what have you got
to lose?
Talk to your boss and tell him/her that you would have liked to work
permanently for them when this particular position opened up, as you
saw great artistic potential in it. However, as that position was filled,
you're much rather stay on a freelance basis until a similar position
becomes available, or if they have a more artistic challenging position
they could offer now.
This way, you're telling them what you want and at the same time
give them a reason why you shy away from a permanent position,
yet you leave your options open.
This is a good idea, but the bottom line is that I don't want to work here on a permanent basis now. The long and short of it all is that I want to go back to freelancing here, and eventually find a job in a consumer agency. The only time I was really pretty content here was when I was just freelancing and not involved in this crap about getting hired on as a permanent employee.
So I guess my real goal is to find a way to present myself to my boss so that he isn't so pissed about my wishy-washiness that he wouldn't want to hire me as a freelancer at some point in the future.
Why aren't you actively working on getting at least one private client right now?
None of this "oh, it's winter" stuff. A good reason.
kickycan wrote: So trying to get new clients without leaving this job would be very very tough, to say the least.
of course it's tough. just do it.
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