No work in the pipeline?
Its a dreadful scenario thatfreelancersface from time to time.
Often, they come in waves.
Feast or famine is an apt description, even if it is a bit discouraging.
Still, its not as if freelancers are without options.
When paying jobs dry up, theres work to be done.
Positivity in the midst of uncertainty is a byproduct of staying active and striving toward goals.
For freelancers struggling to find work, there remain ample opportunities to improve professionally and inspire others.
Freelancers must balance seasons of plenty with periods when jobs are few.
(Rebecca Lee & Parsing Eye
1.
Launch a passion project
Its difficult to design anything from scratch.
When it comes to personal design projects, knowing where to start is the hardest part.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Such questions bring clarity and focus.
When projects have a purpose, they have value and are more likely to be finished.
Its a personal project, so dont spend countless hours accumulating information.
The point is to glean context and fuel ideas.
Its also wise to establish a realistic timeframe.
Surprising results can be accomplished over the course of a weekend.
For longer projects, create milestones, seek out peer accountability, and share progress shots online.
Not convinced that personal projects are worth the effort?
Consider an experience I had.
Im a huge fan of the fakeUIsthat appear in blockbusters like Minority Report and Iron Man.
The intricate details and futuristic features are fascinatingeven if the functionality is far-fetched.
Not long ago, I decided to design my own fictitious interface.
After three days, I finished and shared my work online.
Less than a week later, I received a message from a sound designer.
He asked to complement my work with a track he recorded.
The final result far exceeded my expectations.
Its my most watchedVimeo video, and its led to real job opportunities.
A personal interest plus a few days of work opened one door after another.
Passion projects are a great way to blend design skills and personal interests.
(Danny Rubyono)
2.
Where possible, use contextual mockups.
Place UI designs on smartphones, landing pages on laptops, and logos on the packaging.
There are many free devicetemplatesavailable for download.
When work is ready to be seen, dont hurry to build a website.
Instead, find a portfolio platform.
Many are free, but not all receive the same amount of traffic.
Choose platforms that are proven to provide maximum exposure.Behanceis the go-to for top-notch creative talent around the world.
Only share high-caliber work.
These could easily become trademarks that lead to more job opportunities down the road.
Devices used in contextual mockups dont need to be overly detailed.
(Patryk Polak)
3.
Reinvent derailed projects
Sometimes, clients cancel projects midway or steer things in unfavorable directions.
Its gut-wrenching, but derailed projects can be fertile ground for new creative possibilities.
By revisiting projects that didnt turn out as intended,designersmay explore alternative approaches and pursue improved outcomes.
For example, Ive revived canceled video projects by combining existing voice-overs with updated visuals.
(Note: Seek client permission before repurposing past projects.)
Derailed projects are fertile soil for new design ideas.
(Markus Spiske)
4.
Share words of encouragement.
Most of all, make exchanges mutually beneficial.
Just see to it that everything is clearly spelled out in a contract.
Dont hesitate to send links to recent projects, especially when they include process shots.
Its easy to forget, but design is a unique profession.
People who arent in the industry enjoy seeing the work it takes to create something out of nothing.
Plus, sending projects demonstrates proactiveness and job-readiness.
Dont be afraid to FaceTime, text, or call old acquaintances when freelancing is slow.
(Annie Spratt)
5.
Say farewell to the comfort zone
The comfort zone is a pleasant place to be.
Everything outside of it?
We humans dont like stress or unfamiliar situations, but a strange thing happens under increased pressure.
Our capacity for the extraordinary expands.
Likewise, designers can challenge themselves to learn new skills, even those that arent design-related.
Its a big world.
Theres much to be discovered.
That said, its not easy to be creative when paying work slows, but its not impossible either.
