It is hard being a self-employed, freelance graphic designer, having to be fully reliant on yourself to do the countless things that come with the ‘status’, to enable you to even be able to earn a living (i’ll save these details for another blog post!). It is non-stop, demanding and can feel quite solitarily at times, but that also forces you to make the most of any free time you have. With all the hard work of having to do everything yourself, getting things accomplished feels even more rewarding. While it differs from person to person, I always felt there were more pros than cons to working for yourself in the long run, as while the road is long (very long), you never know what opportunities may be around the corner. It is a some-what spontaneous (for lack of a better word) life-style if you like and that’s what makes it most interesting.
Along the way, we all need a help in hand and just over a year ago I was lucky enough to come across the Graphic Design Forums and after browsing through multiple threads consisting of a wealth of knowledge, I felt I had to sign up immediately. They pride themselves on being a friendly forum and it is the perfect place for sharing help, tips, advice or even just to be able to chat with like-minded people. It is a community I am grateful to be a part of and my only regret was not discovering them many years ago!
I have always wanted to work for myself and circumstances (*cough* recession *cough*) lead me down that path maybe sooner than I had planned, but everything happens for a reason. I believe hard work and determination can only lead to success, it is just a matter of time, persistence and patience. Whatever your ‘employment status’, I believe the most important thing is to do what you love and work in a way that most suits you, as that is the only way you can truly be efficient at what you do. When you can look forward to waking up on a busy Monday morning, you know you are doing things right for yourself. That to me is the difference between having a job and having a career.
Well done my son this is a brilliant write up, very interesting to read. You sound like a very level headed young man.
I wish you all the very best for the future and hope the jobs keep coming your way for a long time to come.
Your designs are wonderful, your explanation of being a self employed graphic designer is amazing and detailed. I know you will be a successful designer.
All the best