FREELANCER RESOURCES

It's interesting how the blog world works. I just read this great post from NOUPE that lead me to the Design Cubicle, which sent me to the Freelance Switch Web site. Freelance Switch grabbed their idea for the list from the I Help You Blog.

However the final links and blogs come about, this link to "101 Essential Freelancing Resources" is a great source for any designer, especially students looking at getting into the freelance design market.

101 Essential Freelancing Resources

Section titles to the content include:

Timing
These are tools to help you time and track your work.

Invoicing
When you don’t invoice, you don’t get paid, so it literally pays to stay on top of your billing.

Project Management and Organization
These resources will help you stay organised and manage those projects and clients.

Stock Libraries
Templates, Photos, Flash files all to help make you look good.

Business Tools
Resources to help with the business of freelancing.

Legal
Because you have to protect yourself and your work.

Job Boards
A whole bunch of places to find jobs.

Web Tools
Tools to get your Web Presence Up and running.

Advertising and Marketing
A few ways to market and advertise yourself online.

Miscellaneous
All the many things we couldn’t fit anywhere else!

Check it out.

-Daniel

FINDING A JOB

With the economy in dire straights and companies across design industries announcing freelance hiring freezes, this seems like a good time to offer up some valuable ways for our current and past students to find potential employment.

One of the questions students ask me on a regular basis is "How do I find a job in the design industry?"

This is always a great question, and I want to offer some links on where to look if you're one of our students who already has a portfolio and a bit of experience.

Indeed.com is a link that was just sent to me by John Avakian, Statewide Director of the Multimedia & Entertainment Initiative. Indeed.com is a great resource. Go to the site and type in "freelance design" or "freelance graphic"and "California" and take look at the large number of jobs (163) that pop up in the search results.

For local work, craigslist Chico is a great site to check on a regular basis. I check the site at least once a week, and often end up sending e-mails to students I think might be interested in specific postings.

Checking today, there are postings for: (School Portrait Photographer), (Wedding Photographer), (Apparel Graphic Designer), (Web Graphic Designer), (Sign Maker Assistant).

Below is a list of design and technology related job links:

Craigslist Chico: local jobs. Click California and then "art/media" to see recent jobs.

Creative Hotlist: Jobs for creative professionals and portfolio site.

Reel Exchange: A professional networking website connecting film and video professionals with clients and collaborators.

KROP: Creative and Tech jobs

Computer Love/Coroflot: Design and Tech jobs.

GURU: Providing/connecting freelancers for design projects

HOW design magazine: job bank and portfolio resources.

Indeed: Design jobs

While I'm listing job sites, I think it's also important to give some links for agencies (temp agencies) that hire temporary and full-time positions for the design industries:

Aquent: Check out the agencies video resources.

Big Creative: Freelance, Project-based, Permanent

Visuals: Freelance and direct-hire for creatives.

Artisan Creative: Finding jobs for top creative talent

The Creative Group: Marketing and advertising jobs

If you have any links for creative jobs that aren't listed here, send them our way.

-Daniel