Freelancing in the Creative Industries
^^Freelancing:^^
- Freelancing means working for someone on a short, fixed-term contract, to do a task before moving on to the next
- 91% of people in the film are freelance
- Freelancing fields in media:
- Film
- TV
- Radio
- Animation
- Graphic design
- Web design
| }}Positives}} | [[Negatives[[ |
|---|
| Freelancers usually get paid more than permanent staff | You have to take responsibility for your finances (invoicing, tax, etc.) |
| Freelancers pay less tax | No protection, you don’t get paid when you’re sick |
| You can ‘be your own boss’ | No holiday pay, if you take a break, you make no income |
| Easy to get out of bad jobs | No maternity pay |
| Quicker to get promoted | No pension |
| Freedom to take time off | Difficult to get credit (mortgage) |
^^Reasons why employers like freelancers:^^
- They can choose how long they pay people
- They can bring in specialist skills their permanent staff don’t have
- They pay for the job ensuring it gets completed on budget
- They are cheaper than staff because they don’t have to pay sick pay, maternity pay, or pension
^^Different types of freelancing:^^
- Freelance paye:
- You are on a freelance contract but are taxed at the source
- No need to deal with HMR
- You have the insecurity but not the increased pay of other freelancers
- You get some of the benefits:
- Sick pay
- Holiday pay
- Sole trader:
- You register yourself as self-employed with the HMRC
- It’s the easiest system to set up and manage
- If the ‘company’, loses money it comes from your pocket
- Limited Company:
- The most common structure for freelancers
- You register your ‘business’ and have to file company accounts
- You get the credibility of being a registered company
- There is more financial paperwork to deal with
- You have to pay corporation tax
- What to bring:
- CV
- Showreel
- Notes
- Portfolio:
- Photographs
- Written work
- Before the Interview:
- Check:
- What to wear
- How will you get there
- What is the contact name
- Find out what the interview will consist of:
- Face-to-face interview
- Panel interview
- Group interview
- Online interview
- Tests/exam
- Interview Questions:
- Planning your answers:
- Tell them about your skills
- Link your answers to the job spec
- Show them you’ve done your research
- Show them you’re passionate
- Bring in info, not on your CV
- To succeed in interviews you need to demonstrate:
- You have the skills to perform the job
- You are passionate about the company
- You are passionate about the industry
- Illegal personal questions:
- Race
- Sex
- Religion
- National origin
- Age
- Disability
- Marital/family status
- Most questions fall into three categories:
- Questions about you (+ the job)
- Questions about the company
- Questions about the industry
^^Transferable Skills:^^
- Transferable skills are general skills you can use in many jobs
- They enable you to be adaptable and flexible in case you need to change your job
- You gain these skills from:
- Previous jobs
- Projects
- Voluntary work
- Sports
- Your home life
- Hobbies
- Interests
- Transferable skills:
- Communication Skills
- Having a good telephone manner
- Being able to speak clearly and concisely
- Being able to listen to others and expressing interest in what they’re saying
- Persuading and negotiating with others
- Teamwork
- Delegating tasks to the right people with the right skills
- Making sure everyone understands their role and responsibilities
- Giving constructive feedback and support
- Creating enthusiasm and initiative within a team
- Self Motivation
- Work longer and later than others
- Seek out opportunities to learn new skills
- Take ownership of problems
- Go above and beyond a job description
- Creative Problem-solving
- Evaluate information or a situation
- Analyze why things are going wrong
- Think of different ways to fix the problem
- Choose the most cost-effective, most time-effective solution
- Working to deadlines
- Research skills
- Writing skills
- Leadership skills
- Multi-tasking
- Teaching
- Retail
- Marketing
- Charities
- Sales
- Recruitment
- Government / Civil Service
- Publishing
- Post Grad
^^Types of Virtual Interviews:^^
- Live Interview:
- Similar to a face-to-face interview
- Real-time interview
- Platforms such as:
- Skype
- Zoom
- Google Hangouts
- Microsoft Teams
- Pre-recorded:
- You won’t speak to a real person
- You are presented with some pre-recorded or written questions on the screen
- Your answer is recorded
| }}Positives}} | [[Negatives[[ |
|---|
| Saves time for both organization and the interviewee | You need a computer/ laptop/smartphone |
| No geographical restrictions | Connection issues |
| Reduces cost of travel | Some people are not comfortable “on camera” |
| Interviews could be recorded and compared | Possible interruptions |
| Can be arranged after hours | Challenging to build rapport |
^^The Interview:^^
- Step 1: Prepare for interview questions:
- Do your research
- Know why you want the position
- Review the job description and personal specification
- Familiarise yourself with your application and CV
- Step 2: Prepare your interview space:
- Find a quiet space
- Check internet connection
- Check your audio is working
- Check your camera is working and if it’s well positioned, close to eye level
- Face your lighting if possible
- Check your background
- On the day:
- Dress professionally
- Remind members of your household that you have an interview
- Ensure you are positioned correctly, head and shoulders in the camera frame
- Speak to the panel