Work: Finding work and finances

Finding Work

• There are a wealth of job boards already out there, including The Dots, Design Jobs Board, TOB Jobs, If You Could, Indeed, LinkedIn, AIGA. 
• If you’re studying, it’s also worth asking if your university has their own creative opportunities website.
• Social media, which can be a worthwhile way to make connections, showcase your portfolio and get in touch directly with employers. 
• The freelance versus full-time question can be a biggie for creatives, and especially hard if you’re just starting out and unsure what kind of working environment suits you.
• Self-employment can offer greater flexibility in hours and more choice in what jobs to take on, the amount of work available is often dependent on the state of the industry, and offers little stability, which is where full-time work can offer more consistency.
• Where you might like to be based? Imagine finding your perfect job, only to find out it’s on the other side of the planet – how would you feel about relocating?
• Think about the kind of setting you thrive in and then consider the location of the jobs you’re looking at. Would you rather work in a city where there tends to be more work available, often with better wages, but living costs more expensive and the competition is higher?
• More jobs offer remote working, and this is particularly the case if you decide to freelance. If that suits you, working from home may be a more viable option.

CV's and Cover Letters

• While it’s common practice to tailor your portfolio to different employers, it’s a good idea to go through the same process with your CV. 
• Cover-letter writing, which truly relies on the art of persuasion. The one resounding piece of advice that employers offer time and again is to make it specific.
• Think of writing cover letters and CVs as a design project – there’s a target audience that you’re communicating to, and the purpose is to sell yourself without sounding like everyone else, so tailor your words to that effect.

Job Interviews 

• First off, you should know that job interviews can really vary; some will feel like informal chats, others will feel like presenting to a judging panel.
• When it comes to questions, while employers will create and personalise questions depending on the values and expectations they have of you and the role, there are a handful of questions that you really need to be prepared for. 
• What attracted you to the role?
• Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
• What was the last thing you saw that really inspired you?
• Where do you see yourself in three years’ time?
• Can you tell us about a time you overcame a challenge in your work?
• Oh, and Inevitably, you’ll also be asked questions you might not be prepared for. 
• And last but not least, they’ll almost definitely ask you if you have any questions for them. Trust us when we say that you don’t want to pass that opportunity up.

A few things to consider 

A word of warning! 

• It’s now become common practice for job interviews to require you to complete a pre-interview task in order to demonstrate your creative skill, in addition to showcasing a portfolio. 
• Watch out for companies that seem like they’re out to exploit you.
• f the work is going to take you much more than a day, or requires a suspiciously large amount of labour that could become free work for them to use, question the motives behind the company’s actions.

A note on rejection 

• The interview process can be nerve-wracking, and getting a ‘No’ can be disheartening and frustrating – we’ve all been there. But know that it’s somewhat inevitable, and the more resilient you become, the more you’ll shine to potential employers. 
• Often, a job rejection just comes down to the fact that you weren’t quite the right fit for the position, which means that you probably wouldn’t have been happy there anyway. 
• Dust yourself off, get back on your feet and put yourself back on the market.

Money isn't everything 

• If you are offered the job, congrats! Now you’ve got to decide whether you’ll take it. Try to think of your first job as the first step in a journey that houses your career. 
• When you’re looking for employment, rather than just focusing on salary, consider what that workplace can offer you.

Money, Money, Money

• While it certainly isn’t everything, we can’t emphasise just how important it is to know your worth and have a handle on your finances.
• While it can be a difficult topic to discuss, the more transparency there is around the subject, the better the chance of earning what you deserve.
• Your job is not a hobby and you need to be paid for your work. If you’re self-employed, it means that you are effectively running a business.
• Making decisions about copyright, licensing, accounting, pensions and more will mean you’re prepared for whatever might come up.
• It’s useful to know the industry rate of pay when determining salary expectations or putting together an estimate for a client.

Contracts and Invoices 

• A contract will protect you when the going gets tough – and believe us, it can. 
• The beauty of a contract is that it’s meant to work on your behalf, outlining the exact duration of the project as well as the expected outcomes from both sides.
• This provides a concrete set of guidelines which can be referred to in times of crisis.
• It’s important that you get your invoice right to make it as easy as possible for people to pay you. 

Make sure you increase the chances of getting paid on time by always including the following information:

• Your name
• The client and project name
• Your address, email and phone number
• Invoice number (you create this)
• The dates and hours you worked
• Your bank details (including IBAN Number)
• Your National Insurance number

Taxes 

• Taxes can be scary, but the best way to avoid tax doom is to be informed. When you have a full-time job, your company will automatically deduct tax from your paycheque.
• This is called PAYE. But if you’re freelance or self-employed in any capacity (even if you do freelance work on the side), you need to register as self-employed  so that you can pay tax on your earnings.
• When it comes to the end of the tax year you’ll need to fill in your tax return, which will determine how much you have to pay. 
• This may also be in addition to any other contributions, such as student loan repayments or pension contributions, dependent on your country.
• Often, freelancers will hire an accountant to help them with their tax return or managing money in general.