Design Firm Vs. Freelance?
It’s graduation season, which means many students are exploring the different career paths they could take as a Graphic Designer.
A question many design students ask themselves when starting out is whether they should jump into the world of freelancing or work at an established agency. While this is a personal decision and everyone is going to have different opinions on the matter, here’s what I have observed from my time working in the industry so far.
Having worked as a freelancer for quite a few years, I can tell you that it definitely has its perks; the biggest for me personally is the flexibility. Being able to chose your own hours and the type of projects you want to be working on is great. Since most of a Graphic Designers’ work is done on a computer, you’re able to work from almost anywhere.
Freelancing does have its drawbacks though. It takes a lot of work to get your name out there and get enough work to support yourself. The stress of not knowing exactly when your next paycheck is coming might not be worth it for some, and since the hours aren’t always set, it can also be hard to get away from work, as opposed to working 9 to 5.
The most notable and enjoyable difference I’ve experienced during my time working at Deschenes Regnier is being able to collaborate with other people, which I think is very important in any design industry. Being able to bounce ideas between different people is a great way to drive creativity and work with people that have different strengths and expertise. I have also had more time to actually design, since I’m not the one dealing with clients, doing administrative work or answering emails all day like I was while working on my own.
After all is said and done, one isn’t better then the other. Everybody has his or her own preferred way of working and it’s up to you to figure out what kind of environment drives your creativity.
For my own career development, I believe working at Deschenes Regnier is the right choice because not only do I get to spend more time designing, I get the opportunity to work alongside a great team, and to learn from their experiences. In my time working here I’ve had the opportunity to work on a vast array of projects for different types of clients, which keeps things exciting because it ensures that no two days are the same!