working for yourself. (client services)

It seems that a majority of clients looking for some design work to be done will look to freelancers over big design agencies due to financial reasons and to get a more personal experience. If you are looking to be a freelancer, you can expect some clients looking to take you for a bit of a ride and try and squeeze a lot more work out of you than they first requested. So make sure that everything is clear between you both before you begin your deisgn process and mention that if any more work needs doing that the amount they pay you will have to be increased. In some cases especially if its a big job with a great deal to do you should consider taking a deposit to show they are committed completely and to protect yourself.

working for yourself. (job bags)

Job bags can be anything from a folder to something digital, basically it's a place were all the infomation is kept from a job that has been completed. The details normally present in a job bag will include phone numbers, emails, notes, invoices etc. They are there to help freelancers keep track of previous/present clients and the design work they have done for them, it also gives them the option to contact them in the future about for example more possible design work or even just to ask how their design work has helped the company, brand or service.

working for yourself. (setting up as a freelancer)

Unlike in an agency you're on your own as a freelancer so all responsibilities will be your own to deal with. Firstly you would have to think about gathering a reputation for what you do, it is essential if you're looking to be a successful freelancer to promote what you do by creating business cards and an online portfolio. Work won't always come to you, so to get things rolling you may have to make a few calls requesting any design work that a company, brand or service may want doing. In this business it defiantly seems to help if you have contacts that are already established in the design field.

working in an agency. (internal culture)

The internal culture at every design agency will be different, it's just down to you as a designer to be confident that you can work in the environment supplied. Other empolyees at the agency, where abouts its located and what sort of equipment you will be using are a few things which may effect how successful you are at the work placement. It is key that you can still be creative and produce work to a high standard.

working in an agency. (briefs)

Many designers would prefer a written brief over a verbal one because in a sense half of the job is already done with a written one, all you will have to do as a designer is bring there brief to life. Were as with a verbal brief it is down to you to gather the infomation through a conversation(s) with the client demanding the things you want/need to know to begin your design process. This can prove very difficult if the client is unclear with what they want and struggles to hold a conversation. With all briefs it is good to create a proposal which you feel would be more successful than the one stated in the brief, this gives the client another option because not always will they know what they actually want themselves.

working in an agency. (account teams)

It can prove very hard for a desinger especially a freelancer juggling all the financial aspects of working with a client as well as being creative and delivering a design outcome that will fit what they requested. A number of freelancers have looked to hiring an accountant or even an account team to deal with the financials so they can obviously concentrate more on what they do best, designing. Many clients will also have a great deal more confidence in you if you use an accountant/account team.

working in an agency. (timekeeping, dedication, professionalism)

Timekeeping, dedication and professionalism, all three are as important as one another and without these three aspects/skills you will not be a successful designer. Timekeeping is essential because without the skill to meet deadlines and achieve whats been asked of you to a high standard will result in a very unhappy client. As a designer you need to schedule what you need to do by breaking the design work you have recieved into sections, giving yourself enough time to complete it in and well, making sure any possible problems or unexpected issues have been considered. Your dedication will be tested without a doubt at some point as a designer but it will be down to you to reinvent and inspire yourself, you need to enjoy it or your outcomes will start to suffer. Professionalism should be key at any work placement because it will always be expected that you work to the best of your ability. By coming across like this to a client as a designer without a doubt the client will put all their confidence in you to create something that will push forward their ideas and plans for their company, brand or service.