Education for a freelance career

[FabM]

I´m a fulltime employee and also a fulltime student in university who is burned out from classes.

I´m taking film and multimedia communications, i´m in the 3rd and last year but i still have a bunch of classes from the past 1st and 2nd year to finish but i´m not in the mood to finish them in the future.

I´m still 26 years old but as far as my knowledge that i got from college goes i feel it´s too less to enter an agency. I can´t have time to build a portfolio since i also work full time in a job not related to this industry.

My desire is to work as a freelancer since i think the lifestyle suits me although i think it´s hard but it´s also getting hard to improve my skills so that i can work in an agency. (I´m speaking of web design/graphic design).

I feel i don´t have much time if i want to start making money and leave my job and fullfill my dreams as a freelancer and i wnated to ask the more experienced guys here if i should drop out of college or not?

I don´t have much more motivation to keep spending tuition fees and doing just projects for classes. I have more motivation to dedicate myself at home improving my skills. As i´m writing this i´m doing some PS tutoriais which i have spent doing for the past 3 weeks...i´m working almost 4 hours per day on this.

I really want to be very good at Web Design/Graphic Design but i don´t want to go through the college way.

[jAQUAN]

The key thing you want to take away from college is the education. Experience can be gained working for agencies. Experience is required in order to embark on a freelance career.

Freelance doesn't just mean rolling out of bed at noon and working in your boxers. You have to handle all meetings, pitches, finances and taxes in addition to the work. Most all of that experience is best learned while working for an agency/in-house department. Everyone wants to work from home but it's an earned luxury. Starting out in freelance is like starting out as an abstract painter. One would need to excel at objective painting first.

I'd focus as much energy and free time as possible into finishing school. The days will go by either way. You'll either have a degree in a year or you wont. If there is time left, work on a portfolio. It doesn't have to be assigned or contract work, just stuff that shows you can think and learn. With a decent portfolio, there's no reason you can't switch to an agency job while finishing school.

[Napalm]

My advice would be to go work for the biggest scheisster you can find. You'll learn how not to do business - which is vital.

[justice strike]

Freelance doesn't just mean rolling out of bed at noon and working in your boxers. You have to handle all meetings, pitches, finances and taxes in addition to the work. Most all of that experience is best learned while working for an agency/in-house department. Everyone wants to work from home but it's an earned luxury. Starting out in freelance is like starting out as an abstract painter. One would need to excel at objective painting first.

oh man... here i was thinking i could get some shortcuts... this is a real bummer...

Seriously i do think it depends on the country and the market, easiest is to work for someone it's alot less stressfull.

[_Ric_]

If you don't have the motivation to finish your education, it makes me wonder if self employment is really for you. Things you absolutely need in abundance to run your own freelance business are motivation, determination and perserverence. On top of that you need the skills, experience and good contacts to get jobs that pay well.

And keep in mind that, although it can be a nice lifestyle, it is also a lot of hard work with no guarantee of a stable income, no pension plan, no sick pay - and it can be difficult getting a mortgage, never mind paying it. And don't forget that working from home can get quite lonely (You may get so bored you resort to answering posts in the coffee lounges of internet forums to add a bit of excitement to your day! ). I generally work well on my own, but many people need social interaction to work well.

My personal advice - finish your education, get a relevant job, then use your experience and contacts you have acquired through your job to set up a freelance business later on.

[FabM]

The motivation i have is to improve my skills but because time is short at the moment i can´t do that for now because i work and study full time.

My motivation to work as a freelancer is because of the freedom and the possibilty to work where i want. I love to travel and this is a great opportunity to travel when i want and not when i go on vacations from the company.

Life is too short to be stuck working for another.

Like i said i already work and get the benefits that come with it like health insurance. I could start freelancing on the side before i turn to frrelancing full time.

[_Ric_]

I could start freelancing on the side before i turn to frrelancing full time.

That would be a good idea, if you can fit it all in. Switch to full time freelancing when your freelance income rises to point that gives you enough confidence to go at it full time.

[gerbick]

I started freelancing while in college. Kept it up until one day I had more freelance work than my daytime work - and it paid better. I started to seek more contracts and gotten to a point of consultancy for years... only to revert back a full-time with side-contracts.

As it stands, freelance is highly misunderstood. You quickly become your own: CPA, salesman, boss, worker, engineer, motivator and above all... your own burden. And if you cannot be arsed to work harder or finish things - in regards to your education - then I'd say don't go that route until you've shown more promise in the area(s) of self-starting, I'd say go the slow-role.

A leap of faith at this moment is not worth it. And I say that due to the fact that you're asking here at FK as well as seem to be second-guessing things... as well as the pervasive economic situations. You'd be short-selling yourself just to stay afloat if you do not have a body of work to showcase or any other leverage such as experience.

Regardless; good luck on your future endeavors. I'll be re-entering full-time freelance in a few months after finishing up some side-projects and getting my framework for a few ideas in place.

[creativeinsomnia]

My personal advice - finish your education, get a relevant job, then use your experience and contacts you have acquired through your job to set up a freelance business later on.

Excellent advice.

Get a job in the industry, learn the different positions in and out because you'll be responsible for all of them when you're a freelancer.

Make connections and dont burn bridges. I didnt know anybody in the industry when i first started, and now I have a connection into every ad agency in town if I ever needed a job. I cant count how many freelance clients I have gained from former co-workers.

Experience is key, dont overlook it and try to ride without training wheels.

Also, if you dont think you can improve your skills enough to work at an agency, how do you expect to gain any freelance clients?

[FabM]

Excellent advice.

Also, if you dont think you can improve your skills enough to work at an agency, how do you expect to gain any freelance clients?

I´m just lacking in time to dedicate myself improving my skills because most of the time i´m working or i´m in classes. The freetime i have is to do uni work.

Anyway this year only finishes in the summer, then i will see what can i do when the college year starts again in October.

Thanks for your great advice.