I just got laid off and have been full-time most of my career. How do I jump into freelance life?

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Reach out to old colleagues who can help and refer you. It is amazing how people will help you. Have coffee with them, call them - they will be your biggest source of work, even if their company uses recruiters. Don’t sit back and just wait for the recruiters to call. Run yourself like a piece of business.

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Sorry to hear that. You should contact recruiters and if you’re really desperate contact Creative Circle. Contacting agencies directly works too. Also look up talent recruiters at agencies on LinkedIn. Hope this helps! Best of luck!

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I want to second EP1. Contact everyone you’ve ever worked with. Find out who the freelance recruiter is. Try to get face time and meet them. I was in the same situation early this year, and /every/ gig I got was through old coworkers

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Agreed. Don't take any time off.
I got let go on a Wednesday and was freelancing by Monday.
So then your severance becomes a buffer for when freelance slows down.
Once you've got some money in the bank and some freelance connections, then take an unpaid vacation. For now, keep working.

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Agreed.
I started slowly. Reached out to close friends in the industry and friends at agencies I liked. At the same time to other freelancers I was friendly with.

Then it built from there.

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Don’t wait. You’ve at least mentally embraced freelance as a next step, perhaps until you can land full time again. Find the freelance recruiters at agencies you admire, and realize they may not be the same as the full time hiring managers. Get inside as freelance, kickass, make money, and you will build a network and may soon be turning gigs down. Good luck!

Agree with the others. Don’t wait. Call everyone you know. Tell them you’re available. You’ll feel better once you get the ball rolling. ✨👊🏼✨

Agreed. A lot of times it takes time to get a gig. So start ASAP, because you might have a forced vacation already. I typically email 3-4 people a day, then call it a day. That way I can fill out the week with things to do. By the end of the week, I’ve got something cooking. Also realize, certain times of the year are better than others. Sometimes it’s just dead, others you’ll get 10 requests in a day. Realizing that you’ll either be slammed or dead, rather than a steady stream, will better help you plan your year.

Also, stay away from recruiting agencies. For contractual reasons, it will screw you in the end.

And last, always help others find work. Don’t be greedy. It will pay off down the road. It’s all word of mouth.

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