Comments on: The Numbers Aren't Pretty – But Is There An Emotional Toll to Freelancing in a Recession?

By: 40 Freelance Writing Blogs | Freelancing and Outsourcing Tips, Commentary, Analysis, and News from oDesk

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:46:56 +0000

[...] marketer, consultant Love -Copywriting news, trends, humor … and Tom Chandler Read – “The Numbers Aren’t Pretty … ” by T. [...]

By: Russell Cavanagh

Russell Cavanagh — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:01:40 +0000

The dreaded "niche" word comes to mind as a strategy for maintaining value in one's work in these recessionary times. As Henry Ford reputedly said: "A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time" .-= Russell Cavanagh´s last blog ..Work makes free =-.

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:20:42 +0000

You’re certainly touching on some of the differences between freelancers and the “regular” unemployed touched on in the article.

There are perception differences between the two groups, and later in the article, they do explore the support system that exists for those who lose “regular” jobs, and how they’re supported (unemployment, job training programs, etc) while freelancers exist largely outside the system.

By: Gail Kent

Gail Kent — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:04:38 +0000

The thing is, when you become unemployed you have people sympathizing with you because they know you’re out of work. When you’ve been working for yourself, i.e., freelancing, it’s invisible. People don’t realize that you’re hurting unless you tell them. Then if you talk too much about it, you feel like a whiner. And if you’re a PR/marketer, then you worry about giving the impression that, “Well, if she can’t market her own business, how could she help me market mine?”

So you try to keep your mouth closed while declining lunch/dinner invitations with friends and trying not to look rude. And you spend 90% of your time chasing work — writing proposals that get turned down because the formerly interested potential client can’t afford it, or doing more networking, social media, blogging, or speaking, hoping to drum up some biz. It’s really, really hard.

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:21:32 +0000

Roberta Rosenberg: I think we’re always playing off - what do I need vs what do I want - to run my biz and my life. I find it surprising she needs an IPhone rather than a less expensive alternative.

True. My wife and I were looking at our "communications" expenses (phones, broadband, wireless, satellite) and realized just how much it's all costing. And yes, I think the iPhone was a poignant way to illustrate the "fall from the middle class" element of the story. It's an icon.

By: Roberta Rosenberg

Roberta Rosenberg — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:59:20 +0000

@Tom, true, maybe I am grouchy. But having spent several hours reviewing cell plans, I found a very nice one for lots less than an IPhone. I think we're always playing off - what do I need vs what do I want - to run my biz and my life. I find it surprising she needs an IPhone rather than a less expensive alternative. Of course, I don't know what else she has already eliminated. Roberta Rosenberg’s last blog post..Spam Funnies: If you gave a gold fish a bigger instrument …

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:33:16 +0000

Roberta Rosenberg: I have a picture in my mind of one of the freelancers featured in the article. She’s applying for food stamps, but still has her IPhone.

That contrast caught my eye too, though I wonder if it isn't some kind of grouchy person holdover we share from the days when cell phones were toys of the high-powered biz exec - not the working stiff.

Elizebeth: The market was flooded quite a few years back in the training industry and everyone’s daily rate per participant plummeted.

That's certainly been true of the writing field, though it's been at least a decade, and I think there are now more writers looking to make a buck than ever before. That's why my recurring call for readers to become the Value-added Copywriter - a phrase that's hopelessly unhip in today's media landscape, but an idea which can't be ignored given the oversupply of work jockeys.

By: Elizebeth

Elizebeth — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:12:48 +0000

You're dead on with this topic. Business is business and freelancers need to remember this more than other businesses. The market was flooded quite a few years back in the training industry and everyone's daily rate per participant plummeted. It's a weeding out process and also highlights why we all need to work on those "multiple sources" of income. Elizebeth’s last blog post..The Nitty Gritty of Running a Freelance Business: 19 Posts You Need to Read

By: Roberta Rosenberg

Roberta Rosenberg — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:15:37 +0000

You're right about underscoring the business in the relationship of vendor/client. Whatever it is we do as freelancers, solopreneurs or whatever, we need to remember we're running a business, even if it's micro-sized. Meaning sometimes we must do what we must, rather than what we love sometimes - and be hard-nosed about it. I have a picture in my mind of one of the freelancers featured in the article. She's applying for food stamps, but still has her IPhone. !!! Roberta Rosenberg’s last blog post..Spam Funnies: If you gave a gold fish a bigger instrument …