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The Freelance Design Community, Are You Part Of It?

Written on 20 October 2011, published in Freelancing

As freelance designers we’re very lucky. We get to choose our work schedule, our clients and our place of work. We’re also very lucky to have such a great community, online and off, but while we all know how great freelancing can be, working alone can sometimes be a bit lonely, frustrating or even downright boring . Every now and again we need the help of another like minded soul. So “who you gonna call?” the freelance community!

Are you part of it, do you have access, have you paid your quota? The only requirement for entry is a willingness to participate and of course to learn. Who better to learn from than from your peers?

Being objective about your own work can sometimes be difficult, a second opinion can come in handy. If you don’t have a partner or design friend around to bounce ideas off, then a design community can be an extraordinary help. People like to give a hand where they can. If you’re really lucky you may even find yourself a mentor!

Strength in numbers

Photo Credit: Cloud

One of the great things about an online community is the perspective it can give you. People come from all walks of life and from countries that perhaps you’ve never even heard of.

If you’re having a hard time, or you feel like you’re being dumped on by a client or even by the taxman, I can guarantee that you’re not the only one. Someone, somewhere is going through the same thing or worse. Maybe they can even help you with your problem. There’s strength in numbers and knowing that someone has your back, even if only virtualy can be big help in those moments of uncertainty.

Mentors and Groups

Photo Credit: Vancouver Film School

Fresh freelancers can feel a little lost. We all appreciate a guiding hand to show us the way. If you work on your own, chances are you won’t have someone you can just tap on the shoulder. Building an online mentor relationship can be a rewarding experience for both. Do bare in mind though, that a mentor doesn’t make a living from being a mentor (unless he does!) so don’t bombard him or her with constant emails. Try and save them up a little. Most times people will tell you if they are too busy to help, don’t take it personally just be patient.

Most people are only too happy to help. If you don’t manage to find a mentor, don’t dispair. Sign yourself up to specific groups and get involved, you’ll find that there will be plenty of freelancers willing to offer up advice and give you a shoulder to cry on, or even to congratulate you on a job well done!

Places of community

Photo Credit: Jesslee Cuizon

So where are these magical online havens?  Are you in need of a place to rest your weary head? There are hundreds, probably even thousands of freelance sites and forums. Just try typing “Freelance Forum” into Google and you’re going to get a lot of sites to try out.

To be honest I only use two. You get to know the people a little and you like the way their articles are written or you simply love the design! Whatever the reason, once you find a good place to hang out, stay and take part. You’ll make some useful contacts,

Join in with debates and leave feedback. Make sure you have a Gravatar, so that people can easily identify you. If you don’t already have one be sure to check out Why every freelancer needs a Gravatar, or how to establish your online identity

The two freelance sites I use are below, for everything else I tend visit the usual suspects…Smashing Magazine etc.

Freelance Mingle

This is a great place to start. Why,? It’s fresh and new, and full of young designers and coders wanting to help each other. As it’s so new it’s still easy to identify everyone and pretty much know what they do. Be sure to sign up for an account before the boom kicks in. Freelance Mingle has user created groups, a forum and blog. I’m sure there will be new things to come as it’s creator Kayla Knight is doing a sterling job at keeping the ball rolling. Get involved from the beginning, and say “I was there”.

Freelance Switch

Freelance Switch is known by all, it’s a hive of activity for the freelance community. It’s articles tend to be geared towards the freelance writer, but it has something for everyone. It has an active jobs board, forum, blog, resources page and podcasts page. Being so popular it may be a little harder to establish yourself as a regular, but the amount of information available makes it a must for any freelancer looking for information and a sense of community.

If you have any other great freelance sites that you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment below. Had a good or bad experience on a freelance site? Share your story with us below.

Good Luck

Main Photo Credit: Niall Kennedy