Comments on: Full-Time Designers Should Do (SOME) Side Work

By: Adam Darowski

Adam Darowski — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:42:56 +0000

That’s true, Josh. Also, I think it’s pretty rare that someone does—for a living—what they would do on the side as a hobby. I think it throws people off a bit to even hear that.

By: Joshua Porter

Joshua Porter — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:04:45 +0000

Nice post!

I wonder if its also a difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation…unless you are intrinsically motivated you really won’t take the time to learn on your own. Instead, you’ll just do what you’re told, saving your energy for whatever your other passions might be.

And your point about expanding your network is right on…it’s essentially building a parachute for that day when you do leave, for whatever reason.

By: Adam Darowski

Adam Darowski — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:22:20 +0000

Ed: Thanks for sharing that. Out of curiosity, did you give that feedback to the company (that you weren’t interested because of the freelance limitation)?

By: zibba

zibba — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:15:37 +0000

I was contacted about a job at a local design firm over the summer. Sounded interesting as I spoke with the owner over the phone. Everything seemed great until she told me that there was no outside work (freelance) allowed while I would be working there. She wanted me to be giving “100%” to the company, which at the time, I was unwilling to do, due to the many freelance opportunities I had in front of me. It surprised me a bit as well, to hear this come from an agency like that. While I understand they want your full attention, to completely cut you off from other work seems a bit narrow-minded. (If it interferes with your full-time job status, that’s a completely different story) Maybe she had problems or had been burned by allowing that in the past, but as a designer, even at an agency where you would work with different clients, I feel that picking up side jobs and freelance is part of our life blood. Like Adam mentions, it’s the stuff that introduces us to knew things, or keeps us fresh in some of the daily work we do. In the end, what is the difference between taking a class and doing freelance beyond the money going different ways? I don’t see one. Great topic AD, I’d gather there are alot of companies that don’t see the difference doing side work can make in your full-time gig.

By: k00k

k00k — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:18:57 +0000

I think the biggest take away from this is if you work for a company that’s not letting you better yourself in every way possible, they’re not really getting the big picture and you probably want to think about new horizons. The better the employee, the better the organization.