I was one of these people. Having just started my own freelance company, there were areas that I wanted to learn more about. A few unpaid weeks later, I realized that this was a mistake. I met some great people, but my time could have been spent networking on my own terms or focusing on projects. There are some great opportunities out there if you’re in an “in-between” position, but make sure you know what you’re looking to get out of it and then make sure you get it. I know a lot of people in the this position and I come to you now with a few words of wisdom:

1.0 If you’re going to make a mistake, at least get paid for it
At one point, I took an unpaid internship and hoped to learn more about a relatively new way of interacting with others online. The internship promised real world experience, conferences, networking opportunities, and a case study that I could show to potential employers. The opportunities seemed to make up for the few unpaid hours I would be putting in each week and I happily accepted. One thing after another fell through and not only did I have nothing to show, I had done some design work for free.

If you’re going to take an unpaid internship or position, make sure that there is a payoff of some kind. Are they paying your way into events? Will you be involved in projects that you would otherwise be unable to do? What do you gain? Make sure they follow through on their promises.

If you are doing specialty work (design, for example) for the organization, set up a system where you will get paid for the extra work. The work you do as part of the internship should be clearly defined and any work outside of that should be discussed ahead of time.

Research the company or person you are talking to and see if they can help you add valuable experience to your resume. One easy way to do this is to check out the Better Business Bureau.  Too many people get by with getting “free work” while you waste your time and energy with nothing to show in the end.  In my case, I at least learned what not to do.

2.0 Be social
Don’t be shy about keeping in touch with the people you meet. These people are potentially great resources that could help you in the future. You never know where you will be or what situations will arise and it never hurts to know as many people as possible – especially in the field you want to be in.

If  you do follow up with contacts, you want to keep things positive. Things didn’t work out with the position? Those details don’t need to be shared unless they directly effect things moving forward. It’s important to keep your personal life and business life separate to some degree.

Also, you should never “steal” contacts. Make an effort to meet people on your own and form your own relationships with them.

3.0 Don’t ignore opportunities
It’s easy to become attached to a position and team – especially in the unique environment of a start-up. You’ll be working hard and closely with your new colleagues and you’ll all be putting more of yourselves into your work. While I am a huge supporter of staying dedicated to your team, I am also aware that there are always great opportunities out there. Any team will understand your desire to take a chance on what could be an exciting new turn in your career – especially one that pays.

4.0 Soak it in
In an internship, you should be learning. Getting coffee or running errands, while a part of any job, doesn’t ultimately prepare you to move on. You want to work with and for a leader who will guide you. You will make mistakes – that’s part of an internship, too. Ask questions and use this time to learn as much as possible.

5.0 Be good
Be a good worker. Even if the gig is a bust, you will most likely have worked hard enough to learn something or have something to show for your time. Be a good person. Don’t just get to know people because they might be able to help you in the future – actually get to know people just to know them. At the same time, be someone worth getting to know. Help other people along the way. The biggest gain from any situation I’ve been in has been the friendships I’ve walked away with.

* Image found via ffffound

I also teach yoga. I target shoot (give me a 9mm. and I’ll be happy). I go to as many live concerts as possible. The mere sight of Sephora makes me giddy (and glittery, by the end of a visit). I love winding around back roads with the windows down. Last night, I joined a fight club.

None of these things really go together, and they definitely don’t fit into my design world. That’s the point. If all I did was design all day and night, I would be facing a quick and recurring burn out. With the deadlines, fatigue, meetings, and business aspect of freelancing, I need to be able to step away and let my mind relax now and then. Even though my brain is saying to keep working, some of my best ideas come from these times away from my computer. Staring at a design for hours doesn’t usually help me, the design, or the client.

Another benefit of being involved in so many different things is that I learn to see a variety of aesthetics and environments. Want to know how design for people? Get to know people. The inner city gym guys, my fashionista single ladies, moms of all ages, and my flower loving hippie friends all offer me new ways of looking at the world around me. They give me color palettes I would never use on my own (I just used yellow for the first time in a design) and they have information that would take me hours to research. I am challenged in new ways and stretched as a person and as a designer.

Whether you design or not, I would encourage you to do something completely unexpected and new. Get away from your desk, your work, and maybe even your friends for a while. Talk to a stranger next to you at a show, join a fitness class, or go to an unusual event. Learn how to cook, draw, or throw a mean punch. I can guarantee that you’ll meet some interesting people and possibly learn more than you expect. I’d love to hear about the experiences you have!

Some places to start:
Wild Goose Creative
Ohio Fight Club
Junctionview Studios
Justice Gardens

*Photo via Ffffound.

Yes, you can work in your pajamas.
You can work in sweatpants, or the jeans you’ve worn for three days and it never matters. Right now, it is almost 1:00 in the afternoon and I have yet to change. The catch: it’s not always by choice. I’ve been working steadily since 6:30 this morning, coordinating with clients, preparing documents, and sending out proofs. Wearing sweatpants is comfortable and makes sense, but I personally miss getting ready for the day sometimes. And, it’s awkward if anyone comes to the door.

Yes, you can sleep in as late as you want.
But you’re still on a deadline. Your clients, for the most part, are still going to be working normal business hours. While I personally work better late at night, it isn’t always the best option for my clients. If they need to contact me, or I have a question, it helps to be on similar schedules. If I ever sleep in, it is usually during a stage of the project that involves little client communication, or after working a 12 hour day. Sometimes you get up early and stay up late – for days at a time. This isn’t the art school, “those were the days” late nights, either. These are the nights where your eyes and back hurt, your creativity has been zapped, and the deadline is getting closer and closer. Working as a freelancer involves serious commitment, discipline, and sometimes, sacrifice.

You work whenever you want.
Much like the previous statement, this can be completely true. And it can hurt your business. Clients want people that they can contact easily. That has occasionally meant taking phone calls earlier or later than normal business hours, or even on the weekends. I would definitely suggest setting up contact hours and enforcing them (holding both yourself and your client to them). If you want to work into the night, great, but it’s also good to be available when your client has a question the next morning. My schedule is typically fairly flexible, so I enjoy grabbing coffee or running errands in the afternoon. I’ve had some really cool opportunities that I wouldn’t have had with other jobs. One of the most important things you can learn is time management.

It is so fun.
Finally, I get to run projects. I get to concept them, meet with clients, research cool concepts, and learn new things every single day. I actually get to be creative! I have the freedom to try new things and experiment. That said, I have also had to learn about the financial aspect of owning a small business. I literally fell asleep reading about it all. I’ve had some amazing opportunities and met some great people, but I’m also the one who has to deal with the difficult clients and any problems that might come up. If there is a computer problem, file issue, difficult client, printing issue, or lack of creativity, I have to deal with it. I’ve had more fun in the past few months than I’ve had in years of working for other people, but, I’ve been through more stress, too.

You get to do whatever you want!
You have complete creative freedom over the projects that come your way. Until your client has an idea. As a designer, I feel like my most important responsibility is to create something that the client feels good about. That has meant that some of my favorite designs have never gone beyond the concept stage. As a designer, I have certain standards that I stick it to. I have a lot more freedom than I have previously had, but it doesn’t mean that the clients aren’t going to express their opinions and have requests as well. Some of the best advice I’ve received was to “Fall in love with your client”. You have to know them, be their biggest supporter, and really want their brand to show through. That definitely doesn’t mean that you can let a client walk all over you, but you have to remember who you’re doing the work for.

I didn’t write any of this trying to discourage someone from trying their hand at freelancing or going out on their own. My goal here was to be really honest about what it actually means to work on your own. It’s one of the most educational and enjoyable things I’ve done thus far. It is also one of the toughest, most challenging, and most stressful. It isn’t for the lazy, uninspired, shy, or weak. If you are considering going out on your own, there are tons of useful programs and sites out there to help. I’d be happy to answer any questions or send along any tips. One of the biggest favors you can do for yourself is to network – both offering and accepting help. Good luck!