what I’ve learned from 15ish years as a freelance Graphic Designer.
1. Never work for free. The offer you get often depends on what you’ve been paid in the past. Also you can’t eat or pay bills with “exposure”.
2. Get EVERYTHING in writing. Don’t wait for them to make a contract and sign it, make a contract and let them sign it. Examples: how much per hour, sick notice, whether you work weekends, how long you’d hold the work you do for them before you put it in your portfolio, what EXACTLY are the deliverables.
3. Now every job can have benefits. With resourses like Obama care or ehealthinsurance.com and sites like betterment, you to can have a 401k and regular docter visits.
Super basic math for newbs
in an ideal world a degree or a decent portfolio should get you at least $20/hr.
$20 = $4, $4, $4, $4, $4. 4 bucks gets put away for self-employment taxes, 4 for housing (or saving for housing if you are living free), 4 for bills, 2 for food, 2 to save for when you aren’t working or if your spleen explodes and 4 to live on.
yes, life is more nuanced and maybe i’m old and out of touch but this has got me where i am today.