To accompany his article, we asked Jeff to provide his tips for success as a freelance visualisation professional.
No one likes to think that their job is on the line – and, in fact, the results of the latest Architectural Vizualisation Industry survey show that the job market is not as bad as many fear.
Only a quarter of studios report feeling the effects of the recession, and the majority expect to hire again in the next two years.
But it never hurts to be prepared. Whether you want peace of mind should your studio need to downside, or actively explore the opportunities that freelance life can bring, the following tips should help you to succeed.
1. Build a fighting fund
First and foremost, start saving! Normally, you should have enough money in your bank account to keep you afloat for two to three months, but if you can, I would suggest six months or more.
2. Formulate a plan
With your financial situation squared away, focus on what you will do when the day comes. Will you strike it out on your own or start to look for work from existing studios?
3. Do your research
Make sure your CV and your portfolio are up to date. Next, start putting together lists of companies you will approach, and find out what types of skills they are looking for.
4. Invest in training
If your skill set is lacking, use any free time you have to get yourself up to speed and look for training that will help you hone those skills.
5. Don't forget traditional skills
This year’s survey indicated that an architectural education, a fine arts education and innate artistic ability were the three most sought-after qualifications. If you don‘t have these, consider a formal qualification.
6. Network actively
Most companies hire by word-of-mouth referrals, so get out there and start marketing yourself. Even if you are not currently in the market, the more people who know you, the better off you will be.
7. Enter contests
Another very useful method to get yourself seen is to enter industry competitions and post your work in image galleries. Thirty one percent of companies indicated they hired based on work they saw there.
8. Develop a business plan
If you want to start your own company, take time now to sort out all of the administrative details, like business licenses, taxes and accounting. If you have to live off savings, you need to spend this time looking for work, rather than sorting out logistics.
9. Build a personal portfolio
If you have been working for someone else, you are unlikely to be able to use that work to market your own company. Start developing a portfolio showcasing several different types of projects and styles.
10. Never steal!
Lastly, even if you are capable of producing the same quality of work, never ‘borrow‘ someone else work and showcase it as your own. It’s done too often in our industry, and will only get you into trouble.
About the author
Jeff Mottle is the president and founder of CGarchitect Digital Media Corporation, the leading online magazine for architectural visualization professionals. He was previously North American production director for Smoothe and business development manager for VisMasters
Visit CGarchitect.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment