Thriving as a Freelancer Event Recap
Welcome to another exciting event recap from the IterateUX blog series! In this recap, we will explore the insights and experiences shared by our amazing speaker, Pamela Hardy. She offers wonderful advice on building a successful UX and Product Design freelancer career. Let’s explore Pamela’s unique perspective on navigating the dynamic world of UX Design freelancing.
About Pamela
Pamela lives in Seattle and is a highly accomplished UX Designer with over 17 years of extensive freelancing experience. Her journey began after earning a bachelor’s degree in visual communication design. Following graduation, she relocated to New York City to launch her UX Design career. Still, she faced challenges due to an economic recession, which led her to start freelancing as a UX Designer. Throughout her career, Pamela has worked with various Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Nordstrom, and Alaska Airlines, demonstrating her expertise and remarkable talent in the field.
Bargaining with Service Contract Fees
Pamela emphasized the importance of being confident in how much you want to earn for each contract or project. In the competitive field of UX Design, negotiate your time and budget carefully. It is essential to remain mindful that clients often operate within limited budgets for compensation and project expenses. Therefore, approach payment discussions with flexibility and do not hesitate to collaborate with multiple clients to diversify your experience and expand your income.
Balancing Multiple Contracts Simultaneously with Time
Pamela advises UX Designers to manage the strict schedules associated with your projects carefully. Some of the projects may involve NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) that prevent you from working with multiple competing companies simultaneously. You may still take on both freelance and contract work as long as it does not breach any agreements.
Freelancing is a Good Start with your Career
Pamela suggests freelancing as an excellent starting point for a career in UI/UX Design. If you are uncertain about which area of UX Design to specialize in, freelancing helps you explore different options. Moreover, freelancing helps you determine the types of interests and skills that align with you. It is also a great way to gain a diverse experience across various industries.
Conclusion
Pamela offered valuable insights and advice drawn from her extensive experience in the world of UX design freelancing. She discussed important topics such as salary negotiation, work-life balance, and the process of launching a UX Design freelance career. Here are the two key takeaways from her event:
- It is important to be confident without crossing into arrogance.
- Embrace a “risk-taking mindset”.
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