Can Freelancers Collect Unemployment?

Drastic times call for drastic measures. I don't know about you, but in my book, collecting unemployment qualifies as a drastic measure. To date I have been asked by four freelancers whether or not we can collect unemployment benefits from agencies that have issued us W-2s (technically it would only be the last agency that issued you a W-2). The contention being that because we are classified as "temporary employees" who receive W-2s (and not freelancers who receive 1099s) we are legally entitled to receive unemployment compensation. To be honest with you, I have no idea. So I asked around and did some reading.

Want to know more about basic eligibility requirements in the State of Connecticut? Click here to access the CT Department of Labor website.

There is a lot of information there - too much to repeat here, and a lot of the info is based on individual situations. Note that you must attend a hearing at your local unemployment office to determine your eligibility for benefits. This hearing is very informal, usually held at the desk of an unemployment coordinator, where both the person filing for unemployment and a representative from the company they are claiming benefits from must be present. Mmmmmm, cozy.

Maybe the question isn't "can freelancers collect unemployment?" Maybe it's "SHOULD freelancers collect unemployment?" Personally, I wouldn't do it even if I were legally able to do so. My fear is that the agency bean counters would hold a grudge, and my name would end up on a "blacklist" - forever banned from that agency. Yes, I know that isn't fair play on the agencies part, but life ain't fair brothers and sisters. Note that this is my suspicion. I AM NOT STATING FACT. However, I have heard rumors of freelancers being blackballed in the past for trying to claim benefits from agencies. Also, given the current economic situation, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a bean counter fight tooth and nail to hold on to every last penny an agency has. Again, I'm not stating facts, just my take on things. In the end, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

So my advise to all you freelancers is to definitely file for unemployment! That way, if you get banned forever it will mean more potential work for me. If you do receive benefits and don't get banned then that means I can get unemployment too. See? It's a win-win situation for "The Slim One". Ahhhh, freelancers helping freelancers. Just the way it ought to be!

In all seriousness, if you have filed a claim, or are thinking about filing a claim please post a comment and let us know the details of the outcome. It will be most helpful to read about other freelancers experiences with this issue.
Thanks,
Slim

Liar, Liar...

In the past few weeks I've been visiting quite a few illustration and design websites. When I find an especially talented or successful artist, I like to check out their profiles to see where they went to school, and what clients they have worked for. LinkedIn is another site I have been exploring. As you probably already know, LinkedIn is a professional networking website where you can post your resume, and keep connected with your coworkers, both past and present.

Some statistics say that over 50% of people take certain... "creative liberties" with their resume. But it's always amusing when you find someone getting a little too creative with their history and credentials - especially when "creativity" becomes blatant fiction. For example, I found a young lady (24 y.o.) residing in the great state of Texas who claims to be an "award-winning designer". Wow, I wonder what awards she has won? Come to find out it was an award she received in college for her year book, or a student art show, or some such nonsense. Hey, I won third place in the Pinewood Derby when I was in the Boy Scouts! Does that mean I'm an "award-winning designer" too?

Another favorite of mine is when I see employment dates that completely conflict, or huge career advancements that make no sense whatsoever. I read a resume of a SVP, Creative Director in Chicago who stated that his first job was an Associate Creative Director position which he held for 2 years. A position that he somehow landed 2 years before graduating with his BFA. Wow. That is soooo spooky. ME TOO!

The best is when folks fib about their technical abilities. I found an older gentleman (mid 50s) here in the Northeast who outlined in great detail how proficient he is with manipulating digital content. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Painter, Quark, and Corel Draw were all listed as "known applications". Then I saw his portfolio. Right. Hey, I'm no digital DiVinci, but I'm thinking that this guy has a hard time opening Photoshop, let alone color correcting an image. As chef Gordon Ramsey would say, "It's fucking dire mate".

I guess if public humiliation is your bag then you can make as many wild claims as you want. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to the Oscars to accept my award. After that I'll head on over to my 75th high school reunion where I'll let all of my old classmates know that I've just accepted the appointment of Viceroy to the Republic of Rhodesia. Feel free to flood my inbox with all of the accolades and encomia which I so richly deserve!

The 2009 Macworld Convention

I know there are a lot of freelancers who don't care about the latest technological trends, or bother about the latest computer hardware or software. Not me. I'm a Mac geek. I don't put that on my resume, but it has helped me over the years on countless occasions. One thing I look forward to each year is the Macworld convention. Apple uses Macworld (and the Worldwide Developers Conference) as a platform to launch new products and tout how great they are. Now I'm in the market for a new computer so I have a keen interest in what's on deck. Since Apple introduced it's latest desktop model (the Mac Pro) one year ago, I figured that it's well past due for Apple to announce "the next big thing". Guess I figured wrong.

Well, the 2009 Macworld convention was a joke. This was Apples last appearance at a Macworld convention, and they certainly didn't go out with a bang (Steve Jobs didn't attend due to health reasons). Minor software upgrades and another laptop model was all that was announced. I fell asleep halfway through the keynote live feed.

Over the past 5 or 6 years I have been consistently underwhelmed with Apple's desktop offerings. Yes, the G5 and Mac Pro were a significant advancement over the G4, but these advances came at a snails pace compared to the PC platform. Steve Jobs made the claim that Apple would produce a G5 computer that would break the 3GHz barrier back during a keynote presentation in June 2003 at the Worldwide Developers Conference. That claim never came true for the Power Mac G5. The 3GHz barrier was finally surpassed on January 8th of 2008 (the last desktop release to date) in an Intel-based Mac Pro. It took Steve Jobs 5 years and 9 model releases to live up to his claim! And this is olny one of many examples which has earned Apple the reputation of overpromising and underdelivering.

So what does any of this have to do with freelancing? I'll answer my question with a question. Have you ever seen a progress bar, or a spinning beach ball on your computer screen? I have, and it bugs the shit out of me. While I have no control over what computer I work on at an agency, I can control what I work on at home. And for those times I'm working at home I want the fastest, most stable machine possible so I don't have to deal with progress bars and application crashes. Since Apple has the graphic design market cornered I'd really like for them to live up to all their wild claims of producing "the fastest", "the best", or even "the next big thing" when it comes to desktop computers.

Unfortunately, I'll probably end up with some half-ass, stop-gap system whose overall performance is marginally better than what they put out over a year ago. Thanks Steve! Keep up the mediocre work! You pompous hack!

Posting comments...

I have had quite a few people tell me that they would like to post comments to my blog, but have been unable to do so.

This blog has been set up so ANYONE can post a comment. You don't need to join any group, or create any accounts. All you need to do is click on the "comment" button at the bottom of each blog entry, and type in your comment. After you have typed in what you have to say, you then need to select a profile (indicate who you are). In the pull down menu you can select "Name/URL" and just write your name, or select "Anonymous". After that you will be prompted to type in a provided code word, and then click "Finish". (Note that this seems to work better in Firefox than Safari.)

When you comment, please write in your name. We have a tight knit little community here, and for the most part we all know each other. I'd love to hear from freelancers from outside our community as well. Unfortunately, the anonymity of the internet can often lead some people to abandon common courtesy and common sense. Obviously, I will immediately delete any derogatory, inflammatory or off-topic comments, as well as any spam left by anonymous guests.

Thanks and I'm looking forward to hearing your comments.
Slim

How Freelance Works - Or, In This Case, Doesn't Work

The holidays are a great time for catching up with friends and family that you don't get to visit with often. Of course, one of the first questions that get asked is "So how's work going?". "Well, not too good" you respond. At that point you could elaborate and moan about the economy, and how the promotional marketing industry has been hit as hard as every other industry. It's a great way to bring the mood right down. Cheers!

At these family functions I'm often asked "What exactly do you do again?". I mention something about freelance graphic design, logos, illustration and promotional marketing. I've gotten used to the blank looks on peoples faces when I mention the words "promotional marketing". The very next sentence always seems to go something like this... "Hmmm, that's interesting. Hey, is that uncle Ebenezer in the corner?! I haven't seen him in a 'coons age'! Excuse me, I have to go say hello to him." And just like that, you're left standing alone staring at your egg nog.

On the rare instances when someone really wants to know about what I do, it always catches me off guard. Some people are interested in the whole freelance aspect and ask "So how does freelance work?". Trust me when I tell you that I don't let them know the real answer. The truth about how freelance works is about as boring as a dissertation on the chemical composition of lawn fertilizer. Probably more so. Instead I talk about other aspects of the work, and try to make it sound cool or at least interesting.

Now we all know how freelance really works. It's who you know, and it's how good you are. In that order. That's it. But isn't that how everything in this world works? Nepotism isn't a new concept, and obviously plays an integral role in our industry. The fact that the promotional marketing industry is so centralized (and comparatively small) here on the "gold coast" is the key factor.

These days "who you know" is a double-edged sword. With all of the recent layoffs, every Art Director around knows at least a half dozen "buddies" who are out looking for work. A lot of these "buddies" will be 7 months out of college with dubious design skills to say the least. They have no understanding of what ROI means, they can't tell you the difference between strategy and tactics, and they have no clue what the significance of Bentonville, Arkansas is. However, they'll probably be getting a phone call long before any seasoned freelancer does. But that's not the bad news. The bad news is Junior ADs aren't the only ones out on the street. A lot of senior-level creatives have been let go, and these folks know a lot of people. In the end, the people who were once your pipeline for freelance work are now competing with you for the little freelance work that's available. All-in-all it's a pretty grim situation.

So what's a poor freelancer to do? During your downtime update your portfolio and web site. Try and search out new agencies or design shops that you've never heard of before. Travel farther distances to find work - i.e. New York. Utilize LinkedIn, Monster.com and other web sites that offer job searches. As a last resort you can try a recruiter/placement agency, but just don't let them name your price. I have heard and seen how some of these shops will try and force you to work for $20 and $30 bucks an hour while billing the agency $80 an hour. DEMAND YOUR NORMAL HOURLY RATE! Don't worry about the placement agency. They'll still make a profit off of you even at your normal rate! Another last resort is taking on side jobs (...shudder!). I think I would rather let my family starve then take on work from the general public. Actually, I'd rather have my grandmother find me dead on the floor after I choked to death on a novelty sex toy then take on work from the general public. But I digress.

Good luck and here's to hoping the New Year brings us new fortune!