Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Freelance Experience

Options
  • 31-07-2014 12:44am
    #1
    off.the.walls
    Registered Users Posts: 1,298 ✭✭✭


    One thing i've wondered is when applying will companies take your freelance experience into account when you're applying or do they only count in a design house in industry experience as the 2/3/4 years experience needed.

    Anyone who's hired people know anything about this?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    To begin with, it depends who's reading your CV. SME's, especially where the founders are doing the hiring, will tend to recognize self-employment a lot more than HR managers or other employees taxed with assessing applications.

    The second factor is what kind of freelance work. If you did a Web site for your mate or uncle, then that's probably not going to impress as much as a more neutral, and objective, client - so doing a project for Coca-cola Europe is going to impress a lot more than doing it for My Dad's Company Limited. Presuming you even did anything, as there's no shortage of bogus freelance projects on CVs, out there - so being able to demonstrate your work and that you actually did it can make a big difference.

    Finally, HR managers/departments may hold it against you if you've done too much freelance work. Freelancers can be too independent, for their liking.


  • Options
    #3
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    I'd have thought that any work that's your own is considered as relevant experience, regardless of your employment status at the time. They're hiring you for your design and coding skills, so that's going to be their main focus of interest.


  • Options
    #4
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    cormee wrote: »
    I'd have thought that any work that's your own is considered as relevant experience, regardless of your employment status at the time. They're hiring you for your design and coding skills, so that's going to be their main focus of interest.
    It may not be relevant experience. After all, experience working alone as a freelancer is not the same as experience working in a company as part of a team.

    And they're not simply hiring someone for their design and coding skills. It's a lot more complicated than that.


  • Options
    #5
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    The Corinthian wrote: »
    It may not be relevant experience. After all, experience working alone as a freelancer is not the same as experience working in a company as part of a team.

    And they're not simply hiring someone for their design and coding skills. It's a lot more complicated than that.

    That's true. But if I was hiring my primary concern would be a person's design and coding skills, exposure to agile development etc. wouldn't be a deal-breaker.


  • Options
    #6
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    cormee wrote: »
    But if I was hiring my primary concern would be a person's design and coding skills, exposure to agile development etc. wouldn't be a deal-breaker.
    First time everyone hires their primary concern would be a person's design and coding skills, exposure to agile development etc.

    Then we learn from our mistakes for next time we hire.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement