Freedom of Choice and Career Creativity Beats pay for Freelancers

LONDON, July 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Freedom of choice in work and career creativity is significantly more important to freelancers than greater financial reward, according to our landmark Freelance Landscape survey.
Major Players collected the answers and opinions of over 1,000 creative, design and marketing freelance professionals this February.
We found that 42% rated greater choice over their projects as the most appealing aspect of freelancing while for 28% it was gaining greater creative experience and opportunity.
Only 19% stated it was to achieve higher financial reward than the permanent equivalent.
The least appealing aspect was periods of inactivity between assignments, with 39% stating this reason, followed by 26% most concerned with the comparative insecurity of freelancing - a cancelled assignment for example.

Our survey forms part of a larger investigation into the changing employment landscape across the UK by our parent company Randstad. The result is The Navigator report, which was published 12 March. It confirms that contracting continues to be a massive spark within the advertising & marketing world - with 72% freelancing through choice. Only 28% of those surveyed are freelancing because they could not find a permanent position or for other reasons. Freelancing has undoubtedly been boosted by the more challenging environment since 2009, as 39% of respondents began freelancing after this point.

Pay disparity between the sexes appears as prevalent within the creative, design and marketing freelancing community as within the permanent world. Twice as many men (8%) as women (4%) are earning over £500 per day. Similarly 71% of men earn between £200-£500 per day compared with 67% of women surveyed.  
The high freelance earners by sector were those working in market research, and financial & professional services, with 16% of both these sectors earning over £500 per day.
Creative & design jobs and retail both had the least earners of over £500 per day at only 3%. However both recorded high percentages in the middle category with 76% and 69% respectively earning between £200-£500 a day.  

Integrated colleagues were also seen to earn slightly more than their creative & design equivalents with only 16% earning less than £100 a day compared to 21% in creative & design.
Freelancers also expressed their opinions on the everyday life of a freelancer and their motivations. 'Flexible working times around my children', 'freedom from the stink of internal politics', and as one respondent simply put it, 'freedom, money, buzz', were all reasons for freelancing.

Drawbacks included 'having to spend ages chasing payments and doing accounts', 'missing out on the social aspects and networking', and 'not being able to have blue Mondays and lazy Fridays'.  
Jack Gratton, CEO at Major Players, said "The response we got to this survey was phenomenal and indicates that the freelance community in the creative and marketing world wants to be heard. Freelancing has always been a lifestyle and career choice for our market, and now with agencies and brands seeking to become more streamlined and sustainable we see our space continuing to adapt. Our clients are actively using contract working not only to become more efficient but to fuel creativity.

"Freelancers stand to be a key component of the creative industries in the next decade. As ways of working change and their rights are strengthened further through legislation the freelancer looks set to be a key dynamic in our futures."
To order a free copy of the Navigator report please visit http://www.majorplayers.co.uk/the-navigator-2012.html.

Editor's Notes:

Major Players are the No.1 recruiter for the creative industry and marketing in the UK. We supply high-calibre professionals to the country's top agencies and in-house divisions, across all levels within both the permanent and freelance markets. Our story began in 1993 and we are now 60 strong and growing in partnership with our parent company Randstad. Still based in the heart of Covent Garden and helping people find their way…

The Randstad group is one of the leading recruitment & HR services providers in the world with a top five position in the UK and a top three position in fifteen countries including the US, France and Germany. In the UK, Randstad's business lines serve the public and private sectors across Accounting and Financial services;  Business Support; Construction, Property and Engineering; Education; Health and Social Care; Interim Management and Search; Human Resources; IT; Legal; Retail; Sales, Marketing and Creative; Student and Worker Support and In-House and Managed Services.
At the end of 2011, Randstad had 1,930 corporate employees in the UK, working in 255 locations. UK revenue in 2011 was €789 million. Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. Randstad Holding nv is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam. For more information see http://www.randstad.co.uk and http://www.randstad.com.