Advice for a freelancer?

M00nface

Hi all I just wanted some advice here, or some outlook if you have experienced something similar.

I've been working for client for 5 months, in the education industry as a freelance designer, doing all their marketing, posters social posts etc. I usually get some work each week, some are busier than others but the grounds were around 10 hours a week but would usually be more. I said I was happy with this and was happy with full time if it came to it.

So I haven't heard from them this week so far, the slack marketing team have been very quiet all together. When stuff like this happens I usually jump straight into the job sites, Upwork etc looking for new projects, etc, just incase.

As I was looking through indeed, I noticed this client posted a job 10 days ago for a Freelance Graphic Designer for full time, and I was just like !!!!!!..... That's literally what I'm doing.

Is this just some "polite" way of saying they don't want me anymore and are looking for someone else? I'm so confused. I have tried to contact the woman who hired me but she is on leave until further notice, and the HR department have been useless. So yes I have basically filled in the application form for the job I already have, stating that I am already doing this job and would like the full time hours if possible.

Can someone advise please? To me I feel like I'n getting the boot by being ghosted.

Andy_L

Could be malice, could be incompetence

Maybe the woman who hired you was supposed to let you know but hasn't seen the email because she is on leave

M00nface

Andy_L said:

Could be malice, could be incompetence

Maybe the woman who hired you was supposed to let you know but hasn't seen the email because she is on leave

so you definitely think this is their way of giving me the boot? I was just working like normal with them last week. It's quite disheartening really. 

Andy_L

M00nface said:

Andy_L said:

Could be malice, could be incompetence

Maybe the woman who hired you was supposed to let you know but hasn't seen the email because she is on leave

so you definitely think this is their way of giving me the boot? I was just working like normal with them last week. It's quite disheartening really. 

Not at all. I think you can't tell

M00nface

Andy_L said:

M00nface said:

Andy_L said:

Could be malice, could be incompetence

Maybe the woman who hired you was supposed to let you know but hasn't seen the email because she is on leave

so you definitely think this is their way of giving me the boot? I was just working like normal with them last week. It's quite disheartening really. 

Not at all. I think you can't tell

Thankyou! It is really hard to tell and I've sent a few emails to HR and recruitment basically asking what is going on. I've filled in their application form for the post (for the job I already have) regardless, expressing that I do actually already work here and would like the full time hours if that's what's being advertised. But I am yet to hear anything. It just doesn't make sense really to employ someone new when I've already been there for months, know all the ins and put, have all the design assets etc. 

gm0

Your post doesn't read like a contractor pov.  More like an employee pov.

Don't overestimate the extent to which they have thought about you as a freelance - before deciding to create this permie post - or not.  You are not an employee with a career development plan and annual reviews etc.  And whether they will happily hire you into it now, or have someone else in mind.  They were always going to advertise it - they have HR boxes to tick.  That isn't about you. So apply if you want it. Good luck.

Your contractor hiring manager if not absent may well have signposted this to you positively, or briefed you on it negatively i.e.that you likely won't be getting the job if you apply because they have a development opportunity or a reshuffle in mind for someone else. Post testing the market internal and/or external agency and following recruitiment policy. More professional to talk to you either way - so that you can plan. 

You may get the job.
You may end up training someone you think less qualified or unsuitable - while the contract runs off.  And with your role likely to disappear at renewal.  Contractor.  How it is.

But the hirer is absent and nobody has picked this up. 

That is completely normal in a larger organisation. If their return is expected albeit uncertain timing.  Leave it.  When they are definitively gone - arrangments must be made.  Or something comes up needing urgent attention.  The rest - waits - tasks undone.

M00nface

gm0 said:

Your post doesn't read like a contractor pov.  More like an employee pov.

Don't overestimate the extent to which they have thought about you as a freelance - before deciding to create this permie post - or not.  You are not an employee with a career development plan and annual reviews etc.  And whether they will happily hire you into it now, or have someone else in mind.  They were always going to advertise it - they have HR boxes to tick.  That isn't about you. So apply if you want it. Good luck.

Your contractor hiring manager if not absent may well have signposted this to you positively, or briefed you on it negatively i.e.that you likely won't be getting the job if you apply because they have a development opportunity or a reshuffle in mind for someone else. Post testing the market internal and/or external agency and following recruitiment policy. More professional to talk to you either way - so that you can plan. 

You may get the job.
You may end up training someone you think less qualified or unsuitable - while the contract runs off.  And with your role likely to disappear at renewal.  Contractor.  How it is.

But the hirer is absent and nobody has picked this up. 

That is completely normal in a larger organisation. If their return is expected albeit uncertain timing.  Leave it.  When they are definitively gone - arrangments must be made.  Or something comes up needing urgent attention.  The rest - waits - tasks undone.

Thanks for this, but I did actually clarify in my initial post that they aren't advertising for a permanent position. The position is for full time Freelance Graphic Designer, the exact role that I am already doing minus the full time,  I'm currently more of a part time/when needed role. So this isn't about training or developing anyone. They are looking for a freelancer who already knows what they're doing. That's what's confusing. If they were looking for permanent I'd understand and then just apply anyway. 

I've already expressed I'm happy to do full time from the start if needed, and I've been working for them for months, I know the team, the ins and outs, I have all the design assets etc and it's been pretty smooth all in all. So my point is I don't understand why they are looking for a freelancer when they already have one. That makes me feel like they're just replacing me in a passive way. The literal only difference in role is this is advertised as full time instesd of part time.

Marcon

A full time freelance graphic designer...can't see HMRC swallowing that one.

It all sounds pretty chaotic and poorly informed/communicated, so I don't think you should start jumping to any conclusions until you find out the outcome of your 'application' for the job you appear to be doing anyway!

Out of interest, are you currently working within IR35? Are you self employed or working through your own limited company? The answers to those might have an impact on what's going on (or no impact at all and it's pure incompetence...).

M00nface

Marcon said:

A full time freelance graphic designer...can't see HMRC swallowing that one.

It all sounds pretty chaotic and poorly informed/communicated, so I don't think you should start jumping to any conclusions until you find out the outcome of your 'application' for the job you appear to be doing anyway!

Out of interest, are you currently working within IR35? Are you self employed or working through your own limited company? The answers to those might have an impact on what's going on (or no impact at all and it's pure incompetence...).

Working as self employed. The client requested an employment status check before I started working for them from.HMRC anyway to which it came back self employed for tax purposes for this work anyway. So have been doing my own taxes as usual for this client.

JCS1

But you cannot be self employed and full time freelance.  One of the HMRC tests is if you have multiple clients - and if you are working full time for one client that you would fail this part of the test.

General_Grant

JCS1 said:

But you cannot be self employed and full time freelance.  One of the HMRC tests is if you have multiple clients - and if you are working full time for one client that you would fail this part of the test.

Am I misunderstanding something?  Do you see a difference between "self employed" and "full time freelance"?

Working "full time" for one client could probably be anything over 16 hours a week.  And even if you thought, say, 38 hours equates to full time, there are more hours in the week available for other clients.