Comments on: Why Freelancers Need Multiple Skills: Handling the Feast or Famine Phenomenon http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:29:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Thanksgiving Recipes http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-29050 Thanksgiving Recipes Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:55:24 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-29050 this is really true, i just started learning s.e.o. in addition to s.e.m., i think that will really benefit me in the future this is really true, i just started learning s.e.o. in addition to s.e.m., i think that will really benefit me in the future

]]> By: Pregnancy http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-28937 Pregnancy Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:33:19 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-28937 When you freelance you have to take whatever business you can. If you plan on opening a one service consulting business it wont happen! When you freelance you have to take whatever business you can. If you plan on opening a one service consulting business it wont happen!

]]> By: Supplementing Your Freelance Career With Blogging and Expert Content | Bid to Work http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-28208 Supplementing Your Freelance Career With Blogging and Expert Content | Bid to Work Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:24:05 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-28208 [...] For me, it’s the beauty of having the freedom to choose what I work on, especially when maintaining multiple skills. That means that you can mix entrepreneurial endeavors with your freelancing. In fact, if you have [...] […] For me, it’s the beauty of having the freedom to choose what I work on, especially when maintaining multiple skills. That means that you can mix entrepreneurial endeavors with your freelancing. In fact, if you have […]

]]> By: Angela http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-27565 Angela Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:40:39 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-27565 Funny, I was just thinking about this subject a lot this week. I am definately a generalist, and as a rule, it works well for my writing. I have a lot of areas of interest and experience, and still work in some of those areas freelance to both supplement my income, and ´keep my hand in.´ It does mean that when I am really busy, it can be difficult to stay focussed. Prioritizing goals can be a bit of a nightmare, and I often find I lose opportunities because I was busy with (in your lexicon), Skill A, while another job came up for Skill C that I wasn't quite prepared for. I am finding that narrowing down my primary skills and areas of interest has been an evolutionary process, and weeding out some others leaves room to explore other areas. Funny, I was just thinking about this subject a lot this week. I am definately a generalist, and as a rule, it works well for my writing. I have a lot of areas of interest and experience, and still work in some of those areas freelance to both supplement my income, and ´keep my hand in.´ It does mean that when I am really busy, it can be difficult to stay focussed. Prioritizing goals can be a bit of a nightmare, and I often find I lose opportunities because I was busy with (in your lexicon), Skill A, while another job came up for Skill C that I wasn’t quite prepared for. I am finding that narrowing down my primary skills and areas of interest has been an evolutionary process, and weeding out some others leaves room to explore other areas.

]]> By: thinkerpool.com: » Supplementing Your Freelance Career With Blogging and Expert Content http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-27550 thinkerpool.com: » Supplementing Your Freelance Career With Blogging and Expert Content Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:27:18 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-27550 [...] For me, it’s the beauty of having the freedom to choose what I work on, especially when maintaining multiple skills. That means that you can mix entrepreneurial endeavors with your freelancing. In fact, if you have [...] […] For me, it’s the beauty of having the freedom to choose what I work on, especially when maintaining multiple skills. That means that you can mix entrepreneurial endeavors with your freelancing. In fact, if you have […]

]]> By: thinkerpool.com: » Info-whelmed? Should You Declare RSS Bankruptcy? http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-25905 thinkerpool.com: » Info-whelmed? Should You Declare RSS Bankruptcy? Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:49:22 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-25905 [...] tend to be generalists, which means they need to monitor multiple niches all the time. For some people, a good RSS reader [...] […] tend to be generalists, which means they need to monitor multiple niches all the time. For some people, a good RSS reader […]

]]> By: Info-whelmed? Should You Declare RSS Bankruptcy? - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-25900 Info-whelmed? Should You Declare RSS Bankruptcy? - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:40 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-25900 [...] tend to be generalists, which means they need to monitor multiple niches all the time. For some people, a good RSS reader [...] […] tend to be generalists, which means they need to monitor multiple niches all the time. For some people, a good RSS reader […]

]]> By: How to hire freelancers and create an asset out of them. « Manujarch’s Weblog http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-25876 How to hire freelancers and create an asset out of them. « Manujarch’s Weblog Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:52:39 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-25876 [...] Why Freelancers Need Multiple Skills: Handling the Feast or Famine Phenomenon [...] […] Why Freelancers Need Multiple Skills: Handling the Feast or Famine Phenomenon […]

]]> By: Foo Thoughts » Blog Archive » Why You Need Multiple Skills http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-25248 Foo Thoughts » Blog Archive » Why You Need Multiple Skills Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:09:14 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-25248 [...] may be cheaper and potential clients can select the cheaper options to save cost. That is why freelancers need to have multiple skills to survive the dry spells when their primary skills are not needed for a certain period of [...] […] may be cheaper and potential clients can select the cheaper options to save cost. That is why freelancers need to have multiple skills to survive the dry spells when their primary skills are not needed for a certain period of […]

]]> By: Andy http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/why-freelancers-need-multiple-skills/#comment-24579 Andy Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:08:05 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=985#comment-24579 I have personally found that the only thing that works is having an incredible primary skill, and slowly letting a client know you do other things. Granted, this may be limited to my field, but it has been my experience. In my primary field (3D animation), when I see that someone advertises being a 'animator/photographer/illustrator/designer', I am immediately turned off. Because more than likely the 'master of few' is almost always the case. I can point you to 30 websites right now that will illustrate this...mediocre animation, so so photography, pitiful illustrations. Maybe this isn't true in every field, but it is in 3D animation. When working with a new client, I will sort of hide my other skills which can range from actually quite proficient, like photography and video production, to mediocre, like storyboarding and illustration. I will slowly let them know I do these other things. Not so much the mediocre skills...those only get pulled out when asked 'hey we're in a bind, do you know anyone that does _____?' I have also found that pushing a rather proficient skill to the background impresses a client when they find out about this other skill. If you have a whiz-bang primary, which lots of people don't even posses...but also a rather impressive secondary skill you're not even pushing on them, people are blown away. Once again, just my experience in my field. I have personally found that the only thing that works is having an incredible primary skill, and slowly letting a client know you do other things. Granted, this may be limited to my field, but it has been my experience.

In my primary field (3D animation), when I see that someone advertises being a ‘animator/photographer/illustrator/designer’, I am immediately turned off. Because more than likely the ‘master of few’ is almost always the case. I can point you to 30 websites right now that will illustrate this…mediocre animation, so so photography, pitiful illustrations. Maybe this isn’t true in every field, but it is in 3D animation.

When working with a new client, I will sort of hide my other skills which can range from actually quite proficient, like photography and video production, to mediocre, like storyboarding and illustration. I will slowly let them know I do these other things. Not so much the mediocre skills…those only get pulled out when asked ‘hey we’re in a bind, do you know anyone that does _____?’

I have also found that pushing a rather proficient skill to the background impresses a client when they find out about this other skill. If you have a whiz-bang primary, which lots of people don’t even posses…but also a rather impressive secondary skill you’re not even pushing on them, people are blown away.

Once again, just my experience in my field.

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