Staff Reporting vs. Freelancing - CSRNation2024-03-28T17:04:30Zhttp://csrnation.ning.com/forum/topics/staff-reporting-vs-freelancing?commentId=1736041%3AComment%3A1243486&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks everyone for your sugg…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-17:1736041:Comment:12441512012-09-17T17:43:22.155ZAnn Moraleshttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/AnnMorales
<p>Thanks everyone for your suggestions! This is all very helpful! I have freelanced quite a bit in the past and I had my few main agencies I would take work from, lots of WC, PI and the occasional civil, and I really wanted to venture out and take bigger jobs which is why I went on staff with this particular agency. They do offer a variety of jobs and do keep me busy, but I also feel that I'm limiting myself b/c if I have a day off & I'm not told till 4:30p, I could have freelanced for…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your suggestions! This is all very helpful! I have freelanced quite a bit in the past and I had my few main agencies I would take work from, lots of WC, PI and the occasional civil, and I really wanted to venture out and take bigger jobs which is why I went on staff with this particular agency. They do offer a variety of jobs and do keep me busy, but I also feel that I'm limiting myself b/c if I have a day off & I'm not told till 4:30p, I could have freelanced for someone else. I have recently made a few phone calls and it just so happened that the agency, HG Litigation, had a last-minute job she was trying to cover in my area, an asbestos case which turned out to be a 2-day expd!! That's when I really realized that in holding out to one agency and not knowing what type of jobs I'm going to end up on a day-to-day basis and sometimes having several days off in a row when I could have picked up work elsewhere, I am missing out! Thank you!!</p> P.S., NCRA conventions are a…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-16:1736041:Comment:12438302012-09-16T14:34:24.464ZLisa O'Sullivanhttp://csrnation.ning.com/xn/detail/u_1xulkcyjwrslf
<p>P.S., NCRA conventions are a great place to meet agencies, just in case you didn't already know. Several set up in the exhibit hall, and you can go up and chat and hand out your business card. Then follow up with a nice short e-mail a few days after the convention, maybe attaching your resume. Then follow up with another email a couple weeks after that, then a month after that, if needed, etc. That system has worked well for me, anyway, although sometimes I've had to keep emailing several…</p>
<p>P.S., NCRA conventions are a great place to meet agencies, just in case you didn't already know. Several set up in the exhibit hall, and you can go up and chat and hand out your business card. Then follow up with a nice short e-mail a few days after the convention, maybe attaching your resume. Then follow up with another email a couple weeks after that, then a month after that, if needed, etc. That system has worked well for me, anyway, although sometimes I've had to keep emailing several times. Don't give up!</p> I would recommend that you wo…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-15:1736041:Comment:12436882012-09-15T01:43:03.043ZJaniece Younghttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JanieceYYoung
<p>I would recommend that you work with lots of different people and find the ones you like the best like Keith said. I did that this past year and it's good to have lots of contacts. That really helped me when my firm went out of business last month. You can't have too many contacts.</p>
<p>Reach out to people. Some people will blow you off. Here's the deal, you only need a few people to say yes.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!!!</p>
<p>Janiece</p>
<p>I would recommend that you work with lots of different people and find the ones you like the best like Keith said. I did that this past year and it's good to have lots of contacts. That really helped me when my firm went out of business last month. You can't have too many contacts.</p>
<p>Reach out to people. Some people will blow you off. Here's the deal, you only need a few people to say yes.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!!!</p>
<p>Janiece</p> You got it, Lisa. I am sure…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-15:1736041:Comment:12436872012-09-15T01:06:31.872ZKeith Rowan IIhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KeithRowanII
<p>You got it, Lisa. I am sure I'll have some horror stories in the trenches and just some growing pains. And, yeah, I don't call around much either. Everything is over email. I send an email to let the firms that I want to work for most know when I am available and most of the offers come in over email. There are occasional phone calls but the email is better because most of it happens during the day when I am on the record, and I can't answer my phone, but I can e-mail them back. I…</p>
<p>You got it, Lisa. I am sure I'll have some horror stories in the trenches and just some growing pains. And, yeah, I don't call around much either. Everything is over email. I send an email to let the firms that I want to work for most know when I am available and most of the offers come in over email. There are occasional phone calls but the email is better because most of it happens during the day when I am on the record, and I can't answer my phone, but I can e-mail them back. I think I accept most of my jobs when I am on the record. If I don't respond fairly quickly, they're filled.</p> Savvy.tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-15:1736041:Comment:12436202012-09-15T00:34:42.231ZLisa O'Sullivanhttp://csrnation.ning.com/xn/detail/u_1xulkcyjwrslf
<p>Savvy.</p>
<p>Savvy.</p> Well, I sure can relate to wh…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-15:1736041:Comment:12437922012-09-15T00:33:03.810ZLisa O'Sullivanhttp://csrnation.ning.com/xn/detail/u_1xulkcyjwrslf
<p>Well, I sure can relate to what you're saying, Ann. I've been an independent for several years now. Before that, I worked for mainly one agency at a time.</p>
<p>I also was initially nervous about giving up the "security" of a staff position. I also was uncomfortable with the idea of calling around, selling myself, and keeping track of different procedures/paperwork. But the fact was that I just never seemed to get the amount of work/income that I thought I should. That worry about money,…</p>
<p>Well, I sure can relate to what you're saying, Ann. I've been an independent for several years now. Before that, I worked for mainly one agency at a time.</p>
<p>I also was initially nervous about giving up the "security" of a staff position. I also was uncomfortable with the idea of calling around, selling myself, and keeping track of different procedures/paperwork. But the fact was that I just never seemed to get the amount of work/income that I thought I should. That worry about money, and also being stiffed by a couple agencies whose baskets I had all my eggs in, helped me realize there really wasn't any "security" after all in a typical staff position. (At least, IME.)</p>
<p>So I personally am so glad I made the switch. I'm getting better work, being paid more, AND getting more respectful treatment than I did overall as a staff reporter. No comparison. So the different procedures/paperwork are a PITA but are, for the most part, worth it, IMO.</p>
<p>Also, I don't actually have to call around anymore. Well, for this year, anyway. Instead, agencies have called me with offers, and I either accept or not. Not that I'm this diva lying back on a divan saying "Next!" But just trying to help show it's possible that if you do a great job for them, you might have enough of them calling you that you don't have to worry about calling them. I think this is especially true if you provide good usable realtime.</p>
<p>BTW, hats off to you, Keith, for planning to start up realtime next year. Will be very interested to hear of your experiences. :)</p> Keith, I've actually recommen…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-14:1736041:Comment:12437902012-09-14T23:24:25.757ZKelli Combs (admin)http://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Kellicombsadmin
<p>Keith, I've actually recommended you to a few firms because I know you are very reliable and will do a great job.</p>
<p>Keith, I've actually recommended you to a few firms because I know you are very reliable and will do a great job.</p> I'm meeting a calendar guy in…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-14:1736041:Comment:12435292012-09-14T23:22:23.538ZKelli Combs (admin)http://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Kellicombsadmin
<p>I'm meeting a calendar guy in San Francisco today with a bunch of reporters. We're taking him out to dinner just to be nice. He's just started working with a new firm that we're all interested in doing some work for. Should be fun. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I actually think it is a GREAT idea to keep your options open and don't just work for one firm. I've learned my lesson more than once on this issue.</p>
<p>I'm meeting a calendar guy in San Francisco today with a bunch of reporters. We're taking him out to dinner just to be nice. He's just started working with a new firm that we're all interested in doing some work for. Should be fun. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I actually think it is a GREAT idea to keep your options open and don't just work for one firm. I've learned my lesson more than once on this issue.</p> I think both freelance and st…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-13:1736041:Comment:12437442012-09-13T04:54:49.909ZMartha Rhttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/MarthaRuble
<p>I think both freelance and staff have their advantages. The biggest disadvantage with the staff reporter is "having all your eggs in one basket" as you've all said. If the agency is slow or having trouble paying, you will feel the brunt of it. But hey, then you can start freelancing.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I think either way, freelance or staff, if you are talented, efficient, very competent in what you do, or some combination of that, you will have people wanting your…</p>
<p>I think both freelance and staff have their advantages. The biggest disadvantage with the staff reporter is "having all your eggs in one basket" as you've all said. If the agency is slow or having trouble paying, you will feel the brunt of it. But hey, then you can start freelancing.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I think either way, freelance or staff, if you are talented, efficient, very competent in what you do, or some combination of that, you will have people wanting your services.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I work as a staff reporter. I've got it good. I've been there a long time and I'm at the top of the pyramid. The agency owner knows she can trust me. We are friendly and socialize on occasion. I come in the office and chat with her about the latest CR stuff or discuss personal stuff or current events. There is a congeniality. I only have to fill out one worksheet. She knows when I have gotten a few all day jobs in a row, to ease up on me. If I need off in the a.m. she will give me a job in the p.m. If I have plans on a Friday, I tell her don't give me a 5:30 depo.</p>
<p> If I want to take a job as a freelancer, she doesn't hold it against me either.</p>
<p>I do feel an obligation to do some crap jobs and do some traveling, to be a team player. But most of my jobs are within 10 miles of my house. I'm very fortunate and I know it and try to do a good job. Plus there is no mailing of exhibits and transcripts. That seems like such a pain on the few occasions I've done freelancing.</p>
<p></p> Keith, you hit the nail on th…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2012-09-13:1736041:Comment:12434902012-09-13T02:49:39.299ZDebbie Taggarthttp://csrnation.ning.com/profile/DebbieTaggart
<p>Keith, you hit the nail on the head on location, location, location. You're down in the South Bay, I think, near San Jose. Silicon Valley -- tons of work. I'm up in the North Bay, near Santa Rosa -- not so much. I do a lot of driving.</p>
<p>Keith, you hit the nail on the head on location, location, location. You're down in the South Bay, I think, near San Jose. Silicon Valley -- tons of work. I'm up in the North Bay, near Santa Rosa -- not so much. I do a lot of driving.</p>