In case you missed it, Her Campus Hofstra hosted a great event Monday night called “Find Your Passion” Freelance Panel. The event featured four panelists who are currently working freelance jobs in the TV, radio, and magazine industry. We found out what freelancing is really like and how to make it in the industry. Here are some of the panelist’s tips!
1. Never stop networking
Sure it can be a little awkward at first, but networking is the key to getting any job in this business. The panelists each touched on how important it is to stay connected with supervisors and to reach out to those you admire. Kristen Maldonado from MTV suggested using Twitter as a way to send people a message.
It can be as simple as, “Hey! I really admire your work. I’d love to talk more about how you got to where you are” she said.
Bottom line, forget about the nerves and just do it!
2. Create your own brand
Using social media is KEY to creating your brand and image. Grace Gavilanes from In Style reminded the audience to share your work on sites like Twitter and Facebook. But make sure your accounts are a good reflection of your personality and you’re work! The Internet is your canvas to design your brand and show it off, use it well!
3. Don’t believe the rumors about freelancing!
There are a lot of negative stigmas that people have about freelancing. Jenny Hart from Shape magazine retold a story about how when she got her freelancing gig at Shape.
“I had to explain to her parents that I wasn’t a temp” she laughed.
Working as a freelancer in the industry is exciting and just as respectable as being a fulltime staffer! Most jobs are in freelancing nowadays, so forget the rumors and don’t be afraid to jump at the opportunity.
4. Stand out
This was a HUGE topic last night. As cliché as it may sound, standing out at any job, whether you’re an intern, freelancer, or full time staffer, you HAVE to stand out to make it.
In the words of On-Air Personality, Deja Vu “Pimp that gig to the fullest!”
In the words of Jenny Hart, “freelancing is basically interning on steriods”, so you’ve got to put in twice the work. Show up early, stay late, ask people if they need help. Have a positive attitude and remember that no job is too small. If you’re going to do big things, you have to remember to stay humble, stay passionate, and stay yourself. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd!
5. Be diverse
Déjà Vu impressed the crowd when she effortlessly went from her country format radio voice to her hip-hop personality. And besides her killer voice skills, she has a morning show at Sirius XM, an afternoon gig at WBLS, and is a life couch and created the ‘Tap Into Your F.R.E.Qu.E.N.C.Y’ empowerment program.
Bottom line? To stay current and to stay working, you need to have a diverse skill set. Try new things, put yourself out there, and use your unique passions to make you successful!
Thank you to all of our panelists for the real world advice and to our event co-sponsors, HUABJ, Ed 2010 Hofstra and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Don’t let the networking stop here! Follow our panelists on Twitter to stay connected.
(L to R) @kaymaldo, @jennyhart, @gracegavilanes, @DejaVuSpeaks