More freelancers consider interim roles - IoIC survey reveals

Nov. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- The number of communication freelancers considering interim roles has seen a significant increase over the past 12 months.

This was one of the key findings of an Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) online survey looking at the current climate for freelance members.

35 per cent of respondents said that they were more likely to seek an interim role now than 12 months ago, with only 9 per cent saying this was less likely.

Commenting on the findings, Deenita Pattni, IoIC’s London regional director and head of content and agency at recruitment consultancy Xchangeteam, said: “There has definitely been a decline in freelance opportunities within the communications sector since 2008 and freelancers who would normally get booked months in advance through their own contact base, have gone the recruitment consultancy route to find additional work – some even happy to consider permanent roles as an option.

“But the tide is now turning and the value that freelancers add to a business is starting to be recognised again. The rise of digital communications has also led to businesses needing freelancers to cover interim projects.”

However, conditions in the sector have not encouraged freelancers to promote their services through e-auction sites, with 98 per cent turning their back on this method and the views of 72 per cent on this subject remaining unchanged over the past 12 months.

One IoIC freelancer, Alison Harmer, said: “Auctioning sites provide a platform for all kinds of people. Unfortunately, in these trying times, they can unbalance the market by providing hundreds of unprofessional, cheap writers who undercut the professionals and do themselves no favours in the long run.”

Despite the challenges, 33 per cent of respondents said that they felt positive about prospects for freelancers over the next 12 months (with 38 per cent feeling neither positive nor negative). However, 35 per cent felt less positive looking forward than they had over the previous year.

Unsurprisingly, 63 per cent said that their biggest challenge was getting sufficient work, followed by getting satisfactory rates of pay (15 per cent) and coping with heavy workloads (13 per cent).

Respondents cited the most valuable ways of maintaining satisfactory work levels within a challenging environment as diversification (38 per cent of respondents), networking (38 per cent) and marketing services in a variety of ways (19 per cent).

In identifying the factors that made for a positive, fruitful client/freelancer relationship, 43 per cent stressed honesty on both sides, followed by good briefing (35 per cent) and regular, face-to-face meetings (14 per cent).

IoIC chief executive Steve Doswell commented: “It’s heartening to see that IoIC freelancers seem to be holding their own, despite the challenging nature of the economic climate. Their comments suggest that key strategies for success now and in planning for the future include a continued focus on high professional standards and quality, along with flexibility and maintaining a sense of one’s own value in the face of the market’s downward pressure on rates.”

Further information about this survey is available at www.ioic.org.uk

Note: 43 (51 per cent) of IoIC’s 85 freelance members responded to this survey.

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The Institute of Internal Communication is the UK professional body for internal communication professionals. It offers professional development, promotes the importance of internal communications, develops industry knowledge, provides a strong network.