Marketing is all about using the right words to elicit a reaction in the intended audience, so it can be bewildering as a job seeker to spend countless hours poring over listings that leave you questioning if you’re better off setting up a folding table on your street corner with a sign that reads: “Will make content for food.”

The language used in job ads matters—a lot. A well-written job advertisement can be the difference between applying for the role and not. Specific terms can alienate certain candidates—and some lists of qualifications read more laundry list than realistic. Simply put—words matter.

Here are five RED flags to look for in marketing job ads. Do your current—and future—self a favor and save these tips when searching for new opportunities.

 

🚩# 1: Beware of Biased Language

Ads that use phrases such as “hit the ground running” should make you think about running in the opposite direction. Typically, this line can point to jobs with little to no onboarding process, and you are expected to pick up the leftover mess(es) of whoever came before you.

Any mention of being a “family” can mean the company cares little about work/life balance, worker autonomy, and time boundaries.

Then there’s “wears lots of hats,” which could mean the company expects you to complete the workload of multiple positions for only one salary. Say hello to possible burnout, resentment, lower rates of productivity, and higher turnovers.

And beware of the use of words like “ninja,” “rockstar,” or “unicorn.” What works for a can of beer does not work for a job ad. These terms, in particular, turn off female candidates. Employers should post job ads with neutral, straightforward titles, like “Engineer” or “Account Executive,” to attract the most diverse candidates.

Smart Tip: If you see something, say something—don’t be afraid to incorporate questions about questionable language during the interview process. Ask about employee turnover rates, the history of the position you’re applying for, the actual working hours, and company expectations on after-hours communication.

 

🚩 #2: “Boilerplate” Job Ads

If it seems like you’ve read the ad before and it gives you no real insight into clear job responsibilities or duties, you may be applying for a company with little knowledge of marketing and what it takes to succeed in the role. Here are two big red flags:
No mention of a team or department
“Sales” is listed as a job duty

Language like this telegraphs that you are likely looking at a role where you may be the only person running the marketing show—not part of a marketing team.

Smart Tip: If the job description is vague and there are no clearly listed tasks, research whether there is a whole team or marketing department or if it’s a marketing team of one at the company. Ask directly about the history of the role and what the company considers as successes and failures of folks who had previously held the positions.

 

🚩#3: No Salary Job Ads

In the dawning age of pay transparency laws across the country, any company not providing a salary band or starting salary for an advertised role is raising a big red flag, indicating that the company negotiates salary based on each candidate—opening a can of ethics worms as women and people of color often make considerably less than their white, male counterparts.

No mention of a salary band can signify that the company doesn’t value workers as team members but merely sees them as cogs in a machine. If there is no mention of what you will be making if hired for the role, you will likely struggle with being valued in the company, which may indicate little potential for growth.

Smart Tip: Asking about salary isn’t taboo! An employer should expect to hear this question during an interview, so feel free to apply and inquire about the salary band for the role. As much as the company is interviewing you—you’re also interviewing the company. Don’t settle for less than what your work is worth.

 

🚩#4: Unpaid Sample Project Requests

Beware of this common pitfall. While a potential employer should do the due diligence and ask about your previous work experience, references to contact, and see examples of past projects—a line must be drawn when a company asks you to complete a pitch or do some other type of free work under the guise of a “sample project” for consideration for the role. See this for what it is: taking advantage of your labor. If it’s a dream position and you genuinely don’t mind doing the work, that’s your call. But for it to be a requirement in the application process is a giant red flag and indicates how you will likely be treated as an employee should you accept a role.

Smart Tip: Remember: if an application/interview process makes you uncomfortable, that’s a sign that your employment there is also likely to as well. If asked to do a sample project, politely ask the hiring manager what they are compensating candidates for this work. If they insist that candidates are doing the work for free, ask yourself if this is a place you want to call your next professional home.

 

🚩#5: No Mention of Benefits

If a full-time job offer does not come with benefits, consider it a significant sign that they’re not trying to attract top talent but rather see you as a cog with little worth. Companies looking to fill slots are not interested in investing in the fullest potential of their employees, and it likely signals that their organization is likely rife with low productivity and high turnover rates.

Smart Tip: When in doubt, ask. Inquire what benefits are offered and dig into the details—there’s more than just health insurance. Ask about vacation time, 401K, fertility benefits, life insurance, continuing education benefits, and more. If you care about the organization’s ethics, ask questions like “do LGBTQIA+ employees receive domestic partner benefits?” Remember, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask questions about demographics you don’t fit into—how else will we evolve the workplace toward a more equitable place?

 

Bottom Line

Tap into your gut. If things feel off in the courting stage, it will likely feel off if you accept a job with the company. Remember that as a marketing professional, you are essential to a company’s success. Marketing is pivotal for the growth of all organizations, and those in marketing deserve employers who respect their time, work, rights, and boundaries.

Layoffs are rising and making major headlines—especially in Big Tech, with Spotify the latest to announce a significant slash to its workforce. So, what does this mean for workers across the country?

Some industries are hiring like it’s 2021 (we’re looking at you, agencies), while others are clearly in a downturn, like Meta. While some economists smell the wafting aroma of a possible recession, others are not so sure. Are we up—or are we down?

Wherever we are, one thing is clear—some industries are in deep flux, necessitating layoffs. And as we know, there are good and bad ways to handle a crisis. When people’s livelihoods are on the line, making major missteps is not just in poor taste, it can be a powerful exercise in negative branding. People talk, and a bad story has long legs. Just look at the beating that Twitter and Google are taking in the media.

Creative Circle surveyed 170 industry influencers to understand how rocky the layoff turbulence really is and how companies can better navigate these sometimes-rough waters. A whopping 88% of our members surveyed said that how a company publicly handles layoffs would affect their willingness to work for that company in the future.

So, when put into a situation where layoffs need to happen, how a company navigates the process can be a PR nightmare or halo for a company that handles things with mindfulness and compassion (here’s looking at you, Airbnb). Let’s look at some significant mistakes companies can make that make hard times even worse.

 

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

“Companies aren’t transparent enough when it comes to layoffs. In my experience, they haven’t been honest about why layoffs are needed, how many people will be impacted, why certain people were chosen, etc.”

Industry influencer, Creative Circle survey

 

Keeping layoffs a secret until the cat is out of the bag does not serve anyone. Tell your employees what’s going on and be accountable as an organization. Plus, trying to hide the situation gives space for the dreaded rumor mill to churn, likely leading to a bunch of misinformation being spread. Add the potential leaks to the media—and things can go from bad to worse.

You can get out in front of that with strategic communication that allows people to prepare for the worst while minimizing the amount of gossip that may circulate.

Transparency and accountability also help the reputation of an organization. Being honest about the reasoning behind the decision and sharing if any other options were explored, like cutting executive pay, hiring freezes, and furloughing instead of laying off, can help a more positive view of the company after the fact.

 

ABRUPTNESS AND LACK OF WARNING

“Laying someone off and telling them they won’t be working the next day is a huge mistake because oftentimes, when word gets out, it will prevent others from wanting to work for that specific company in the future.”

“I had a company block me from my computer before I was able to get any of my files for my portfolio or any personal files, and I was never able to get them.”

Industry influencers, Creative Circle survey

 

Getting laid off out of the blue without time to prepare is a severe hardship for most employees, but it also hurts the company. Abrupt layoffs rob the organization of the ability to navigate that transition gracefully. They lose the opportunity to have the person leaving brief other team members on open projects. Giving employees notice allows them to gameplan next steps and transition their work to other team members.

Immediately locking people out of all systems and escorting them from the building with security villainizes former employees and ignores what might be years of loyal service to the company. When you treat people like they’re your enemy—they’ll see you as their enemy and act accordingly.

 

DEHUMANIZING THE PROCESS AND EMPLOYEES

“Everyone deserves to be treated like a person, not just a number on a spreadsheet. Taking a callous and impersonal approach to layoffs makes the situation more complicated. When someone has dedicated time and effort to supporting an organization, being laid off can feel like a betrayal, especially when all the work they’d done up to that point is ignored or disregarded.”

 

There is, however, a way to conduct layoffs with dignity. Show appreciation for the person’s work and thank them for their contribution to the company’s past success. Validate their contributions to your organization. The news is hard to hear no matter what—but softening the blow with empathy and acknowledgment of a layoff’s impact can go a long way.

 

STRUCTURAL MISTAKES

“In cutting the staff so severely, it puts a toll on those left as they have to do more to pick up the slack. The company saves money but burns out the remaining staff who have to work more to keep the company running.”

“Emotions aside, how do they actually foresee the same work getting done with less bodies without work/life balance taking a hit?”

Industry influencers, Creative Circle survey

 

It’s critical to be strategic when deciding which positions to eliminate—and there’s more to consider than just the bottom line. Will all the work still get done? By whom? Often, companies that rely solely on a numbers game will be left with an organization full of inexpensive juniors and expensive management, with no mid-level employees, which can really decrease workplace functionality.

Leadership needs to create and address a strategic plan post-layoff—and communicate that clearly to the people whose jobs and workload will be most impacted. Beware the old Latin adage; the cure is worse than the disease. If employees who remain are overloaded, burnout will ensue. And burnout is cited as one of the top three reasons Millenials and Gen Zers would leave their jobs, according to a Deloitte survey.

Without addressing these long-term needs, a round of layoffs meant to save a company may instead hasten its sinking.

 

LACK OF SUPPORT FOR LAID-OFF EMPLOYEES

“I think it’s important to continue to treat employees with respect and dignity and offer fair severance to anybody who is being let go of.”

Industry influencer, Creative Circle survey

 

Leaving former employees out high and dry tells people a lot about the ethics of a company. A company failing to provide adequate (or any!) severance packages to laid-off employees is considered a massive misstep by most of those surveyed.

Money is not the only way to support people who have been laid off—offering resources like continued health benefits, connections to recruiters, and other career transition services can be immensely helpful. These moves signal that a company cares for its employees—even those it must let go—and is not solely focused on the bottom line.

 

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Finding What’s Next

Nearly half of those surveyed anticipate a recession within the next six months, and 79% predict one within the year. With possible layoffs looming, folks are preparing for the worst and looking at all options.

When asked what their highest priorities were when looking for a new job, the most common responses people gave were:

  • Ability to work remotely
  • Better pay
  • Flexible schedule
  • Work that is fulfilling

People are searching for stability; those surveyed are mainly seeking full-time employment or long-term, full-time contract work.

Over 75% of respondents said that contract work led to less burnout than working on projects as a full-time employee. The most common explanations given for this were:

  • Not needing to worry about internal politics
  • Having more control over their time
  • Feeling more comfortable drawing work/life boundaries

As companies wait to see how the winds are blowing, they should consider minimizing harm and public backlash while crafting a sustainable plan to maintain productivity during these topsy-turvy times. The message is clear: handle with care.

 

About the author.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, Hugo Estrada. Here’s what Hugo Estrada had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?
Take a page from Nike, and “just do it!” The first step can be the hardest, especially when starting a new project, but sometimes it’s just as easy as opening Illustrator, InDesign, or whatever creative tool you need to get the job done. I’ve learned that I can build momentum quickly as I work, and I end up feeling so much better for being productive and making progress on a project. And if you’re ever in a creative rut, take it easy and read a book, listen to your favorite podcast, or scroll through creative websites to reignite your creative spark. Finally, don’t feel shy to overcommunicate with your clients!

When did you realize you were good at your craft?
It was during the first few months of my first year in college. There was a quick call for a designer to create an event flyer from a student-run entertainment group. I quickly put together a flyer that fit the creative brief, and long story short, I booked the gig—my first freelance project! I only received $20 for my services, but I got to see my flyer across campus during Welcome Week. Shortly thereafter, I was hired as the creative designer of the student newspaper and helped my new college friends—and their friends—with their design needs.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?
My anticipation was already high when I was opening a box of printed invitations I designed for a formal event. The invitations were die cut and screen-printed, and I had only seen a digital proof from the printers. To my horror, I noticed something was off on the front cover of the card: one of the colors printed lighter than expected. I phoned the printers to figure out what went wrong and learned that the color shifted lighter due to the translucency of the red ink. To prevent this from happening in the future, I would need to select the color in a shade darker to avoid color shift. Lesson learned! The key takeaway: mistakes are a learning opportunity for you to get it right the next time….and maybe request a hard proof if you’re trying something new!

 

About the creative. 

Hugo Estrada is an artist and graphic designer, who develops design strategies in the areas of healthcare, higher education, and news media, with experience in branding, UX design, and email marketing. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Studio Art from New York University and has gone on to lead design projects at the San Francisco Art Institute, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, and the University of Pennsylvania. Hugo has a love for collaborating and a passion for creating memorable content.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance illustrator, Alberto Santiago. Here’s what Alberto Santiago had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What’s your name?

Alberto Santiago

Did you grow up in Brooklyn?

No, my mom was born here. But I was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It’s been five years since I moved here.

What’s your creative process? So when, if you’re working on something for yourself, or you’re working on something for a client, like take me through your thought process and like your creative process to get it done?

So, first, I do a very rough sketch. Usually, if you see it, you aren’t going to be able to understand what it is, but I get it. So I draw a bunch of shapes of what I wanted. And then after that, I just start doing the line work. And then I just color. Sometimes if I’m out of ideas, I go to Pinterest or stuff like that. Just to see stuff. But usually, inspiration comes out of nowhere, and I just start drawing. One thing leads to another and then I have the image.

So what do you do if you feel stuck creatively?

I feel like the best way to get out of artist’s block is to keep drawing. Because even if you’re stuck creatively, you know that you can do it because it’s your skill versus inspiration. Inspiration comes and goes, and that’s okay. You always have your skill, so just keep doing what you know/what you need to do. And eventually, skills will pick up again and so some sort of inspiration or motivation will come back again.

What are some things that inspire you?

A lot of stuff from back home. Especially after moving to New York, I like a lot of architecture and fashion. I like reading, so sometimes visualizing what I’m reading gives me ideas to draw, also.

When do you feel most inspired? Are you a morning person or a night person?

I always try to be a morning person. I like waking up and having a super productive morning, but it always ends up that – I get an idea late at night, so I can’t sleep. So, I end up working a lot at night. So, I like the idea of being a morning person, but I always end up being a night owl.

Conversation about Dreams

Sometimes I write down dreams I’ve had. I had my iPad right next to my bed and I wake up and I have this feeling that my dream is like an award-winning movie. Often, I feel like my dreams make more sense in my head. So I’ll write something, then go back to sleep. And when I read it the next day, I kind of don’t understand what it’s about. But in that moment, it made so much sense. My dreams are mostly like, more of a narrative. But sometimes I do get like visual dreams that I say, oh, this would be a nice drawing. And sometimes I end up drawing them.

Is there a person who inspires you?

Ah, yes, I would say the most – the person that most inspired me it’s Hayao Miyazaki. He’s a Japanese film director. He did Spirited Away, and Ponyo, I don’t know if you’ve seen them. They’re animated films. Howl’s Moving Castle, I really like his, it’s motive. His work is very beautiful. Well, he’s a very pessimistic person. But translates his, I guess his pessimism into beautiful stuff. Like, so I would say he’s my number one inspiration. Even though my style is not similar to his, I do get inspired by him.

Another inspiration is Edward Hopper. And I’m about to go to one of his shows here in New York. He’s a painter. He’s dead but they’re doing a show in New York. And I really like his style. It’s very American, or Americana. I’m always like, people by themselves. This kind of like a lonely vibe. Very beautiful work.

Do you feel like you create better when you’re happy or sad?

Definitely sad, I don’t know why, but it works. I think most of the time people are in a neutral state. But one of the ways I express myself, especially like my depressive side, for example, is through art. So, I would think that even though like I have a good sense of humor and stuff like that usually when it comes to art it’s more of a more serious side.

What do you listen to when you’re creating?

When I’m drawing, I like to have on relaxing music in the background. There’s a bunch of Japanese 80s instrumental music that I found out during the pandemic that I’ve never heard before, and I have like a playlist of them. I usually just put that on shuffle or relaxing video game music. I just put that in on Spotify and it has a bunch of playlists. But I also like singers and writers, mostly in Spanish. But when I’m drawing, I like instrumental music, jazz stuff like that. I like background music.

That’s very specific. 80s Japanese music. How did you find it?

YouTube just started playing the whole album for me. Do you know when you have the autoplay on? One thing just kept playing after the other and I was like, damn, never heard this before! It’s like super obscure Japanese stuff. They are mostly instrumental. Sometimes they sing. My favorite is the Summer Bridge one, I like the vibe, it’s very California. YouTube just get – put the whole album and then you know when you have the autoplay, one thing just kept playing after the other one was like damn, never heard this before. Like they’re like super obscure Japanese stuff. Then they mostly instrumental sometimes they sing but for the Summer Bridge one I’d like the vibe it has like a very California vibe

Okay, when did you realize you are good at illustrating?

Sometimes I think I’m good, sometimes I don’t. Every artist struggles. But I have always drawn ever since I was a kid. That was my main interest in high school. I didn’t go to art school, but I always liked reading comics and drawing. And everyone always liked my drawings. Then when I went to college, I kind of stopped drawing because I was studying. Around when I was 25, I picked it up again. I realized that I could work on these and people would buy them and maybe I could make money off it. So, I would say around when I was 27, I started realizing that I could make it a job.

Is there someone who has always believed in you, in your work, your abilites?

A lot of friends have always had my back, they have given me words of encouragement or the push I needed when I needed them. In terms of my family, they’re not super into art, so they have my back, but they understand it. I do have friends in the art world, so I go to them when I need an opinion or just words of encouragement.

So growing up when you expressed you wanted to be a painter, you don’t think you got any pushback from it?

When I said to my mom that I wanted to be a photographer she didn’t like the idea. She never stopped me and she’s very supportive in that way. But she’s also very practical so she just wanted something practical. But, as an artist or someone who is creative, you know that it won’t make you happy to do something only practical.

What advice would you give to other artists other freelancers about their careers?

To never stop working, even if you don’t have the inspiration, you can always just work. Inspiration will always come and go. Consistency will be what eventually brings you clients, ideas, and more inspiration. Although I say that, it’s something I’m always trying to improve on myself

Would you suggest your career to anyone else?

Well, I would say it’s hard. One of my friends is a doctor and sometimes I rant about my career and they ask, “why don’t you get a practical job?” and I answer that I know I’m not going to be happy. My art is what gives me meaning in life. So, if someone feels the same way, I would say to just do it because I know it’s fulfilling. If it’s someone who needs to make art, it’s the only thing that will give meaning. Even if it’s hard. So, I would say yeah, go for it!

What’s your biggest fear career-wise?

My biggest fear is that I might just stop making art because of fear. I also fear working on something I’m very proud of and it gets discarded. It’s already happened once and it wasn’t because they didn’t like the work, the project didn’t work because of other factors. But I did spend a bunch of time on something, and I couldn’t even use it. That was frustrating. It was for a big client, and I put in 82 hours into a big illustration. In the end, they weren’t able to get permits and the project got discarded. I got paid but it wasn’t just about the money, I wanted to be able to use the art. That was frustrating but I guess it’s just part of the job.

So how do you deal with that?

At first, they didn’t tell me why the project was discarded. So, I had this imposter syndrome thinking that they just didn’t like my work. But then they were like oh the project wasn’t continued because of other factors that don’t have to do with my art. So that made it a little bit better, but it was still frustrating that I just had to discard something I worked on.

What’s the most interesting place that you drawn or illustrated or done photography?

Well, I don’t know if it’s an interesting place, but I spend a lot of time in the Upper East Side because
I work around there, too. I always like sitting in Central Park and drawing. It’s very relaxing, especially during autumn. Drawing there is going to be harder because it’s colder, but I really like drawing in the park. I think you see a lot of people and it’s inspiring. And back home, I really like the countryside and the idea of it. So, sometimes I spend a few days in the countryside. I get inspired. But, eventually, I’m ready to come back. But I really like drawing about it. I think it’s a very peaceful place to live and, and I don’t know, it just inspires me. Right now, I’m working on a drawing of my dad’s house.

What do you think you’re gonna do with it [sketch of dad’s house]? When you’re done.

So far, it’s just a sketch. But it has some magical realism elements to it. It’s his house from a kind of isometric kind of view. And he lives in the countryside. And in the backyard, there’s a river. So, there’s going to be a giant camouflaged element going through the bushes and maybe like a giant fish in the river, or something like that. I don’t know if I’m gonna do something with it, it’s just something that came out while I was sketching at night.

 

About the creative. 

Alberto Santiago is an illustrator based in Brooklyn. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Sagrado Corazón with a BFA in Photography. Alberto has always had an interest in art and visual arts, growing up he spent his free time reading comics, watching cartoons, and drawing what he saw. After graduating from college, he decided to pursue illustration as a career alongside photography. In his drawings, he likes to incorporate small details, from everyday things with magical realism to the contrast of living in the city in comparison to the island he grew up on.

For the past two decades, the brass ring, especially for recent college graduates, was a solid job at a tech giant like Google. Since the early 2000s, thousands of Millennials have pursued their tech dreams, be they software development or web development or public relations and marketing, all replete with an espresso bar in the lobby, free gym membership, on-site drycleaning and organic lunches – and, of course, high pay and stock options. Think of it as a Millennial and Gen Z American dream, with Gen Zers leaping into the market with four-year degrees and certificates in crucial industry segments such as ecommerce, networking and cybersecurity.

All’s not well around the foosball table, however. If you’re working in tech, you’re looking at a challenging year, for sure. We’re seeing a lot of movement in tech center employment, particularly layoffs and hiring freezes. Many of the perks – and a lot of the jobs – are being peeled away. Maybe your best defense is a good offense? Maybe it’s time to really hunker down and put together a real side hustle (or even a few of them).

Most recently, Amazon announced it would reduce headcount by 18,000 people, but November 2022 was the cruelest month for tech layoffs in recent memory:

  • Meta axed 11,000 employees on November 9.
  • Salesforce laid off approximately 1,000 employees, which the company announced November 8.
  • Twitter laid off 3,700 employees on November 4, about half its workforce
  • Lyft reduced its workforce by 13 percent.
  • Stripe announced on November 3 it would reduce headcount by 14 percent.
  • Chime reported on November 3 the company is cutting its team by 12 percent.
  • OpenDoor laid off 10 percent of its workforce on November 2.
  • Zillow is closing its homebuying business (“Offers”) and laying off 25 percent of its staff.

Even Google might be considering layoffs – during an all-hands meeting in early December, CEO Sundar Pichai refused to comment on the possibility of layoffs, telling attendees, it’s “tough to predict the future.” According to Layoffs.fyi, the number of layoffs as of December 2022 was 152,468, more than double the 45,114 layoffs for the same 2021 period. Almost 1,000 companies (968) have laid off employees this year. You might be worried about getting laid off – or perhaps you’ve already been laid off? We want to help. Long a home for some of America’s best creatives, including freelancers, Creative Circle wants to help you pivot and, ultimately, thrive. But how? It starts with flexibility.

You should understand your skills are your own and you can apply them to gig work and freelancing opportunities, but you’ll have to make a shift and start thinking like an entrepreneur. How? If you’ve been laid off from a tech job, or you’re worried you might be, it’s probably time to start side hustling. In a turbulent job market – and an uncertain economy – you need to keep your options open and find new ways to earn income. But how to get started?

It’s always good to keep your resume fresh and sharp, of course. If you haven’t given yours a good solid review and edit, or if you don’t know where to start, download the Creative Circle Resume Guide. Once you’re satisfied, don’t forget to revise and polish your LinkedIn profile (and maybe add a new profile pic?). Now it’s time to promote your skills and build your network – add connections on LinkedIn, reach out to former coworkers, customers and employers and vendors, let your friends and extended family know you’re looking for more opportunities, including freelance and gigs.

We’re rolling through a difficult economic and employment landscape, and you’ve got to stay focused on the horizon as you look left, right, behind and ahead for whatever you find, including low-hanging fruit and short-term projects. Build momentum and bring in as much work as you can manage. And remember, you can produce portfolio-quality work with just a temporary gig. You’re on an entrepreneurial chessboard, and you have to keep moving (and make the right moves).

Our research has demonstrated Gen Z is intensely entrepreneurial: “Organizations seek Gen Zers for their unparalleled digital skills and fresh outlooks…Gen Zers tend to be: ‘more communicative, more competitive’ as well as ‘more independent’ and ‘more entrepreneurial.’” Whatever your cohort, though, with some attention to detail and some elbow grease you can find ways to earn more, whether you’ve been laid off or not. Taking an entrepreneurial approach to your work will also give you more control over your career and finances, and more flexibility. It might even be fun to be juggling multiple projects at once, especially when you’re your own boss.

And if you’re thinking of a career pivot, we like the advice provided in this Forbes Council article by Rebecca Bosl, a career coach and resume writer:

To develop your career pivot plan, take some time to think deeply about the following questions:

  • What is my ideal workplace or culture?
  • What skills do I have? Of these, which do I enjoy using and which do I not enjoy using?
  • What are my workplace values? Some examples would be hybrid/remote work, high pay, a flexible work schedule, change, variety and meaningful work.
  • What are my passions? Some might not be able to be part of your career (like surfing), but they still contribute to it in meaningful waves, particularly your overall mental health.

To determine your passions, answer these questions:

  • If you had unlimited resources in life and knew you would not fail, what would you do?
  • If you were given $500,000 to start a nonprofit, what type of nonprofit would you start and who would you help?
  • What charges you up? What do you want your life to look like?

Finally, the new year shouldn’t only bring you the blues. This is historically the worst period for hiring all year. Imagine this year as a fresh start. Keep swinging, and please reach out to your Creative Circle recruiter for freelance opportunities.

About the author.

David A. Porter is a writer and editor with extensive social media, public relations, journalism and publishing experience. Over the past two decades he has honed his B2B and B2C communications expertise in a variety of industries, including technology, travel and hospitality, investor relations, political campaigns, music and the arts, and fashion and jewelry. A content creation and distribution specialist, his portfolio includes ad copy, blog posts, brochures, by-lined articles, case studies, long-form content, op-eds, pitch letters, PPT presentations, press releases, proposals and RFPs and speeches; he also edits full-length works by novelists and academics.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, Karina Margit. Here’s what Karina had to say when we asked her about her freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?

Luck favors the prepared—keep keeping at it. Sometimes it will feel like an immense outpouring of energy with little return. Keep keeping at it. Success is about consistency, courage, and effort when things feel hard, stuck, and stagnant. Keep keeping at it. Unspectacular preparation always precedes spectacular forward motion. Roman philosopher Seneca famously shared: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Doing the work and going after what you want will open doors—you just need to be ready to walk through them.

When did you realize you were good at writing?

I wrote an article about Bufo alvarius. Bufo is a powerful and potent psychedelic, which comes from the Colorado River (or Sonoran Desert) Toad. Using Bufo helps you put ego aside to enable connecting with a divine source—and today, science seems to be catching up with these mystical accounts. A growing number of researchers are studying Bufo and other hallucinogenic substances as legit treatments for many mental health conditions. The article went viral. Many people began reaching out to me—Vietnam veterans, survivors of mass gun violence, traumatized people—sharing how inspired they were by my piece and asking if I could help connect them with the practitioner. I felt such joy that my words could move people and give hope to so many.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?

Failure is a fabulous teacher. There’s a Silicon Valley maxim: Fail often. Fail fast. If you are not occasionally failing, you are not trying hard enough. Yes, it might be counterintuitive that striving for perfection may hinder the creative process—but that doesn’t make it any less true. Quality comes from quantity—if you want quality, try and try and try again until you get it right (or make it better). If it is worth doing, do it poorly and get better. Nobody became an expert by doing something once. Keep going. Keep failing. Keep learning. Keep keeping at it.

 

About the creative.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, videos, interactive tools, and documentary films. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

 

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, David Porter. Here’s what David Porter had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?
You have to stay as organized as possible: use your Google calendar, keep a “paper” calendar handy so you can glance at your week if your computer is off, etc. With freelancing, you often have multiple projects going at once, sometimes from the same number of clients, and you have to make sure you get everything done and meet every deadline. Also, say no to nothing and tell EVERYONE you’re freelancing. You never know if/when you’re going to bump into someone who might hire you. You have to promote yourself, network…don’t forget, if you’re freelancing your income tends to ebb and flow. You need to constantly expand your network and seek new business. And keep your portfolio up to date.

When did you realize you were good at writing?
I was working at a large tech company, offices here and in SF, just copywriting mostly, but then I was asked to come up with some ideas, and I put together a proposal for a women-in-tech content campaign. It wasn’t used, unfortunately, but it was a great project (there was a management shift at the company and my entire department ultimately disappeared). I realized at that point that I could come up with interesting content ideas AND execute them.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?
Too many to recount! I have one client for whom I send out press releases via Constant Contact, and I loathe Constant Contact. The big problem I usually have is I forget to change the email subject line; when I make this mistake, I send out a correction right away. It is the most elegant solution? No, but getting it right is what’s important, of course. Finally, I used to write brochures for a cruise line, and I must have been tired because I was describing a famous spot in Athens, Greece, probably the Acropolis, and I described it as “infamous,” which it isn’t! By the time I realized my painful mistake, the brochure was already printed. Thankfully no one noticed, at least no one by whom I was employed, and I decided it was best to say nothing and just shuffle off to Buffalo. Sometimes this is the best you can do (and you are forgiven).

 

About the creative. 

David A. Porter is a writer and editor with extensive social media, public relations, journalism and publishing experience. Over the past two decades he has honed his B2B and B2C communications expertise in a variety of industries, including technology, travel and hospitality, investor relations, political campaigns, music and the arts, and fashion and jewelry. A content creation and distribution specialist, his portfolio includes ad copy, blog posts, brochures, by-lined articles, case studies, long-form content, op-eds, pitch letters, PPT presentations, press releases, proposals and RFPs and speeches; he also edits full-length works by novelists and academics.