It’s not easy to make a living as a creative freelancer. The most difficult part? Finding the work, and then actually getting the job. As a creative freelancer, you start to send out messages in mass to anyone you can find, which might help you reach more potential clients. However, the reality when doing so, is that your initial point of contact is generic, and well, forgettable.
When we started SSSHAKE Productions back in 2016, we soon realised that screening profiles to find the right creative for our clients was both time consuming and just, a pain in the ass - plain and simple. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn't for a lack of quality in the applications we were receiving (we've always received amazing profiles from the community). But, the problem we were facing can be summarised in two words: generic applications. It felt as if most creatives were simply copy pasting the exact same message to all their potential clients (and probably rightly so!), with no reflection on the specific brief they received. As we started getting busier with more projects, we naturally started selecting people who were sending “quality applications” and not necessarily the best creative for the job. So what makes a quality application, you might ask? Here are our two cents on the matter:
Step 1: Make it personal
We work with entrepreneurs and creatives who are deeply passionate about their ideas and need help bringing their stories to life. So when applying to a job, always start by understanding who the client is, what their product or services are, what their idea is, and what it is they want to achieve. Remember that you're applying to work on someone's project or company, someone's baby, so it's really important you show you're listening. Use your past experience and interests to show that you not only understand the brief and the client's needs, but also that you're passionate about the subject. At the end of the day, we're all human, and we'll feel closer and more connected to someone who took the time to understand us. Consistently, applications with a personal message written specifically for the brief stand out from the rest.
“Mohamed seemed easy-going, but professional. But really, I decided to work with him, because he had previous experience in a similar subject field, having studied science. So, he had a particular interest in this specific project, compared to other applicants, and I prefer to work with people who are passionate about the project and its subject matter.“ Roman, Director of Co Writer
We've found that 90% of the jobs on the SSSHAKE platform were matched with creatives who had a genuine and direct interest in the project's subject field.
Step 2: Make it specific
Another common mistake is to send your entire website when applying to a job. From our experience, the vast majority of creatives will send out their entire portfolios. Your potential client is then left to their own means to dig through your entire website to find examples of your work that resonate with their project and needs. This is incredibly time-consuming, and after having gone through just a few applications, they're already ready to stop. So, please, for the benefit of both yourself and your potential clients, send specific examples of work that correspond to the brief, instead of your entire portfolio. Including specific work reinforces that you've understood your potential client's needs and expectations, and makes you, as a creative, but most importantly, as a human, more memorable. And if you've followed Step 1, it really shouldn't take too long, but will make your application more specific, and much stronger. You know your work. Your potential client doesn't. So just make both your lives easier and show them what they want to see.
"After looking at all the applications, I decided to pre-select five candidates that included visual references to their work in their applications and showed the most interest in the project. It was really helpful to see the work of all my pre-selected freelancers at once, which helped me decide to work with Stephanie. Her application was really friendly and her portfolio matched the style I was looking for perfectly." Nicolas, Art Director
We found that 80% of applications on our platform without relevant examples of previous work were rejected because of a “lack of information”.
Step 3: Make it professional
Make sure to make it personal, but keep it professional. Check for any typos, broken links, etc. Remember that you're the specialist in your creative field, so be confident in your skills and the value you bring to the table. So, take the time to answer potential questions the client might have before they even ask, in regards to your experience, your rate, your equipment, or your creative process. If you have little experience but feel strongly about the project, communicate it in your message, and reflect it in your rate. On the other hand, if you have a lot of experience and quote a rate higher than average, take the time to explain the added value you're going to bring to the project. Be cautious of your overall application and keep in mind that the client doesn’t know you so the clearer you are, the better it comes across, and the more likely your potential client will give you the attention you deserve.
“When we received Jackie's application, we knew she would be the perfect match for the project - and we weren't disappointed! We needed a DOP to capture interviews for a fundraising video, and straight away, she told us that she had additional equipment for B-roll that she could bring on the day. She also mentioned her experience as a director, which eased our apprehensions in regards to the interviewees not being professional actors. So we knew she would be able to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera.” Valentine, SSSHAKE Productions
While it might feel like following these steps in writing your application makes your search for work more time-consuming, in reality, each application you send is that much more impactful, and your chances of actually getting that job are much higher. From the data we collected, quality over quantity seems to work! Let's illustrate this: if you were to send out ten generic copy-pasted applications, you might get one out of the ten jobs. But if you spend a few extra minutes to craft the perfect application for five different jobs, you might end up getting two out of the five. We'll let you decide what's worth your time.
You know your creative field and you know your work, so often, it doesn’t take more than a couple extra minutes to put together an outstanding, quality application that's going to set you apart from the pack.
Ready to join the SSSHAKE creative community?
It’s not easy to make a living as a creative freelancer. The most difficult part? Finding the work, and then actually getting the job. As a creative freelancer, you start to send out messages in mass to anyone you can find, which might help you reach more potential clients. However, the reality when doing so, is that your initial point of contact is generic, and well, forgettable.
When we started SSSHAKE Productions back in 2016, we soon realised that screening profiles to find the right creative for our clients was both time consuming and just, a pain in the ass - plain and simple. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn't for a lack of quality in the applications we were receiving (we've always received amazing profiles from the community). But, the problem we were facing can be summarised in two words: generic applications. It felt as if most creatives were simply copy pasting the exact same message to all their potential clients (and probably rightly so!), with no reflection on the specific brief they received. As we started getting busier with more projects, we naturally started selecting people who were sending “quality applications” and not necessarily the best creative for the job. So what makes a quality application, you might ask? Here are our two cents on the matter:
Step 1: Make it personal
We work with entrepreneurs and creatives who are deeply passionate about their ideas and need help bringing their stories to life. So when applying to a job, always start by understanding who the client is, what their product or services are, what their idea is, and what it is they want to achieve. Remember that you're applying to work on someone's project or company, someone's baby, so it's really important you show you're listening. Use your past experience and interests to show that you not only understand the brief and the client's needs, but also that you're passionate about the subject. At the end of the day, we're all human, and we'll feel closer and more connected to someone who took the time to understand us. Consistently, applications with a personal message written specifically for the brief stand out from the rest.
“Mohamed seemed easy-going, but professional. But really, I decided to work with him, because he had previous experience in a similar subject field, having studied science. So, he had a particular interest in this specific project, compared to other applicants, and I prefer to work with people who are passionate about the project and its subject matter.“ Roman, Director of Co Writer
We've found that 90% of the jobs on the SSSHAKE platform were matched with creatives who had a genuine and direct interest in the project's subject field.
Step 2: Make it specific
Another common mistake is to send your entire website when applying to a job. From our experience, the vast majority of creatives will send out their entire portfolios. Your potential client is then left to their own means to dig through your entire website to find examples of your work that resonate with their project and needs. This is incredibly time-consuming, and after having gone through just a few applications, they're already ready to stop. So, please, for the benefit of both yourself and your potential clients, send specific examples of work that correspond to the brief, instead of your entire portfolio. Including specific work reinforces that you've understood your potential client's needs and expectations, and makes you, as a creative, but most importantly, as a human, more memorable. And if you've followed Step 1, it really shouldn't take too long, but will make your application more specific, and much stronger. You know your work. Your potential client doesn't. So just make both your lives easier and show them what they want to see.
"After looking at all the applications, I decided to pre-select five candidates that included visual references to their work in their applications and showed the most interest in the project. It was really helpful to see the work of all my pre-selected freelancers at once, which helped me decide to work with Stephanie. Her application was really friendly and her portfolio matched the style I was looking for perfectly." Nicolas, Art Director
We found that 80% of applications on our platform without relevant examples of previous work were rejected because of a “lack of information”.
Step 3: Make it professional
Make sure to make it personal, but keep it professional. Check for any typos, broken links, etc. Remember that you're the specialist in your creative field, so be confident in your skills and the value you bring to the table. So, take the time to answer potential questions the client might have before they even ask, in regards to your experience, your rate, your equipment, or your creative process. If you have little experience but feel strongly about the project, communicate it in your message, and reflect it in your rate. On the other hand, if you have a lot of experience and quote a rate higher than average, take the time to explain the added value you're going to bring to the project. Be cautious of your overall application and keep in mind that the client doesn’t know you so the clearer you are, the better it comes across, and the more likely your potential client will give you the attention you deserve.
“When we received Jackie's application, we knew she would be the perfect match for the project - and we weren't disappointed! We needed a DOP to capture interviews for a fundraising video, and straight away, she told us that she had additional equipment for B-roll that she could bring on the day. She also mentioned her experience as a director, which eased our apprehensions in regards to the interviewees not being professional actors. So we knew she would be able to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera.” Valentine, SSSHAKE Productions
While it might feel like following these steps in writing your application makes your search for work more time-consuming, in reality, each application you send is that much more impactful, and your chances of actually getting that job are much higher. From the data we collected, quality over quantity seems to work! Let's illustrate this: if you were to send out ten generic copy-pasted applications, you might get one out of the ten jobs. But if you spend a few extra minutes to craft the perfect application for five different jobs, you might end up getting two out of the five. We'll let you decide what's worth your time.
You know your creative field and you know your work, so often, it doesn’t take more than a couple extra minutes to put together an outstanding, quality application that's going to set you apart from the pack.
Ready to join the SSSHAKE creative community?