One of the wonders of a copywriting career is how versatile and flexible it can be. But having so many opportunities and so much freedom can feel overwhelming, especially when you don’t know which direction is best to take.
Today, Nicki and Kate answer the long standing debate once and for all: Is it better to focus on on-staff or freelance copywriting careers? The answer is not as black and white as you might think…
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[2:23] The answer to this question is deeply personal but important for you to consider because it will help to determine the right direction for you.
[3:31] Copywriting is less rigid than other careers and the people hiring you care more about the work you can do for their business than your career trajectory.
[6.06] Nicki discusses two different ways to be on-staff: working for a marketing or advertising agency and working for an in-house agency or creative team.
[7:09] The perks of working on-staff go beyond a regular paycheck, including getting a variety of portfolio samples, plus collaboration and mentorship opportunities.
[10:43] Kate reminds us that you are safest when you are in control of your income, rather than a company.
[14:02] Freelancing provides a lot of freedom but there are also trade-offs to consider such as loneliness.
[17:29] When making this decision, it is important to consider what type of person you are and how you work best.
[20:59] The common misconception is that as a freelancer, you don’t get the same benefits as an employee and that factoring in taxes is scary. Our hosts explain why this is not the case.
[23:54] Nicki talks about how contracting fits into this and why it could be another option to factor in.
[26:57] There is no perfect answer to which one is best as they can all be great at different times in your career.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“You don’t want to necessarily write off any one company. This falls under a ‘don’t make assumptions’ philosophy and ethos about many things. You want to choose on-staff roles based on maybe your affinity for the company or if you think this will be an interesting opportunity, or you feel like having mentorship and guidance will help you grow as a copywriter.” – Kate
“I know when people hear ‘regular paycheck’, they immediately think safety, that this is a safe role because I am going to be getting steady income. But the thing is, you are safest when you are in control of your income, and you are not in control of your income when the company is controlling your income.” – Kate
“You’ll also really get to know whatever brands you’re working on really, really well. You’ll learn them inside and out. You’ll learn the target audience, and you’ll learn exactly how to speak to that target audience.” – Nicki
“People that are going to be hiring you and looking to work with you know that you don’t have to have been at a company for 10 years to have a mark of excellence. They are going to look at your portfolio, they are going to look at the work that you’ve done, they might give you a copy test. They care about the work that you can do for their business. They do not necessarily care about your career trajectory.” – Kate
“The biggest consideration is that when you’re freelance, your income is up to you.” – Nicki
Mentioned on this Episode
- Ep. 56: What is a Copywriting Test and Should You Do One?
- Ep. 49: How to Build Your Own Benefits as a Freelancer
Related Links
- Freelance Copywriter Benefits: How to Build Your Own Benefits Package
- Is it Better to Be an On-Staff Copywriter or a Freelance Copywriter?
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Last Updated on September 10, 2023
