I know it’s not a big deal, but I take issue with being called a freelancer. It happens all the time, and it goes something like this:
“So what do you do for a living?”
Well, I am a professional photographer. I shoot for magazines, companies and clients all across the country.”
“Oh, so you are a freelancer…”
It is just semantics, but the word makes me sound like a gypsy, who will take any odd job to earn some cash, and that I will work for free or whatever I am offered. I usually counter by saying that I am a businessman who has owned his own company for over twenty years. Now granted, most of the time, it does not matter and it’s not worth bringing up, but sometimes it is difficult to let it go.
Don’t be a freelancer. If you have chosen to work for yourself, be a professional, be self employed, be an independent business person and above all, be the best creative you can be.
I needed to hear this, Chris. Thanks! I’ve been looking something better to use than the f-word. It’s funny how we put labels on people, places, and things. But, even more interesting how we buy into some of those labels without giving them too much thought. Self-employed sounds better than freelancer. Professional sounds better than freelancer. Commercial sounds better than freelancer. I do think that the f-word puts a negative connotation to people’s impressions, when used to describe a person’s trade.