So you wanna be a freelancer?
It sounds so romantic. Making your own schedule, selecting your own workload, getting shit done from the comfort of your own home (with access to your own fridge and pantry!).
Yes, freelancing means more freedom to pursue work that you actually like.
It also means taking the leap into the realm of the “self employed.” This admittedly feels scary. Risky, even. (For example, do you have a trusted accountant? Because your taxes will definitely look a bit different with all those 1099s. And don’t forget those out of pocket health insurance premiums. Fun!)
But, if not now — when? Have you reached the point in your career where you need a major paradigm shift? Be brave. Trust your intuition.
And maybe consider joining Jumpsuit.
If doing more of what you love means working for yourself, then freelancing and contract work should seem very, very appealing. And at Jumpsuit, we’ve got lots of options for those seeking freelance gigs and contract work. We connect freelancers with interesting jobs for our roster of clients.
At Jumpsuit, we’re all about empowering you to do more of what you love, while maintaining an extraordinary culture and doing kickass work. And when you work with us, you’re not alone. Yes, you’re an independent freelancer but you’re a part of our dream team of independent freelancers.
Think you’re a match? Here are 12 good reasons working at Jumpsuit may not be for you:
1. You don’t have experience.
Jumpsuit is a dream team of seasoned contractors. We need versatile freelancers who have thick skin, who are accustomed to dealing with working for particular clients, and who can receive criticism or feedback with an open mind (and sense of humor!). If you’ve never worked for an agency or brand, consider rolling up your sleeves and getting a little experience now. Then ping us once your portfolio is a bit beefier.
2 You love structure.
Who doesn’t appreciate a sharply tailored suit or a curious piece of architecture? Sure, we like structure in certain things, but when it comes to our creative process, structure isn’t the name of the game. We put a lot of trust and faith into our freelancers. We don’t do a lot of handholding. We find micromanaging infuriating. Part of being a primo freelancer is proving that you thrive while being independent. If you need to be told when and how to work, Jumpsuit ain’t for you. At Jumpsuit, you’re your own boss.
3. You like roles and responsibilities clearly defined.
OMG, we love hats. Top hats, bowlers, flat caps, berets, fascinators, pillboxes, bonnets, pith helmets. You name it, we wear it. Sometimes all simultaneously. If you don’t care to deviate from your one designated job role, be warned. It might just be time to diversify your skillset (or go hat shopping). We encourage our team to hustle, taking on new assignments and challenges by assuming that, yes, they can do it — whether or not they’ve done it before.
4. You don’t like to ask the tough questions.
It’s okay. You won’t offend us. If you need more information or resources to get your job done, reach out and inquire. We value open and effective communication. Help us help you. If you’re a part of our team, it means we already trust your instincts and opinions. Go ahead, rock our boat. Be bold! You may even help stir up some important stuff we hadn’t thought about or considered.
5. You’re all ego.
Oh, you don’t play well with others? Not into teamwork? That’s fair. But not for working with Jumpsuit. We’re very much into collaborative efforts.
6. You LOVE red tape.
If you’re into sitting through unproductive meetings (that could’ve been emails), you’ll find yourself alone in a Zoom room. (Is there a background setting that just plays cricket noises?) Meanwhile we’ll all be busy working on our latest project (while constantly bantering and sharing memes on various Slack channels). At Jumpsuit, we get shit done with surprising efficiency. That’s our whole deal, really. We cut out all of the middlemen so that our turnaround time slays. If you prefer a slower pace, enjoy having to jump over hurdles toward approval, and prefer to procrastinate, we’ll smell ya later.
7. You don’t want to do KickASS work.
Are you on Team Good Enough? Do you wallow in mediocrity? Then we’re sorry to say Jumpsuit isn’t for you. Our clients expect the best. And so do we.
8. You don’t have integrity.
in·teg·ri·ty
/inˈteɡrədē/
noun
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
Sorry, jerks are not welcome here.
9. You don’t think work should be fun.
Wait, what. Why not? Jumpsuit is a metaphorical ballpit of projects and assignments, where we want you to show up and be your weird, wonderful, and authentic self. If you want to wear a (clown)suit to our Zoom happy hour, we’re here for it.
10. You’re not solution-oriented.
We’re unicorns who thrive on solving new challenges daily. When you see a speed bump coming your way, we expect you to anticipate your next move. Whether you put the pedal to the metal and hit the thing at Mach 5, swerve to avoid it, or slow down so you don’t spill your coffee all over your center console — it's entirely up to you, as long as you do something!
11. You think emojis are unprofessional.
We love our #general Slack page, where we can share memes, celebrate one another’s accomplishments (both personal and professional!), find inspiration, and, of course, express our enthusiasm through :cool_doges:, :headbanging_parrots:, :dancing_bananas: and :party-blobs:. Jumpsuit’s definition of professionalism includes putting out honest and radical work, while remaining playful and spirited.
12. You can’t hit a curveball.
* insert baseball analogy here *
No, seriously though. If you aren’t able to roll with the punches, adapt easily to change, switch rolls fluidly, and knock it out of the park (sorry, we went there), then Jumpsuit might not be your speed. Yes, our freelancers technically have roles and titles. But last minute switcharoos happen. Assignments, briefs, projects and client expectations are constantly changing, and you’ve got to be down like that.