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Career Advice For Freelance Designers

By Nathan Lively

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In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with blogger, composer, and game sound designer Harry Mack about career advice for freelance designers. We cover the pros and cons of being an independent contractor, how to communicate professionally, and the best and worst job-hunting strategies. We also discuss the bidding process, strategies for knowing how much to charge, and using Yoga to recover from stress and injury.

It all comes down to luck. It’s kind of sad.

sound-design-live-harry-mackDetails from the podcast:

  1. All music in this episode is by Harry Mack.
  2. Books: Working For Yourself by Stephen Fishman, You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen.
  3. Harry wrote an article for Gamasutra on the Best Tips for Building a Freelance Career, and he recommends this article as well: You don’t want to work in the video game industry.
  4. Game Developer’s Conference (GDC)
  5. Harry’s thoughts on how to get your first job:
    1. Create a professional looking website with contact and samples.
    2. Join some forums. Be aware that many student and community-funded projects won’t get off the ground, but the contacts you make are valuable.
  6. Harry’s interactive studio.
  7. Nathan’s standing desk.
  8. Software: Sonar, Sound Forge.
  9. University Of Santa Cruz

 

Loved this post? Try these:
  1. Best Tips For Building A Career In Pro Audio
  2. Growth Hack 2016: 13-Day Career Building Challenge
  3. Beyond FOH: Job Search Advice For Sound Engineers

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  1. Best Tips For Building A Career In Pro Audio - Sound Design Live says:
    July 25, 2013 at 12:30

    […] my interview with Harry Mack he gave us a lot of great tips for building a career as a freelance designer. I originally […]

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  2. Best Tips For Building A Career In Pro Audio - Sound Design Live says:
    July 28, 2013 at 13:04

    […] my interview with Harry Mack, he gave us a lot of great tips for building a career as a freelance designer. I originally […]

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  3. Best Tips For Building A Career In Pro Audio says:
    July 23, 2015 at 11:02

    […] my interview with Harry Mack, he gave us a lot of great tips for building a career as a freelance designer. I originally […]

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