My 2018 Story: 10 Months Unemployed/Freelancing to Survive

[Paul_D]

Hey guys,

In January I left my $70K Navy job after 8 years full time service. I'm 36 years old. Prior to joining the military I worked as a Travel Consultant, a Retail Salesman and Freelance Web Developer. I have been actively looking for part time/full time work since Dec last year and haven't been able to find the right company. This has forced me to freelance full time but I can't bring in more than $350 a week.

In Dec I started applying for multiple Gov/Admin/Customer Service/Web Design roles via Seek/Linkedin and Jobs WA. Two months went by and I had collected about 20 job rejections. I approached two recruiters in Perth in April and was offered a top gun interview at Robert Half Recruiting. In the group interview I failed to sell myself and didn't get offered a second interview. At about the same time I received a phone call from a web design agency for a front end web developer role. I aced the interview but lacked the skills they needed to replace their senior developer. That job only lasted 2 weeks and was unpaid. This had a really negative effect on me. It made me realise I had no skills in the real world anymore that would get me a decent paying job.

Before I knew it 5 Months went past and I still had no job. Then in June at a networking event I met Macmahon who were offering truck driving jobs in the mines. They called me up for a video interview but I couldn't stop thinking about going away for 2 weeks, coming home for 1 week and working 12 days stuck in a truck. My brain was talking me out of it.

By this stage it was July and I was starting to feel the financial pressure. To pay my bills I started throwing a lot more attention at my online freelance web design business which was bringing in an average of $300 p/wk. Given that my expenses were more than that winter would see me spiral into a hole of anxiety and depression. Until finally I went and saw the doctor who said I was low on Vitamin D. Once my blood levels were normal I started feeling ok again but I still had no job and my freelance business was getting hard. Chasing clients for money, working for free. Spending 14 hour days in front of the computer. I was beginning to go insane. When I decided I needed to redesign my website and start taking money up front. This would work for a few weeks but the past month I have only managed to bring in $250. I realise this career is never going to be easy but it seems like all I have with having to go FIFO.

By this stage it was late September and I had racked up at least 50 job rejections. Then out of the blue I had three opportunities all at once. My friend up in Tom Price said his company would take me on as a trade assistant for $45 p/hr (12 hour days) on a 2/1 roster. I had a website enquiry for a $3k in house web contract and an interview with a leading IT company in Perth for a 4 week unpaid internship. So out of all those opportunities which one do I pick. The unpaid no guarantees unpaid internship. Not only did I screw my mate around but I turned down two paid jobs for a IT internship that is designed for uni graduates in the hope that I might get a new career out of it. Am I clutching straws? I know Im worth more than working for free for a month.

I don't know who I am anymore. Why the hell would I take a unpaid internship over guaranteed work? Well it's a big gamble as I can't live on my current freelance income and things don't look like they're going to get better on the job application front.

To summarise, I have spent 20 years working "not ideal" jobs and my main skill web design is useless because it doesn't pay enough to live comfortably. I would get more money on welfare. It' really sad. I appreciate the clients I do have but my business has failed. The sooner I realise this the sooner my life will get better. I just don't know where to go from here.

[BeKindRewind4Life]

Hi, good to see your post.

We are the same almost the same age, and believe me, in my position I would do anything for an IT internship, so I think that you are very lucky to get that opportunity.

As someone who would like to get into web design, with all the drag and drop and off the shelf themes now days (wordpress/wix) almost everyone thinks they can do a site or get one up cheap, it's very discouraging so I can understand that, especially if it's your passion, especially when you have to compete with people in eastern countries who offer their services at dirt cheap prices.

The web design companies I've seen though friends, focus on marketing, branding, business cards, signage as much as the actual websites they build for the client, it seems they value add a lot above just doing the website, and charge accordingly.

Apart from web development a lot of focus is on App development now (android/ios) so that is an option, this is the main area I'm focusing on whilst I still try for jobs in an area that has barely any.

I do have a friend who works for Apple, and it's from home, pays slightly less than $45 an hour, but the benefit is that he gets to work from home so it balances out. Have you thought of applying there? it's decent money. I'm not aware that they are taking people, but if you can get in you are set, they even give shares to employees.

I'm impressed that you have so many skills, which is brilliant. If IT is something that you are good at the internship could lead to a more permanent position, to get one in your 30's is impressive to me. I think you are doing very well, and it seems to me you have many other skills. A job is a job, ideal or not, I applied for a position as a ticketing assistant cleaning toilets during the lunch hour, heard nothing back, and I hold a Diploma in media, Cert IV in IT and Cert IV in networking... If you have that many rejections, then you are motivated, which is great. being offered an internship isn't the end of the world, it's an opportunity.

[monkey_magic]

Morning Paul_D,

I can relate to the difficulty of the looking for work life as I was in the same boat for a long time too. That's the norm these days applying and getting rejected by so many so I don't think it's a reflection on you.

You've been proactive. When we set our expectations high it can feel like we've failed but in reality it sounds like you've been working your butt off looking for work and working. Sure there's always more that you can do, and I think we all feel that.

First up I probably would have gone for the internship too because it sounds like a better opportunity long term. Being a trade assistant would probably be hard on your body and not sustainable long term so you made a smart move. IT is also a better industry with more opportunity with experience which you would gain with the internship. Your mate shouldn't be too heartbroken over you letting him know another opportunity came up at the same time. It happens, it's life- he should understand.

If you get the internship you could always go on Centrelink with no shame and still have your clients which will give u a little extra. It's not ideal now but I'm sure things will improve in the long run. You are too proactive for them not to improve.

Being flexible would be to your advantage. I've been signing up to paid market research focus groups, paid medical trials, I have a friend that mows lawns for cash. There are many side jobs that help your income. Looking after someone's kids on the weekend, cleaning someone's house etc,etc...you can pick and choose.

Hopefully you have gained another perspective on life and can use it to your advantage instead of the temporary situation pulling you down. You are worth more than what the job market is currently presenting to you. You cannot control it. You've been riding it and I hope you can rise above it. You are skilled. You've been in the navy. You've had many great accomplishments that shouldn't be discredited because of a current job market you have no control over.

It will get better in time. Let us know how u go 🙂

[quirkywords]

Welcome Paul_D to the forum and you will have seen from your responses so far how friendly and supportive this community is.

BekindRewind4Life and monkey_magic have given you helpful and supportive replies.

You are very talented and have shown that even you try many different aspects of your work, it still can be hard to make a reasonable living.

I think you chose the internship for a reason and as Bekind said your skills will show others what you can do and you could get more work. It can be a gamble of going for the money in the short time or the experience like an internship which will pay off in the long time.

Paul, thanks for showing us your determination . Have you started your internship yet?

Quirky

[AbsoluteAe]

Hi Paul_D,

All options seem viable and an opportunity

1. Trade assistance - Less stressful to look for other work when you have the income
2. Web contract - It can add to your portfolio
3. Unpaid internship - Good if you want to skill up, I'd be weary of joining such a company

Any thoughts on branching out your skillset? Web design/development is a common component of full stack development. Uni graduates won't have the experience you have, they may know some new technologies but you can do some home projects and gain the same knowledge (... I may trying to do that right now ...).

[Guest_7403]

Just thinking outside the box for a minute....

Have you considered looking at working as a casual prison officer? They are always hiring, well paying for the work and the ability to take shifts that suit you would allow you to continue freelancing

And typically ex military people are a good fit for the role.

[ElisaP]

Hi Paul,

I did a Diploma in Graphic Design but am yet to do anything with it (long story).

I can give some advice, you could google words like: "Digital Nomad" and "how to make money on-line" ...I have read these and sometimes you can combine more than one set of skills. For example, there is also graphic design, Search Engine Operator, Social Media updating work, Personal Assistance work ...to name some.

Not sure if this is what interests you, but if your main motivation is to be able to work on your own, then you could look into this.

Another idea is to consider moving and living in Asia and working there. I don't know what the laws are as far as tax etc go. But I have read that some Aussie's move over there as they can live better on less.

If you want an education in Graphic Design, you can find free education on the internet. For example, Linda.com has a whole lot of very good video tutorials for graphic design (as does you tube for that matter) and you can access Linda.com for free if you are a member of certain Libraries -I know that they have Linda.com for free for any person who is a resident of Boroondara in Victoria.

One solution is to up skill whilst going on Austudy. I think you have to be full time student to get Austudy.

One good piece of news is that in Victoria there are a number of TAFE qualifications that are for free.

My personal plan is to do one in either Production Nursery or Horticulture and get work part time in a nursery or as a gardener, and then look at one day a week taking on work in Graphic Design freelance and/or portraiture work (street portraits).

Another option that I am considering is to continue working as a domestic cleaner. It pays $25 per hour which is not terrible. The best part is that there exists the option to work alone, which is what appeals to me personally the most -as my own anxiety/depression is actually to do with prolonged exposure to abusive narcissists who surround me.