Professionalism

Ohh boy.  So the life of a designer, web designer, illustrator and anyone in the creative field, it's very likely you have done some freelance work.  You work for the client, you do the work and in exchange they give you money.  Simple concept.  I've done this since I was studying in school and have continued to do it after graduating for three years until now.  I generally do most of this work in Canada and very little has been international.  It's worked out well, and I make some extra cash when needed.  The last year and a half in particular, I have done almost no freelance work for anyone, since I've been working on a massively experimental project.  I've been writing this for some time, and I had no time to work outside of the generic 8-5 timeline that I do to pay the bills.  However, for the first time, I was the client and paid someone else for the work.

Ohh boy.  So I contacted a company about a job I needed for this project I've been working on.  Initially, things went well and the first steps of the project went mostly to plan.  Afterwards, it was like an inevitable crashing train that had no wheels nor a break.  Nothing would be on time, and it took weeks for work that should have taken one or two days.  I remember at some point, I got roughs for part of the job that I know did not take a full day's worth after a month and their response was a casual "ok so what do you think?"  Not sorry for being incredibly late, and this looking like something I would do as quick as possible once someone asked for an update.  I had to call the whole thing off after a constant barrage of failures from this company, and it's definitely been my worst experience in any type of deal whether I am a client or vice-versa.  At least, I got my money back which is about the only positive.  The downsize is that I lost the most important thing, time.  About half a year's worth.

I ended this relationship on a cold but professional note.  The mediator of the company did not want for this news to get out there in regards to his company's incompetence, and I am not doing it either.  What's happened has happened and I do believe they just weren't professional enough to take care of it.  For me to be vindictive when they weren't malicious would be a shitty thing to be.  So, we left it off to a "shit happens, let's move our separate ways" road.  Anyways to any youngins' out there (that would be 3-5 years younger than me...), be professional.  Have your work on time.  if you can't, fucking let the client know ahead of time so they aren't wondering what is happening.  Your client should always be in the loop with what is happening to their project.  A major mistake is also to take too many jobs at once and not have the time to properly do them, which is what I believe was happening to the previous company.  Now, I have found another company and they seem a lot better for now, so hoping this continues until this project is done and I can see if anything happens with it.  Once again, be fucking professional.