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FREELANCER INSIDES
More interviews with freelancers on www.freelancermap.com...
© freelancermap.com
Alessandra Oliveira –
Graphic and Web Designer
6/8/2015 [email protected]
Our head of the week, Alessandra Oliveira, is a freelancer with a load of experience under her belt. She has worked as a graphic designer and art director for over 15 years and in freelancing, she especially enjoys being able to have a direct contact with her clients. She also believes that a good briefing at the beginning is the alpha and the omega of a successful cooperation between a client and a freelancer. Curtains up for Alessandra Oliveira from Brasil…
6/8/2015 [email protected]
1) First off, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a multidisciplinary graphic designer and art director with over 15 years of professional experience and a focus on brand identity and interaction design, advocate of user centered design approach and responsive web design.
I come from Rio de Janeiro, but I go anywhere. That´s one of the reasons why I am a freelancer.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
2) If you would search for your profile on Google, which are the three keywords you would type in the search bar?
Responsive Web Design; Branding; Increase Sales
6/8/2015 [email protected]
3) What was your inspiration and when did you actually decide to become a freelancer?
I have started freelancing while I was still in college. I have worked as an employee too and it has it´s perks, but being in direct contact with clients is energizing and rewarding. It fuels creativity and a design process focused on results. Clients and business owners can provide great insights about their target audience´s needs. A smart client is aware of their public behavior and of problems and obstacles their users face and good design should propose solutions to those issues.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
4) What kind of services have your clients asked you to provide?
• Design for web, print media and video.
• Developing the visual identity of events, workshops and TV shows.
• Logotypes and stationary.
• Illustrations.
• Interactive hot sites, responsive web pages, newsletters, banners, menus, icons, landing pages, user navigation flows and wireframes.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
5) Do you use other freelancers or companies to provide skills that you don’t possess?
Yes, working as a freelancer allowed me to collaborate with developers, illustrators, animators and print producers. I can count on a network of trusted professionals I´ve worked with before when a job eventually demands those extra hours in a short time span or requires a specific expertise.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
6) Now tell us, how do you find new clients that are interested in your services?
Most of my projects come from word of mouth. I also have a portfolio website for displaying samples of my work. I tried cold calling once but found it particularly difficult to filter contacts from a random list in order to find leads for my freelance business.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
7) What about freelancermap.com? Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with our IT-network?
I have just joined Freelancermap.com and had the impression that it´s truly making an effort to connect freelancers and clients. I have been long looking for a fair trade freelancer website. There are lots of businesses trying to find qualified professionals and also freelancers out there looking for a company to represent them. I would like to see more graphic and web design jobs posted here.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
8) How do you set yourself apart from your competitors? What makes you special?
I offer great value at a very small investment rate because I am interested in the mobility and freedom that telecommute allows. This presents an opportunity for clients to hire a professional with the background of having worked both for tech and media companies and as a freelance professional with many years of experience.
I strive to keep improving my skills and give my best at each job and I believe that working remotely will boost the creation of outstanding work. Things like a better life balance and an inspiring working environment reflect positively on graphic design work.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
9) What are the top three books, blogs or magazines you read to stay up to date in the IT-market?
Zurb, Webdesigner Depot and Skillcrush. I read many blogs on web design and technology, but those three are the main ones that I follow.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
10) Freestyle! Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?
It all starts with a good briefing.
To other freelance designers I would say, it pays off to be honest to clients when it comes to defending a layout solution or idea. It´s part of the designer´s job to point to the best solution and to be able to explain why a certain visual won´t work for their business or why you made those visual choices when questioned. Reviews are part of the work, but don´t expect the client to art direct you except you´re being hired by an art director for following a defined visual style. Discussions should aim at getting the best result possible.
6/8/2015 [email protected]
© freelancermap.com
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6/8/2015 [email protected]
