The ability to work from home is one thing; it has become a standard response to COVID-19, and many organisations are now going to allow their staff to work from home on a permanent basis. However, many others are eying off the next step – if you’re working from home, why not also work for yourself? The question then is simply what work would you do? This is especially true of those in desktop publishing or graphic design, where the nature of the work already lends itself to self employment.
The rate in which people are self-employed is increasing in the UK. In 1975, it was 8 per cent. In 2019 it grew to 14 per cent, and while we won’t know the data for the impact that COVID-19 has had on that rate, the job losses and recession will result in more people looking to freelancing, or the “gig economy,” as an alternative to employment.
Is the “gig economy” good for me?
There are some massive benefits to working in the gig economy as a freelance graphic designer or desktop publisher. The first is that your job can be done remotely and from home – your clients will be long comfortable with working with remote graphic designers, so there won’t be any pressure to be “on-site,” nor will you lose any work if you can’t be physically present. This also means that you can offer your services to clients anywhere in the world, and if there isn’t much work available in the UK, you can establish a client base in the US, China, or any of the other big markets in the world.
While the gig economy has challenges – research suggests that a large percentage of freelancers earn less and are under-employed – there are financial benefits to doing so too. If you can establish a solid base of clients, then you spread the risk, such that if one client ceases working with you, you will still have other revenue streams. In an uncertain market where people are worried about their jobs, this is a measure of security.
There is also the opportunity to set your own rates and significantly out-earn what you could expect in a salaried position. UK freelance rates for graphic designers range from around £150 per day for juniors to £400 per day for an experienced graphic designer. However, if you’re able to establish yourself in a technical niche that is in demand (such as UX/UI design), then you’ll be able to command much higher rates.
What do I need to step into freelance graphic design or desktop publishing?
Having a broad range of skills and capabilities within the graphic design space is a must for any freelancer – you don’t want to be losing work because you’re not able to meet a client’s needs. Completing a qualified graphic design course that will provide you with the foundational knowledge of printing, digital illustration, design and typography, web design, and marketing and design is a good first step. The chances are that as you establish your credibility in one field you will continue to specialise, but having the broad range of skills is a good idea when first establishing yourself as a freelancer.
Next, you need clients! This is the challenge for many freelancers, and especially in the early stages the going can be tough. There are tools such as Upwork available for you to share your portfolio online and prospective clients can search you out, but you’ll also need to be more proactive than that, and really work to market yourself. One option is to reach out to graphic design companies to see if they have any excess work – for some that might have needed to downsize in response to the pandemic there might be some available for freelancers. Otherwise, start with businesses in the local area, and join any business networking groups. They’ll often hold meetings and events that you can attend and start to pitch your services to other enthusiastic business leaders.
Should I just get a salaried job instead?
The greatest benefit to working as a freelancer is the sheer variety in the work. You might be working on a website design one day, a book cover the next, and laying out a programme for a theatre performance the next day. The nature of salaried positions is that you’re working for one company, so the flexibility and variety isn’t there – many graphic designers find that they lose the creative spark without fresh experiences.
It’s a highly competitive sector, to be sure, though graphic designers are in a space where the demand for salaried positions is in decline – marketing agencies are doing fine, but smaller companies would rather outsource project-based tasks like graphic design than have someone on staff.
If you’re good at what you do, however, and know how to drum up business and develop a stable base of clients, graphic design and desktop publishing is a textbook case study of how professionals can flourish in the gig economy. Given that you can work from home (or while travelling), set your own hours, let your passions fuel which clients that you work for and, most importantly, focus entirely on the creative side of the job without the mundane side of working within an office, most graphic designers find that they enjoy the freelance lifestyle.
Prepare yourself for a flourishing career in the graphic design sector by developing your skills and knowledge base. ICI offers comprehensive courses on graphic design that will equip you with all the tools you need for this exciting and vibrant career.
Online, career focused education that suits your lifestyle.
Gladys Mae served as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute (ICI) from 2010 to 2025. A graduate of the University of San Jose - Recoletos with a degree in Mass Communication (Broadcast Media), she brought exceptional communication and organisational strengths to the role. During her 15-year tenure at ICI, Gladys provided decisive leadership, ensured high-quality student support, and played a pivotal role in shaping a positive learning experience for thousands of students. Before joining ICI, Gladys built a diverse professional background through key positions in the banking and business process outsourcing sectors, giving her a strong foundation in customer service, operations management, and team leadership.
