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It may sound trivial, but maybe it's not.

If I'm looking for a job then I look to a company's website open positions page and I send a CV (curriculum vitae). In this case the company would be my employer.

If instead I'm a freelancer and I'm looking to get a job then I try to contact the company to advertize my services. In this case the company would be my client.

Is there something in between? Think of a company that needs a service (the development of a web application or something similar) for which it may hire somebody or may outsource it to a freelancer. In this last case the distinction between employer and client, according to me, is not so clear.

So the question is: do you think it makes sense to submit a CV to a company's spontaneous applications page (where they seek an employee), and to write in the covering letter that I would be glad to work for them as a freelancer in the case they need one for a service involving the skills I have?

eMBee
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2 Answers2

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There are possibilities. But your chances are limited unless you can get around HR, whose contact information these things will provide, and deal with the hiring manager or the person who'd be signing a check.

You can waste your time with HR if you like, but an HR department in anything other than a very small business is trained to ignore the type of call you're proposing.

Xavier J
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  • I've been thinking the same: submitting dirctly to department manager instead of submitting to open position or spontaneus applications email address. The difficulty here is to get the person email address. –  Jul 11 '16 at 20:42
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There's a big difference in being a freelancer and being an employee.

If you're hired by a company as a W2 employee (or the equivalent if you're not in the US) you have a boss. They tell you how to do your job (to an extent). You get trained on how the team does x, y, and z and you work certain hours or can work within a range of hours (if you're salary).

If you're a freelancer then you're the boss. Yes, they hired you but, you're not their employee. You work for yourself. They give you a project and you get to decide how to do it. You get to set your own hours, and work for as many clients you can handle.

Further reading: 1, 2, 3.

I wrote an answer for a similar question about applying to jobs as a freelancer for companies looking for an employee.

Basically, yes you can do it and it doesn't hurt to try. Chances are you won't be looked at if you state you're a freelancer as HR vets most applications. If you can, go directly to the department head or the CEO (depending on the size of the company) and give them your pitch.

I wouldn't contact these people in the same manner that you would for a normal W2 position as that's not what this would be. You need to show results, case studies, and your competitive advantages. A cover letter doesn't mean much here. Send them your elevator speech and include contact info.

Don't make this a part of your usual sales funnel because it's more effort than it's worth. Only do this if you're interested in the company/their product or service.

Community
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Memj
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