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The question keeps popping up: should I lower my rates now?<\/em><\/strong> While we would like to be able to offer a succinct answer, the truth is, like so many things: it\u2019s complicated. To drill down to the best way to frame the question for you, I interviewed three leading Creative Circle superstar recruiters \u2014 two on the record, one off. Check out what these experts had to say.<\/p>\n Shannon<\/a> was full of vim and vigor and had a lot<\/em> to say about the topic. Her take on this issue is the same for freelancers, permalancers, and full-timers \u2014 and marches stridently in one direction \u2014 can you guess what that might be?<\/p>\n Agencies live and die by their clients \u2014 we\u2019re going to see a lot of agencies closing down. And they\u2019re not coming back. It\u2019s going to be a client market 150%, so this is what I\u2019m saying to candidates: there are fewer positions, there are other superstars out there \u2014 so right now you have to be f l e x i b l e.<\/em> No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Being flexible is not<\/em> an indicator of your worth \u2014 it\u2019s a sign that you have to ebb and flow with the market \u2014 and a hungry market demands<\/em> flexibility.<\/p>\n One step at a time. One day at a time. Yes, it may not be the rate you were targeting, but you have to make the best decision with what is in front of you now.<\/em> Take the opportunity. Move forward.<\/em> You have to be able to pay for your life today in order to be around for tomorrow.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t know what the opportunity might become. If you do a great job once you\u2019re in, you may be able to grow your role and move up internally. It\u2019s smart to start creative buzz for yourself in<\/em> the marketplace, not on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n If you’re on the wrong side of the benefits game, it can break you. In an unsure market, the best you can do is to have the benefit of corporate benefits on your side. Full-time work is where it’s at if you get the opportunity (see above). Remember that doing freelance work with Creative Circle can also position you for benefits eligibility<\/a>! In these unstable times, gaining a semblance of stability is king and queen.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a much more compelling story to say that you were employed during the pandemic. Your narrative matters. If there\u2019s an opportunity that you\u2019re a fit for \u2014 despite the compensation being less than you\u2019re usually paid \u2014 you need to definitely move forward.<\/em><\/p>\n As you might suspect, the creative work landscape will not look like it did pre-COVID-19. The BIG question: where do we end up when this is all said and done? People are learning how to broadcast and produce work off-site utilizing digital production tools \u2014 and doing so more quickly and cheaply. But that doesn\u2019t mean there won\u2019t be opportunity, it will just be different<\/em> opportunity. Someone will still need to do post-production \u2014 edit, create graphics, for example. The money will be reallocated in the next normal, and everyone needs to strategically reposition themselves to be as competitive as possible for when the market opens back up. Yes, this is going to be a challenging time \u2014 but I truly believe that when we finally come out the other side that we will come out better for it.<\/p>\n This savvy NYC recruiter wanted to stay off the record but had many choice insights to share. With no clear black or white answers, this top recruiter gave some nuance to the factors one should consider when deciding to take a lower rate or not. With such a quick flip from a candidate market to a client one, recruiters have a significantly different job ahead to get candidates’ work. For a while, it may be a race to the bottom \u2014 but only for a bit. Pointing out that this is a very different situation than what happened in 2008, there was one lesson from that time that seems congruent: when recovery does happen, it will be strong.<\/p>\n \u201cI can do this for $X for the next three months, but please know what my real rate is.\u201d Communication is paramount: discuss that you are willing to work for less for a period of time. Let a client know what you are typically paid, and set a period of time after which you re-visit pay. You have to be fairly assertive and honest with your client or recruiter.<\/p>\n A. How long? <\/strong> Here\u2019s why: in most states, employers are legally allowed to ask what you made at your last job. And they are allowed to check to make sure that you are being honest (not being honest could be cause for the job offer to be withdrawn). Because so many women and people of color start at lower salaries, having to disclose salary history as a basis for future pay became an entrenched form of discrimination.<\/p>\n It was only on October 31, 2017, that a Pay History ban<\/a> went into effect in New York, which made it illegal to ask a candidate what they had made previously and to base salary for the new job on what a person had made at their last one. 18 states<\/a> have since followed suit, a step in the right direction toward equalizing pay between women and men, and for people of color \u2014 but one that leaves the majority of the country unprotected. Because of this, you need to check where your particular state falls when making a decision about taking a job at a lower salary. Depending on where you are, taking a lower rate may allow the market to take advantage of you going forward. If you\u2019re in a protected state, however, you have less to lose. So if you take a “step backward” due to the pandemic, and you’re in one of the 18 states with a Pay History Ban, I might advocate for greater flexibility than if you’re in one of the 32 states that don’t have a ban.<\/p>\n Everyone has their own pain points. If you have a family and need security and benefits \u2014 you need to take what you can. If you have to pay the bills, you have to balance ego with practicality. It’s simple, really: do what you need to do to pay the bills.<\/p>\n For freelance work, remove the ego. It’s a transaction. Ask yourself: does the transaction work for you? For full-time opportunities, however, keep the ego in \u2014 it’s your life.<\/p>\nShannon Robinson \u2014 Senior Recruiter, Los Angeles Office<\/h3>\n
Flexibility is a must.<\/h4>\n
You have to make it to tomorrow to make it to next week.<\/h4>\n
Sometimes it\u2019s as much about the opportunity as it is about the money.<\/h4>\n
Yes, money \u2014 but you have to have those benefits. <\/em><\/h4>\n
Being employed during this pandemic is a good story. Your narrative matters.<\/h4>\n
Where the work will be is changing. You want to be ready for the next chapter.<\/h4>\n
Senior Recruiter\u2014New York City Office<\/h3>\n
Only be flexible for now.<\/h4>\n
\nB. How much? <\/strong>
\nC. Who is it?<\/strong>
\nThis is the rubric by which to decide whether or not to take an opportunity for less money. Length of assignment makes a difference in assessing whether you should take a lower rate or not. As well, how much of a lower rate? Is it just $10 an hour less, or significantly more? Depending on the company, you might be more (or less) willing to work for less. Everyone has their own values. Everyone has a different privilege level. But if you need a #@^&! job, benefits, stability \u2014 be flexible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\nIf the job is only three weeks long, the rate matters less. For shorter-term project work, it’s a lot easier to have flexibility \u2014 and no one in the future will know that you took a lower rate. For longer-term assignments, however, setting expectations is much more significant. My advice is to not take a long-term engagement at a lower rate if you can help it \u2014 and full-time opportunities are a different story altogether.<\/em><\/li>\n
\nAre you being offered an opportunity with a fabulous company, but at a lower rate than you’d like? If it’s a resume-builder, it may be worthwhile to take the role and be flexible with the rate. Building bridges with a company that you\u2019d love to be connected with has value beyond the \u201cbenjamins.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFreelance vs. Full-time: NOT the same when it comes to taking a lower rate.<\/h4>\n
No one size fits all.<\/h4>\n
Jocelyn Yant\u2014Senior Recruiter, New York City Office<\/h3>\n