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Monday, June 20, 2011

The Eternal Freelancer

Hi girls,
I hope you're both well.  I was away for the weekend (I went back to Ile de Ré!) but am now back to the grind.  Work work work!  I just stepped in the door following an early apéro with a girlfriend of mine and we ended up having a fascinating discussion about "the new kind of intern"!  It seems that my friend Robin has fallen into the "adult version" of interning:  She is an eternal freelancer!  The poor girl was in such a state, she feels like she has been freelancing forever and apparently this weekend she snapped!  She pointed out that sure, the freedom and flexibility is great, but freelancers are denied all the benefits afforded to full-time employees.  Robin has been freelancing for years and although she has a wonderful life, she was starting to feel the strain of her permanently temporary situation!

Freelancers must have been the topic du jour because at work today my colleague suggested we hire a "perma-lancer" for a project we are working on.  I didn't realize you could be permanent and freelance.. but then again what do I know?  She recommended using the same freelance person consistently but never actually bringing them on staff.  I guess the very definition of freelancing is that you are not on staff, but wouldn't that get frustrating after a while!?   As an intern I yearned to belong, to be a permanent member of the team but I guess some people really thrive in a "come in and save the day" capacity!  haha!

Well, I successfully talked my freelancing friend off the ledge and reminded her that the freedom and flexibilty of her job has allowed to the time to go to yoga retreats in India and trekking in South America.  What "lifer" can say that when he/she is chained to a desk?  There's nothing like a Ricard and a dose of rationality when you start to lose perspective!  I get what she's saying though, the grass is always greener on the other side!

Bisous xx Ophelia

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