So, I got an offer to work on a project tomorrow, but I was scheduled to work. So last thursday I asked if I could get the day off, and they said no....but it's a really good offer, and will pay several more times what I would make tomorrow. So, I'm not coming into work, even though I am the only one scheduled to work. They'll probably get super mad, but at this point I really don't care. I don't care if they fire me, all in the name of film! Viva la resistance!
Calling in sick...
- Thread starter PDX_DVX
- Start date
wabbit
Evil has Ears
You gotta decide what is more important to you but if you were my employee, or rather, if you had an employee who pulled that, wouldn't you fire him?
Perhaps they won't but I would make the decision based on the fact they will fire you and you will lose a reference for future jobs. Maybe the gig tomorrow is worth it, but I don't think anyone can decide but you.
No matter what your career, a big part of your reputation is based on your reliability. Establish yourself as someone who will bail on his obligations and you might find it difficult to find future work.
Working freelance I am constantly having to turn down jobs, often better ones with longer commitments, because I already agreed to work a different one. I can name a few times I lost as much as $25,000 because of a cheaper obligation. Believe me it sucked but in the long run my reputation was far more valuable.
One thing I do is reference the gig to a friend who will in the future do the same for me.
Tough decision, good luck
Perhaps they won't but I would make the decision based on the fact they will fire you and you will lose a reference for future jobs. Maybe the gig tomorrow is worth it, but I don't think anyone can decide but you.
No matter what your career, a big part of your reputation is based on your reliability. Establish yourself as someone who will bail on his obligations and you might find it difficult to find future work.
Working freelance I am constantly having to turn down jobs, often better ones with longer commitments, because I already agreed to work a different one. I can name a few times I lost as much as $25,000 because of a cheaper obligation. Believe me it sucked but in the long run my reputation was far more valuable.
One thing I do is reference the gig to a friend who will in the future do the same for me.
Tough decision, good luck
MalcolmOng
Veteran
Once i had to decide between a film screening and going to a school activity ( a uniform group in which i was second in command). No prizes on guessing which one i bailed on.
I subsequently got fired..So much for being a staff sarge
I subsequently got fired..So much for being a staff sarge
dustino
Well-known member
I'm assuming you have a "real" job (steady full time gig) that you are bailing out of to do a freelance video gig? If so, wabbit offers great advice that you should do so realizing that you might be sacrifing your steady gig (by getting fired) for the video gig. If you're ditching one video client to go with a higher paying one, that's very risky to your reputation (as others have stated better than me.) It's that old adage that if someone has a good experience with a business, they might tell 1 or 2 people, but if someone has a negative experience, they'll often tell 10 people.
Also, I quit a regular full-time gig to go strictly freelance. I did this hastily and, frankly, my financial life kind of sucks right now (the freelance ain't happening like I expected.) So, I traded professional/creative stress for financial stress. I'm single with no kids, so I can live with the financial stress and in the end, I'm happier right now. Another year of poverty, though, and I might feel differently.
So, my advice (for what it's worth) is to plan wisely before ditching steady work. Make certain you have enough savings AND that you're confident you can make enough freelancing to support yourself. But, hey, I've got a feeling since you posted this yesterday that you're already out shooting. My second piece of advice is once you've made a decision, don't look back! Good luck.
Also, I quit a regular full-time gig to go strictly freelance. I did this hastily and, frankly, my financial life kind of sucks right now (the freelance ain't happening like I expected.) So, I traded professional/creative stress for financial stress. I'm single with no kids, so I can live with the financial stress and in the end, I'm happier right now. Another year of poverty, though, and I might feel differently.
So, my advice (for what it's worth) is to plan wisely before ditching steady work. Make certain you have enough savings AND that you're confident you can make enough freelancing to support yourself. But, hey, I've got a feeling since you posted this yesterday that you're already out shooting. My second piece of advice is once you've made a decision, don't look back! Good luck.