The Freelance Digital Squeeze: Why This Downturn Feels Different (And How We Weather It)

Rates cooling, processes dragging, roles blending and free work requests normalising. Let's talk about the new market reality.

Hey everyone,

Let's be honest, the freelance landscape right now is... tough. Scratch that. Based on conversations and my own recent experiences, it feels like the most prolonged and challenging market I've seen in years 🤬🤬🤬 It's not necessarily the absolute depth of the dip, but the long and ongoing, dragging nature of it that's taking its toll on the awesome talent community the UK Createch space has within it. 

Gone are the incredibly lucrative days of the post-Covid boom, where demand skyrocketed, rates soared to 10-year highs and freelancers could cherry-pick roles. After digging about and doing quite a lot of research into this it seems the market gone through a period of "correction," and that correction feels harsh. Here's what stands out to me:

1.  The Rate Recalibration: Yes, rates have cooled. Significantly. While a "tough market" was my initial assumption, digging deeper reveals something more structural. This feels like a slight reversal of the boom. Market volatility, client budget cuts and a transition of skill based talent have combined to push rates down. It's not just harder to find work; the value assigned to that work maybe feels slightly diminished in some sectors. 

2.  Running The Job Gauntlet: Remember quick same day booking confirmations? Those seem rare occurrences now. The hiring process has become long, drawn-out and overly full of caution. Clients are scrutinising every hire like never before. Layers of interviews, excessive tests and ghosting have become frustratingly common. This slowdown seems to stem from  uncertainty and government legislation such as the NI employer tax change – widespread redundancies, the looming question of AI taking people’s jobs and heightened administrative burdens within client companies. It's exhausting for everyone involved. I’m bushed just typing this lol. 

3.  The "Blended Role" Burden: Here's a trend that stings: clients are increasingly asking one person to do the job of two (or three!). They've seen it happen during lean times or via overachieving individuals and now it's becoming an expectation. Job descriptions are morphing into Frankenstein monsters of responsibilities. Could it really be a cost-cutting exercise disguised as efficiency? It can set unrealistic expectations and may burn people out.

4.  The Normalisation of "Free": Requests for free work ("just a quick task brief," "a small trial project") nothing new hear and has been going on ever since I started out in the talent space but what has changed is the culture around complaining about it. What was once a whispered taboo topics are now openly discussed, even vented across social platforms. Whether it's intentional content creation or algorithms feeding on our collective frustration, publicly calling out unpaid work requests has become mainstream. We see ourselves reflected in these shared stories, making the issue feel more real and accepted.

So Why Does This Feel Different?

It's the combination and the persistence. It's not just one challenge hitting hard; it's all these pressures ant the same time and lingering. The post-boom correction feels amplified by economic jitters, AI anxiety and a shift in client risk tolerance. The "blended role" expectation and the normalisation of free work requests add layers of exploitation to an already strained environment.

Finding Our Footing: A Note of Resilience

This isn't my first rodeo. Like many of you seasoned Createch pros or long term freelancers, We navigated downturns before. That history is crucial. We've built valuable skills, proven track records and deep resilience. These are our anchors.

This tough phase will evolve. Opportunities will emerge, perhaps in new forms or requiring adapted skills (AI collaboration, anyone?). The key is to:

Protect Your Value: Don't race to the bottom on rates unless strategically necessary. Articulate your worth clearly.

Streamline Your Process: Make applying and interviewing as efficient as possible without sacrificing quality.

Set Boundaries: Politely but firmly push back on unreasonable "blended role" scopes and always say no to doing free work unless it’s essential to land a role. Your time and expertise are valuable.

Sharpen Your Saw: Use slower periods strategically. Learn, network, refine your offerings.

Community is Key: Share experiences and support each other. We're not alone in this.

This market is testing us, no doubt. But the skills and adaptability that got us here are the same tools that will see us through to the next upswing. It might feel like a long haul, but we did it before and can do it again.

What are YOU seeing out there? Does this resonate? What strategies are you using to navigate this prolonged squeeze? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments – let's learn from each other.

Stay resilient,

Dean

digital dean

AI Isn’t the Future... It’s the Present

Let’s just say it: the future showed up early.

AI isn't some distant innovation we’re waiting for anymore it’s already here, shaping our jobs, our creativity, and the way we live day to day. Tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney (which at the time of writing I don't rate) and countless others aren’t just experiments anymore. They're embedded in how we write, design, code, market and think.

Whether you're a creative, a marketer, a job seeker, or just trying to keep up, one thing is clear: ignoring AI isn't an option. It's part of the toolkit now.

But what really gets me is how quietly it’s happening. No watermarks. No disclaimers. No “Trading Standards” equivalent for content generated by machines. You scroll past a video, listen to a podcast, or see an ad and there's no way to know if it was made by a person or a prompt. I don't like that because I don't want to listen or watch synthetic ads. 

I also worry for people whose jobs are being replaced, reshaped, or erased altogether. Writers, designers, voice artists, editors, roles that once took years to master are now being undercut in seconds by tech that’s evolving faster than most people can react.

I’m not anti-AI. I use it. I learn from it. I respect what it can do. But I’m also not pretending it’s all progress without cost. There’s a lack of transparency, a lack of regulation, and a real risk of losing the human touch in industries that used to thrive on it.

Some people are doubling down on their strengths with AI as a multiplier. Others are pretending it doesn’t matter. I’m not here to shout doomsday or hype. I’m here to look at what this shift actually means — practically — and how we can all stay adaptable, curious, and ready for what’s next.

This post is a reset for me too. Digital Dean is back. Less guessing about what’s coming, more focus on what’s already changing.

Let’s make sense of it together.

Feedback

As you may or may not know, the job seeking process is made up of an application with 3 potential outcomes: application progression, application rejection, application future consideration.

 

 

Definition of application : a formal request to be considered for a position or to be allowed to do or have something, submitted to an authority, institution, or organization.

 

Definition of rejection: the dismissing or refusing of a proposal, idea, etc.

 

To gain tailored micro feedback requires something sperate - a consultation. Some job seekers expect this and some do not.

 

Definition of consultation: the action or process of formally consulting or discussing.

 

Unfortunately a very low percentage of applications are suitable for the role they apply for, resulting non relevant / non-qualified applicants bottle neck and clog up the system and slow the process for genuine quality candidates.

 

The Freelancers' Ultimate Survival Guide during Covid-19

The Freelancers' Ultimate Survival Guide during Covid-19

Some simple, effective and actionable steps that might help 😊

Step 1

Visit the following Websites to find out key information about what support you are entitled to:

GOV UK Universal Self-employment credit

Citizens Advice – Struggling with living costs

Step Change – Emergency funding

Step 2

Get your work/life schedule and routine set up. We all know the importance of a good night’s sleep and regular good habits. https://www.coachingpositiveperformance.com/power-positive-morning-routine/

Daily, weekly, monthly planners can be easily found online.

Step 3

Signup to relevant job alerts and work based social media such as: https://www.creativerecruitment.co.uk/job-search and

@Creative_Rec

Apply accordingly but be mindful of applying for non-relevant jobs as this clogs up the system for quality qualified candidates.

Step 4

Review your CV and folio and follow these principles:

CV – What am I? What do I want to be? How am I perceived? A great way to test this is by sending your CV to 3 or more people and asking them ‘What do you think I am?' without influencing or persuading them in any way. This will give you a true reflection of how and what you are on paper.

Folio – If using a PDF, ensure you have an average of 5 pages that showcase relevant case

studies to the roles you apply for. Always have your strongest work at the

front, middle and last page with either 1 or 2 extra case studies either side.

Remember, if your work isn’t Pintrest quality then it’s probably not strong enough to showcase.

Step 5

Utilise your personal and professional network. I’d recommend at least one WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Hangout meeting or phone call per day - I was Zooming every day, now I recommend quality over quantity - maybe 2 or 3 well placed Zooms per week coupled would a few quality phone calls seems to work best for me. This can be with friends or co-workers. Make sure you are ready for an e-meeting at any time.

Bonus tips:

1.      Don’t watch more than 1 hour of news per day – try to only keep tabs on the positive outcomes. Use apps such as: https://nextdoor.co.uk/ much better for you!

2.      Try and mediate for 5 mins at the start of the day: https://youtu.be/inpok4MKVLM Ideally in a pocket of natural sunlight.

3.      Try to spend at least 5 minutes doing some kind of exercise – dynamic stretches, energy yoga, rotations, high knees, etc. Tune in at 9am for: https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1 and try to go out if possible for 1 hour of exercise.

4.      Have as much of a nutrient rich diet as possible and get some good background music on if you can. Open your windows and get fresh air circulating.

5.      Be ready for when the market picks up! Now is your chance to research and get ahead of IR35, review your kit and home working conditions. Make an action plan for what you need to have ready and need to upgrade e.g. new software and additional skills to learn for when things pick up (and they will)!

I hope some good comes from the Covid 19. Experience, learning the importance of our health and sensitivity to those in need and more vulnerable. Better work-life balance and more home working for general well-being.

For regular updates you can follow me on: @deancousin

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CV of the week

Hi guys,

Been a while since I've had one of these....

This was actually a CV someone sent me for a Creative PM role.

East London

Saw some nice stuff down the road.

What do you think? Art or vandalism...

@deancousin

Liz Earle Packaging and POS

Hey guys,

I was in Boots the other day and look what I spotted - the new Liz Earle Naturally Active Active range.

I was really impressed with the high quality branding and packaging. Reminded me of premium alcohol packaging (which always looks nice IMO). I'd love to know the agency behind it.

Anyone know?