Creative Circle Employee Reviews about "freelance"

Pros

Easy to apply for jobs

Cons

Creative Circle is great for finding freelance work, but not so good if you want something full time and permanent. After meeting with a recruiter, I started getting regular emails with opportunities, of which I applied to at least a dozen. Never heard back from any of them, even when I felt I was well-qualified, until my recruiter started pushing for me to interview with a company I had recently been laid off from! I decided to do the interview even though I wasn’t keen on the company or the role, but for some reason the hiring managers were desperate for someone so they wanted to give me an offer. They never gave me an actual offer in writing or verbally, it was just implied by the recruiter that they “wanted to move forward” which I assumed meant an in-person interview. Nope. After a few days, I contacted the recruiter to say I wasn’t interested anymore and she got all upset, acting like I screwed over the client when in reality, I never committed to anything. She said she couldn’t consider me for any other positions right now so I guess I’m done trying to find a job through Creative Circle. I wish there was better communication to avoid situations like this but I wasn’t really excited about Creative Circle to begin with because they haven’t connected me with quality jobs.

Pros

- Initial contact with Creative Circle, to sending opportunities, to landing interviews is really fast. Almost overwhelmingly fast, but that's a good thing. - Forwards lots of opportunities and are hands-on with trying to find the best fit for you. - Great initial first interview with your recruiter. Also a really good opportunity to talk about your work — great practice! - Ended up with a good full-time position (which is what I was hoping for) pretty quickly. Process moved along fast from start to finish.

Cons

- Incessantly call, even if they know you currently work a full-time position. Sometimes it's not easy for a potential candidate to drop what they're doing in the middle of a work day to speak on the phone. - Really advocate for contract/freelance work when you specifically ask for a full-time position, and then try to make contract work sound romantic by saying that contract work actually gives you more freedom to look for other positions that you think sound good. - Certain recruiters are pushy and manipulative. They will push you into an interview that you don't necessarily want to do. They'll also try and manipulate you into going to another scheduled interview when you have already accepted another position through them, saying that it will "hurt your chances to network in the future" and that they "understand that it's your choice" over and over trying to guilt you into going. They are actually worried about their relationship with the client rather than your future ability to network with people in the client's circle. - Once accepting a full-time position, all communication ends pretty abruptly. Probably because you're not freelancing through Creative Circle, but the abruptness of all communication ending definitely feels like they just wanted you for the commission (which, in the end, they do — but at least hide it).

Pros

You got to be kidding...

Cons

A computerized system that conveniently emails jobs to prospective candidates asking for resumes and bullet points about why said candidate would be a good fit only to never hear from an actual recruiter. If you are a white male over the age of 35 with limited management experience, forget it, you are considered old and incompetent by recruiters. If their recruiters call and you cannot answer, good luck getting back in touch with one. It's sadly a numbers game. The supposed "great opportunities" are never as advertised. Usually gigs that you are way overqualified for and ones that your hourly rate is less than competitor agencies. Gigs that are short-term. Hardly ever Freelance to FT. They also take a larger cut of your hourly rate (sometimes 50% instead of 30%). If you ever work for other agencies and receive better treatment, you more than likely will be blackballed. Their clients usually lack professionalism, are cheap and will not give good references.

Pros

Easy automated email system for new opportunities.

Cons

Unless you're able to pick up the phone in the middle of the day, it will be challenging to schedule an interview. I was met with rudeness each time I explained to the recruiter or coordinator that I work full time and can't always pick up my phone. I offered my availability several times over email and never received a reply. For a company that plays the middle man between potential employee/freelancer/contractor and employer/client, they have a pretty flippant approach to handling communication.

Pros

Connect you to some good clients

Cons

At first they offer you lots of freelance jobs but then stop after a while. Ended up working lots of jobs at only a few companies, but then that's not even them finding you work, it's the companies requesting you again and then CC just gains money time and time again. BTW - they charge the company double what you're getting paid - really not a fair ratio.

Pros

- Good Clients - Will Pay you - Stock Options for longer-term contractors. - Good for entry-levels to get their first quality gig - Unfortunately, the only Staffing agency that specializes in Creative and Marketing related things.

Cons

- Recruiters are probably the worst in the industry. Learn from Randstad, TEKsystems, Robert Half, and others. PLEASE. - It's obvious that these recruiters send you to your contract and just want you to shut up afterwards. Any questions etc you might have regarding your relationship with the client and other contracts are ignored or forgotten. - Chaotic. Get upset when you don't want to work for a client for another week of your two week gig because your time is up, yet on the same time expect you to get all the legal things in order which you can't do when at the location. - Pay is low compared to other agencies. - For a Recruiting Agency to not know the difference between a 'freelance' and 'contract' position is simply embarrassing. Often labels things that are obviously Contracts as 'Freelance'. Maybe because that's what Marketing and Design is more accustomed to hearing?

Pros

Get paid on a weekly basis.

Cons

No major medical health insurance for freelancers (not even for the permalancers), in a market where all other employment agencies provide it within a month or two of starting a contract. If you work for CC as a recruiter though, you do get health insurance. Why are contractors different? CC's commission is higher than other placement agencies. Multiple times, I've seen different agencies list exact same freelance job, with CC usually offering $10 - $15/hr less than others. The word on the street is that they take 50% commission, compared to around 30% by competitors. Agencies like Aquent, Vitamin T, Artisan, Wunderland Group (from my experience) are much more supportive of the talent, rather than focusing on the bottom line like CC. Companies that hire CC contribute to the exploitative treatment of the freelancers/employees. I'm puzzled as to why Clients utilize placement agencies as much as they do. I've applied for some jobs directly with some companies and heard nothing back. Then a couple of weeks/months later, I got a project there through an employment agency. I'd think it would be cheaper for a company to hire freelancers directly. Instead of paying $80 to an agency, they could pay the contractor $60 directly without the middle man. It seems lazy and wasteful.

Pros

The "reps" that I've worked with have been pleasant enough.

Cons

As a professional freelance videographer you offer your expertise and own equipment. The compensation that Creative Circle gives you is embarrassingly low. They obviously have no idea of the market value these role, since they pay about 1/4th of what any other freelance job would pay. It doesn't matter your experience, your reel, or the value of your gear. Expect to work hard for very little compensation.