Graphic design is perhaps one of the most important jobs in recent years. Despite the advancement towards automation, I believe that graphic designers will continue to be in demand worldwide until artificial intelligence catches up with human creativity. Nevertheless, freelance work, which is a widely popular approach in the field of graphic design, is not as straightforward in Türkiye as it might seem or be hoped.

Freelancing, in a simplified perspective, involves posting a job advertisement for the work you can do and waiting for the client to find your listing. Afterwards, you start working with the client. From here, the system doesn't do much, and what happens next is between you and the client. This is where the trouble actually begins. In Türkiye, many people who start a new business or want to have a design done for their existing business tend to underestimate this work, sometimes not even budgeting for it.

If you're considering working as a freelance designer, be prepared to face many questions like "Do you work for free/recommendation?" or "Is 200TL enough for this job?" Graphic designers are often treated as if anyone can do their job, it's just that they don't have time for it. It's as if being creative is an easy thing, and after completing the design, it's assumed that making it presentable to the client can be done with a flick of the hand. However, creating a design that can capture the attention of customers, draw people's focus, and fulfil the given content and instructions is not easy at all, and reaching a level where you can do this takes years of experience.

Besides all of this, there are also people who offer hourly rates. However, completing a graphic design job quickly doesn't make it less valuable. The person who creates that design needs to accumulate years of experience to be able to complete the job quickly. They need to understand what's right and wrong for that design, be able to make decisions accordingly, and present it effectively. Of course, in the eyes of the employer, this might also be seen as a low-value task that only takes a few hours.

Looking at the bright side, there are many understanding individuals with a grasp of market realities who are eager to work with freelance graphic designers. There are people who recognize the value of your work, who don't try to underpay you and who pay you the fair amount you deserve without causing you hardship. I recommend working with people like this and not paying attention to messages and offers that come from the other side of the market. Because working with people who understand you, respect your work, and value your effort makes being a freelance graphic designer a truly enjoyable profession.