Freelance or Full-Time? A Field Guide to Modern Creative Staffing
Not sure if you need a ride-or-die employee or a creative hit squad for hire?
Enter: M+P’s Field Guide to Modern Creative Staffing. Do take notes. Hiring creative talent today is a little like dating—some people are looking for long-term, others just need a talented someone to swoop in, fix their mess, and disappear into the night. (We don’t judge.)
Whether you need a full-time Art Director or a freelance Presentation Designer for that one beast of a pitch deck, knowing your options can save you time, budget, and more than a few forehead wrinkles. Here are the three main types of hires, and when to use them:
FREELANCE/CONTRACT
Best for: Quick-turn projects, specialized needs, budget flexibility, or when you just don’t want to deal with payroll.
Pros:
- Pay for what you need—no overhead, no small talk.
- Access to highly specialized talent who actually love niche work.
- Fast turnaround. Freelancers are basically creative first responders.
- Flexibility to scale up or down without the HR headache.
- Bonus: If you go the contract route (not to be confused with 1099 freelance), we put talent on our payroll—meaning we handle taxes, benefits, PTO, and all that HR jazz. Clients skip the admin, and creatives get support like any other W2 employee. Win-win. (LinkedIn has a nice little write up for creatives on this topic.)
Cons:
- Not ideal for roles that need deep institutional knowledge (but let’s be honest—how many people really read the brand book?).
M+P’s Take:
Contract creatives are your MVPs for sprints, launches, last-minute saves, and weird one-off jobs like “make this logo feel more Gucci and less Dollar Tree.”
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Temp-to-Hire
Best for: Trying before buying. If you’ve been burned before, we get it.
Pros:
- Test the chemistry before you commit.
- Lowers the risk of making a wrong hire.
- They can start immediately—no three-month notice periods.
- Also: Maybe you’re not quite ready to go steady. You’ve got work now, but you’re pitching, you’ve got RFPs out, and you fully expect more work to hit in the next quarter. Temp-to-hire lets you bring someone on now to handle the current load, and convert them later when the floodgates open. (Agencies do this all the time. It’s basically creative staffing feng shui.)
Cons:
- Can confuse team dynamics if expectations aren’t clear.
M+P’s Take:
It’s like dating with a prenup. No mess, no pressure. And if it works out? Mazel.
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Full-Time / Permanent
Best for: Long-term projects, leadership roles, or when you finally want to lock down your creative soulmate.
Pros:
- Long-term investment = loyalty, brand knowledge, internal culture building.
- Great for strategic roles like Creative Directors or Project Managers who need to be in the loop—always.
Cons:
- Time-consuming to hire.
- Harder to part ways if it’s not a fit.
- Higher salary, benefits, onboarding costs. You’re in deep.
M+P’s Take:
When it’s right, it’s right. But if you’re unsure, start with temp or contract. No shame.
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Bottom Line?
You don’t have to choose right away. The smartest teams know when to flex.
Need someone fast? Contract.
Need someone forever? Perm.
Not sure if you want to commit? Temp-to-hire is your emotional support option.
How M+P Can Help
We’re not just matchmakers—we’re creative therapists with a roster of talent who actually want to work (rare, we know). Whether you’re scrambling for a designer by Monday or building a full team, we’ve got you. No ghosting. No fluff. Just good humans doing good work—backed by payroll, benefits, and actual support (for you and them).
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