I never get assignments, I am bored, what should I do?

I am a freelancer. I have not exercised my full potential at work because my supervisors assign everyone else apart from me. I have to come up with my own assignment ideas. I get bored with my work because I have to come up with assignments. Rita

Dear Rita,
Freelancing in the media houses presupposes that the freelancer is an independent writer, photographer, etc, who is contracted to generate editorial content for the publications. This therefore implies that the freelancer is at liberty to decide which content to submit/sell to a particular media house, depending on its requirements. The media house on the other hand is also at liberty to buy and publish, or not publish the submitted content depending on its editorial standards/preferences and the publication’s consumer tastes and preferences.

Rita, as an independent contractor or freelancer, your major obligation to the media house and to the editor you have been assigned, is to regularly write and submit articles out of your own initiative, choice and judgment, though you may at times be assigned and directed by your editors on some chosen assignments.
On the other hand, the employee/ staff reporter is under obligation to generate content as directed and assigned by the editor, who plays the role of a supervisor in this case.

The staff reporter is all the time under the direct supervision of the editor and the content generated is at all material times controlled by the editor.
It is therefore telling when you mention that it is hard for you to think and come up on your own, with content without being assigned.
I would hence advise you to seek audience with your editor and try to find a solution to your problem but, as a principle, you are most times expected to generate content out of own volition and initiative.

Moses Ssesanga
Head Human Resource
NMG - Uganda
[email protected]