OT: Need advice from other Graphic Designers or really anyone with a job.

[bigfiver69]

Hey man,

 

I studied Communication and Design at the Ontario College of Art for four years, and I'm in my 15th year in the advertising business. I've worked at FCB, Ogilvy & Mather, and now I'm an Associate Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi. So I know what it's like to pour your heart and your time into a project.

 

I read what your boss did.

 

For the good of your soul, and the good of your career - QUIT. QUIT RIGHT NOW. Walk in, be nice, but be firm and tell him point blank that your labour is simply too valuable to be critiqued by a 16 year old.

 

Then, turn on you heel and walk. Take your book to as many interviews as you can and tell that story to every creative director/head of art you can.

 

You will prove that you stand behind your work and that you are not a hack.

 

It may be tough in the short term, but it'll be nothing but good for you in the long term

 

Good luck

Shep

[bigfiver69]

Oh... I'm not suggesting this from an ivory tower, either. I just pulled up stakes and moved my family 3000 km because my old work environment was destroying my soul. Did it in February.

 

Man, it was a hard decision to go. But being in a cool environment where people care about the work, well, it's awesome. And my advertising mojo is so back now.

 

Good luck.

Shep

[Rodey]

If you want to move to Rochester NY, we are looking for a person in our MarCom department. You basically have all the skills we need! (Less hassle here too)

[BronzeBruce13]

Excellent post

 

AH, sorry to hear about your situation. I recently left a family-owned company that became a similar situation. It happened over a period of years. I wanted to move up, so I took on more and more responsibility. I eventually saw that they were more than happy to take as much as I wanted to give.

 

But when it was their turn to give, forget it. I had to nearly quit to get a promotion and a raise after 2 people in my dept. left (one of whom was my manager, whose position was eliminated after he left) and I was doing ALL of the work. I even had to train our graphic artist to do some of it because I couldn't do it all.

 

Sounds like your company does not value you or what you do, and that is NOT likely to change. Ever. They value what they value, and that's it. They pay some people well, and others poorly. You want and need to find a company that values what YOU do and what YOU bring to the table. There are companies out there that value what you do, and will pay you well for it. You've just got to go find them.

 

Add everything that you've done for them to your resume. Send your resume to as many different places as you possibly can, and get the heck outta there. That place is NOT going to change because they are not interested in changing.

 

Here are a few things that I learned, realized, and had to come to terms with:

 

1. I was part of the problem. I had enabled/allowed it to happen. No one held a gun to my head and made me stay there all those years and take on the extra responsibilities. No one made me keep my mouth shut when I thought things were unfair (I eventually learned to start talking). No one made me stay late, come in there on weekends & holidays, and feel like I couldn't take any days off.

 

2. I had the choice to either stay and try to make things better and change things (which I did for a long time), or leave.

 

3. *I* have to take care of myself and balance my own life (work, family, time for myself/my hobbies). No one else can do it for me, but I HAVE to do it.

 

4. I cannot approach work like a relationship. In general, in *good* relationships, the more you give, the better things get, and it is recognized, appreciated, and reciprocated. Work is NOT a relationship. It's just work. I have to separate who I am from what I do, and not get my identity from work.

 

5. That job, as bad/discouraging/frustrating as it was, was just a chapter in my life - it's not the entire book. I could take the good, leave the bad, and start a new chapter. And I learned a LOT (mostly what I DON'T want in a job and in a company), so a lot of good came from it.

 

Hang in there, but get out of there as soon as you can. Best of luck to you!

[cd4ever]

Not much I can add after all that. Glad you didn't do anything rash.

If you're on your own, you can up and quit. But with a family, you need to think twice. Start looking for a new job, at least to see what's out there and what folks are being paid. Mail the resume out to a few companies, throw it on Monster, hope your current employees see it out there, do an interview or two.

 

And like Donut said, just stop working the long hours. It's easier than it sounds. You just stop. You log off and go home. If someone calls you on it, you explain that you're not going to to do everything on your own anymore. I did that a several years ago and it was the best thing I ever did. I stopped working 80 hours a week and started working 50. There was some grumbling and adjustment on the customers part, but adjust they did.

 

Good luck Erich.

[richnerd]

Family first!

 

I walked away from a high dollar job after 12 years because I missed my oldest boys first 3 years of life. I spent so much time at work that I wasn't there for his first step, first words or any of that. I soon realized enough of that and quit the next day. I took about a 20% paycut at first but the last 11 years I have not missed a sporting event or field trip for either of my boys.

 

Time with family members PRICELESS.

 

Now with that said, depending on your situation, get a job lined up first so you dont make more stress on you and the family if money gets tight. I didn't do that thinking I would have no problem getting something and it took almost 8 months before I did. So the savings account got drained, vacations canceled. So that would of been the only thing I would of changed.

 

And while you look, quit busting your *spoon* and use some sick leave or vacation days and only give them 8 hour days. Hell if they fire you they will be doing you a favor.

 

Good luck,

 

Rich

[alecholland]

Hey man,

 

I studied Communication and Design at the Ontario College of Art for four years, and I'm in my 15th year in the advertising business. I've worked at FCB, Ogilvy & Mather, and now I'm an Associate Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi. So I know what it's like to pour your heart and your time into a project.

 

I read what your boss did.

 

For the good of your soul, and the good of your career - QUIT. QUIT RIGHT NOW. Walk in, be nice, but be firm and tell him point blank that your labour is simply too valuable to be critiqued by a 16 year old.

 

Then, turn on you heel and walk. Take your book to as many interviews as you can and tell that story to every creative director/head of art you can.

 

You will prove that you stand behind your work and that you are not a hack.

 

It may be tough in the short term, but it'll be nothing but good for you in the long term

 

Good luck

Shep

 

My major was Communications in college, however, like an *spoon* I never finished.

Instead I landed a job while I was in college working for a small Christian television network here in KC. I thought that would be my lifelong career. I was young, I've changed a lot since then. I saw what happens behind the scenes of all those places like CBN and realized I'd made a terrible mistake. By then I had a kid and responsibilities and never finished my degree. I know it's never too late, but I really need a change of environment now.

 

Advertising was always what I wanted to do. Working with no resources and no input to accomplish an impossible task that was due yesterday while maintaining a high level of creativity is what I thrive at. And as long as the criticism is coming from someone who knows what they are talking about, I can take all the criticism in the world.

 

Problem with my portfolio is, I haven't had any time to do any nice design work for the last 7 years because I'm always working here and everything I do here gets watered down to the point that it is no longer good. For example, they won't let me hire a photographer to take new product shots or shots of people using our products. Instead, they want me to scan in old dated photos from the late 80's early 90's and use those. They think because I know how to use Photoshop that I can somehow change people's clothing and hairstyles and make it all look perfectly realistic. I probably could, but not by tomorrow and it would be much cheaper and easier in the long run to just have someone shoot new photos.

 

One other funny thing. Part of our product line includes laminating pouches/sleeves for laminating news articles and such. We have been selling them for over 30 years. My boss, who has worked here since this company began, still spells them "pouchs". 30+ years and he doesn't know how to spell the name of the product we sell.

 

I wasn't planning on posting in this thread again in light of other more serious and sad news on the boards, but I do appreciate the comments and suggestions and just wanted to thank everyone again.

 

If you haven't done so already and you're reading this post, please post condolences for comicdonna and his family. Very sad news.

[Wally's Comics]

Major Tip # 134:

 

A job is A LOT easier to obtain when you are already working somewhere else.

 

Meaning, this is another reason to stay where you are at until you have some where else.

 

It's kind of the same principle with women and creditcards, if you don't have one

you are less desirable than if you did have one.

 

 

[justin]

I'm a graphic designer and I would look for another job too. Go somplace where they appreciate you and your work.

[CKB]

First, stop working so hard. Second, find another job before you leave this one. Good luck.

 

This is exactly correct. Put in your PAID time each day and let stuff not get done. Use the extra time to find another job. It is always easier to get a job when you are working.

[ShoNuff-migration]

I did get a bonus check last year based on my performance and value to the company.

 

It was $50 before taxes and insurance were taken out.

 

 

Sorry...but I just have to do this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ShoNuff-migration]

On a more serious note, I pretty much agree with everyone else. Cut back on the hours and stick around if you can until you get another job. If they fire you, then file for unemployment on their sorry asses.

 

Or, if you just can't stand it anymore and have some money socked away for a rainy day...*spoon* 'em...put your two weeks notice in, try to leave on good terms so you don't burn any bridges, and start busting your butt looking for a better job.

[Wally's Comics]

Cut back on the hours and stick around if you can until you get another job. If they fire you, then file for unemployment on their sorry asses.

 

you sound like a pro at this.

 

 

[underthebigw]

I've only read your post, so I don't know what others have said.

 

Quit. Fast. Worried about health insurance? Don't. That's what COBRA is for (not officially, but it's there).

 

You'll never be appreciated, and your work will only make incompetents look good.

 

You'll never be happy there, so unless you're completely financially strapped, walk out the door. At the very least put more of your energy into seriously finding another position instead of making these bozos look good. Give notice, get your resume and portfolio in order and leave. Watch them panic.

[Artboy99]

I personally went through this recently.

I used to work for a company where my responsibilities were graphics, renderings, promotional materials..the works! I managed and ran my department that consisted of one assistant in addition to myself.

Over 14 years they abused me both with the work required AND actual verbal abuse comments.

Often I was requested to do art related "favors" for friends and family of the owners and no I was never compensated for these things, and it directly affected my regular workload.

I requested reviews to get told "we can't review you, until we know what we want to do with the department". I was lumped in on future plans so nothing ever changed.

The owners paid themselves ridiculously huge salaries compared to the employees who had to struggle to make ends meet.

In the end I got very tired of dealing with these two owners, and looked around. I totally agree with the suggestion of getting together a portfolio while you are there, and also suggest finding another job before moving on. Lastly, do not burn bridges, it isnt worth the potential damage that can cause.

 

One last comment: you dont have to find a job in the same career path you are in...perhaps a change will do you good like it did me.

 

Artboy99

[Wally's Comics]

perhaps a change will do you good like it did me

 

What do you do now?

 

 

[bigfiver69]

If you're looking to bolt, but haven't developed a strong portfolio - one that really demonstrates what your skills are and where your tastes are - my suggestion would be to make up 8 or 9 dream projects and design the *spoon* out of them and make that your book. Do it all spec... don't worry that they are not real projects.

 

This could take up to a year. My first portfolio took that long to put together, but it was pretty sharp and it landed me a job pretty quick.

 

Look online and see some of the portfolios design companies are doing... even the student portfolios at places like the Pasadena School or VCU Ad Centre. I'd suggest some packaging, some editorial design, some corporate identity, some posters and environmental design, maybe some signage. Just go completely mad and put together a load of eye-stopping work.

 

I know a lot of guys who have done this, even mid-career. It's great, cathartic exercise. And it WILL get you a better job.

 

Shep

[Point Five]

That's a great suggestion, Shep! And I would make a related suggestion, which is don't be afraid to put "first round" work from your current job in your portfolio (i.e. color prints & mockups of the nicer stuff you started designing before your bosses took it in another direction and ran it into the ground). Doesn't always matter if it's not "the finished piece", as long as it shows your thinking and your potential.

 

When I jumped from my first job to my second in the mid-90s, probably a good 40-50% of my portfolio was things like that (first-round presentations, mockups of projects I liked that got stalled or didn't get picked, etc) rather than the duller stuff I was grinding out day-to-day. The idea is to show the kind of work you want to be doing.

 

[Foolkiller]

Wow. I'm not sure I can add any more than what's been said, but I would not quit until I found something else. I would scale back my hours to 40 hours a week unless paid over time.

 

The bonus situation I found borderline offensive. They should have just not given you a bonus at all if that was going to be their approach. After all the overtime and reliance, it's more of a slap in the face to give a small amount. As someone who now runs an office, I can say that your current bosses are basically insulting and setting a poor tone overall.

 

My office was open for 6 months last Christmas and we gave the secretary/office manager $1k and then I gave her another $800 out of my own pocket. The employee who was here for 6 weeks got $500. If they are so strapped for cash with their Christmas party and bonuses, they ought to show up more often.

 

The bottom line is that if you want loyal, hard working employees (who, incidentally, make you more money as the boss) then treating them well and being reasonably generous with your profits is important to have a healthy ongoing relationship.

 

I'd look for a job, and then resign when I found one. But I would do nothing more than the minimum since that's the kind of treatment they give to you.

[alecholland]

Often I was requested to do art related "favors" for friends and family of the owners and no I was never compensated for these things, and it directly affected my regular workload.

 

I get that all the time.

"Um, would it be a problem to scan in all of my family photos or my kid's graduation pictures and touch them up in photoshop? I only have a few...hundred.(that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the owner did ask me to scan about 8 rolls of vacation photos from when he went to New Zealand last year) Could you do that for me? Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I really need them by tomorrow because I've got family coming in from out of town...so if you could also make 6 copies of each photo that would be great, yeah..."

 

Let me just say this to everyone who has posted in my thread - All of you are awesome!

I am soooo grateful. Your input, comments, advice, etc... through posts and pm's have been invaluable to me over the last couple days.

 

If I ever get the opportunity to meet any of you in person - drinks are on me.

 

I think I'm going to spend part of the weekend deciding what I'm going to do with my life from here. I'm not going to do anything rash, because I have a family to think about too. I'm thinking about going back to my roots and trying my hand at art again. It's been a while since I seriously worked on anything, but I think it would be cathartic at the least. Of course, I would still need a steady day job and will be looking for a new one in the meantime.

 

Alright, let's get back to talkin' about comics now.