Salary~HELP!

[VisualCrave]

Hi everyone!.

I need some help here... I am looking for a job at the moment and this would be my third one in the GD field. Someone told me that school counts as experience... so.. with school I have 3 years of experience... without school I have 1.5.... at my current corporate position I make 35K which seems to be the norm... My question is.. is it too much to ask for 45K at my new job?... I know all the programs VERY well, Design proffecionals have said that I am extremely talented and know my design.... any comments?... suggestions?... anything would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks Much!

Marina :)

[Drorain]

actually school doesnt count for experience, people out of school in their first year make 28-32k if they're lucky. Usually those are production jobs as well. I would have counted myself lucky getting 35k out of school, I've been in the field 2 years now and I'm planning on giving myself a raise next month. Be it here via review, or looking elsewhere, and I will be looking for about 35-42

When they post jobs, experience is time working after you graduate...or time you've worked in the field if you skipped school.

On the job experience is 10x more valuable to an employer than your schooling

[BJMRGTIVR6]

wow, i really should move. that is a big jump in pay increase.

[activeseven]

It is a shame that so many in this field believe that your pay rate is directly proportionate to your # of years experience, be it real world or time in school.

This is in fact, not true.

Yes your skills, education and experience play a role. But so do YOU, by that I mean your character, your ability to sell yourself to a prospective employer, your to ability to negotiate and most importantly, the amount of confidence you show. The whole point of an interview is not just to go over your resume or your portfolio, its for the hiring person to get a "feel" for you. They are evaluating you on a personal basis.

Skills and portfolio are only half the way, if you wanna make larger dollars...you gotta be a salesman too.

[shellebelle]

Yes, be a salesman. Also, I don't see how it could hurt putting that down as your salary requirment. If they like you enough, they will try to talk you down.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm looking for my first GD job here)

[budafist]

No school doesn't count as experience, and many people don't even count part time work as experience - I worked for 3 years part time at 2 different printing places.

Bums.

[Crimson]

I think to break past the 40k mark you might want to consider art directing or total freelance. It's sadly not a get rich field- Experience is king. Nothing is wrong with school but it doesn't get you a better position like some other fields. . .

[gr7ap2hi0cs]

Yikes that seems pretty high to me for only having 1.5 years experience and having 3 different jobs within that time. UNLESS your work is just truly amazing and your portfolio can blow anyone out of the water with much more experience and you are really worth that much. In that case i say why not go for it but if they offer you less i'd take it and gain some more experience, if you prove your worth then you'll get a nice raise after a year, at least I did. In fact i started out small but i doubled my salary within 2 years. Far worth the wait.

[typographics]

you cant say that college doesnt count as expierence. it depends on the employeer. some say no, some say yes. my first job out of college wanted 4 years expierence. i had spent five years in college so i applied. point in fact, i got the job.

also, like others said, it has a lot to do with how you sell yourself. a portfolio will only get you in the door, the rest is personality.

[budafist]

College counts as education. Not work experience. What you learn in a course is not the same as what you learn in real life. It's sad but true. Saying that, you can't get a job without some kind of education - be it self taught or course taught.

Most places around here wont interview anyone with less that 5 years experience. That's for junior roles. Why? Because we have about 5 design schools in my city each spitting out 100 graduates a year. 500 hopefuls per year looking for the same jobs.

[kerrysmagicshirt]

I think to break past the 40k mark you might want to consider art directing or total freelance. It's sadly not a get rich field- Experience is king. Nothing is wrong with school but it doesn't get you a better position like some other fields. . .

i agree but you can't even guarentee that wage then either - you need time to build up your client list - and this isn't easy. Unless you have built up a great rapport with some of the people you ahve worked with through your employer - and if you have had 3 jobs in 1.5 years i wouldn't guess you have earn't anyones trust ehough for them to risk loosing the security they have by using an angecy.

3 jobs in that ammount of time is quite detrimental to your CV so i think such an increase is unrealistic. it show's you're not sure what you want, you appear flippant and unable to settle. However you may be able to overcome htis in an interview - but try not to slate your past and current employer, but state fact (i'm not getting support, there is no room to grow etc, things that give them a positive view of your outlook). Stating sallery as a reason for leaving isn't ideal either - it make sit look like you are only in it for the money.

my 2 penneth worth anyway

[freelancer111]

I think the onus is upon the individual to portray the college education as a value addition. No one will be convinced that your college education was worth it unless you do so. It worked for me. It should work for others as well