How you found your job. [Archive] - Graphic Design Forum

patkennedy78

10-03-2006, 03:25 PM

I'd really like to hear how everyone got the job they are working at. Did you find it in the paper, send a resume and cover letter, and get a call for an interview? Did your friend set you up with it? Did you use a placement agency or Head hunter like The Creative Group or Aquent? Has anyone gotten a job from craigslist, monster, or yahoo? Did you do self promotion and send resumes and portfolio samples to companies you wanted to work for?

I'm a noob, so I've only had one job, this job, and I was referred to it from my Department Head at college. He forwarded me an e-mail that my current boss sent to the campus. I replied to his e-mail, got a phone call, went in for the interview, and got a call back with an offer. Being right out of college, I took it. A year and a half later here I am ;)

I'm at the point of wanting to move on, and got to wondering if anyone actually gets a job off the internet? So tell me, how'd you get where you are? And / Or what do you think is the best way to find a job?

mac.FINN

10-03-2006, 03:33 PM

Basically, in my final semester of college we did a 7 week in class and 7 week co-op. After I did my co-op I went back to school for the 7 weeks. During which I got a call from the company I had co-oped with and they offered me a short contract for when I graduated. So on the day after my last day of class. I started here. After a few months of on again off again contracts, the work steadied out and I've been here pretty much full time.

mojoprime

10-03-2006, 03:34 PM

i was recruited after doing some freelance for a company. i was in a position where i was happy and they came and got me. i'm a whore, i admit it, but the money was great, the benefits were better. i'm lucky to be where i am now, and quite happy with the work though it's much different than what i was doing before. i'm part of an in-house department, corporate.

Satchel

10-03-2006, 03:36 PM

I came back to my hometown to help my mother side her house and a friend I went to High School with gave me the heads up one night at a local bar... two weeks later I had the job and moved back home.

That was two years ago to the day!!!

Jackimalyn

10-03-2006, 03:37 PM

oddly enough, both of my design jobs have just kind of come to me...

In high school, I was in a marketing class. We had an assignment to interview someone who started their own business. Well my moms friend started a very successful cake decorating company so I went to ask her if I could interview her, for a half hour at her convenience. She wasnt working when I went in so I explained the project to another owner. She told me "You think we have time for something like that?? We're trying to run a business, we don't have time to do your homework." (what a bioch...) So, my dad called this guy who did some printing for the company he worked for. (I thought.. printing company... KA-CHING!) After the interview... I "slipped in" that I was going to school for graphic design in a year and he asked me to apply. Thanks to that *witch* I got a new job :)

This was working out good, but for school, we had the option to post our resume on the school website and get entered into a contest, so I thought what the heck. Meanwhile, I was sick of prepress, digital printing, bindry work and typesetting so I was applying to every design job I found. Interview after interview, I didnt have enough experience, etc. I got a phone call from this company who saw my resume on my schools website and they were looking for an in-house designer. To my luck, the VP of the company liked "fresh employees" w/o a lot of experience so he could "mold" them to his way of business. I got the job... been here ever since :) totally by chance.

captain spanky

10-03-2006, 03:45 PM

i hated my old job so i stuck my cv on an online jobsite (www.jobsite.co.uk) and less than a week later a girl rang me and said she'd found me the perfect job, i applied, i got it. I'm still here 5 years later, but now wishing i was getting paid more.

Exodus

10-03-2006, 03:49 PM

I got tired of living in Atlanta so after daudling awile after college and working at an electronics store I moved back to my home town. A friend of a friend told me this place was hiring. I applied, took a drug test, got hired the next day. I went on to work in digital prepress for almost 2 years when one of the in-house designers just quit without notice. They offered me the position and I took it. I've been an in-house graphic designer for this crap hole working for an inconsiderate douche bag for a year. I'm currently rebuilding my portfolio and tapping into some contacts for a new job. That pretty much sums it up, I guess.

captain spanky

10-03-2006, 03:52 PM

you had to take a drug test for a design job?!?!?!
does america have trust issues?

Satchel

10-03-2006, 03:55 PM

you had to take a drug test for a design job?!?!?!
does america have trust issues?

I had to take a drug test as well, and an extensive background check... but I'm an in-house designer.

Exodus

10-03-2006, 03:56 PM

you had to take a drug test for a design job?!?!?!
does america have trust issues?

Yes and Yes.

Jackimalyn

10-03-2006, 04:02 PM

i had to take a drug test, but i work inhouse at a manufacturing company and they make all the factory workers do it so they make the office people do it too, to be fair?

captain spanky

10-03-2006, 04:04 PM

wow... you can have pretty much whatever you want here as long as you aren't drooling all over your keyboard/the photocopier/receptionist...
not saying i do though... only caffine, ska or alcohol for me. :)

reuber1

10-03-2006, 04:05 PM

Responded to an ad looking for a 'Customer Service Representative' with knowledge of Photoshop and Dreamweaver, interviewed and hired the same day, and here I am as tech support for a software package. Photoshop hasn't been opened for about 2 weeks, and Dreamweaver hasn't been opened in about 7 months.

Satchel

10-03-2006, 04:10 PM

You got a hot receptionist captain? Ours have all been middle aged women, now we dont even have one!

rainbow2bryte

10-03-2006, 04:20 PM

I got a prepress job at a small shop in Cincy outta college thru my 'carreer rep'. Plus i DID have previous press experience for voctational school.

year later, posted my resume on Monster.com, among many other sites/ methods, and got a call back w/in days from a big publishing co.
plus, i have a tattoo of color bars on the back of my neck. (i think THAT's what got me the job! HA!)

been here for a little over a year, doing prepress. best pay i've ever had, got fancy 'bennies', have learned TONS and have even gotten some design projects thrown my way.

however, getting a bit tired of 'Corp. America' and would like to do some more creative work. still love prepress though.

BTW, piss tests in this field??? that's nuts! what am i gonna do, hang myself w/ my mouse cord????

Mynock

10-03-2006, 04:24 PM

My first job out of college I got just cold sending out a resume and cover letter. My current job I got from my best friend's ex-mother-in-law. She partnered with a company from the cities and they needed a designer and they knew I was so that's how I got it. I didn't even have to show my work. I feel kinda lucky, but it proves it's not what you know, but who you know.

captain spanky

10-03-2006, 04:28 PM

You got a hot receptionist captain? Ours have all been middle aged women, now we dont even have one!

there used to be but now just some old woman

Loopy

10-03-2006, 04:32 PM

I got my last job through a friend, my current job I got through my school's employment website (they found me). My next job was set up through my current boss. :P

Eraser Nubbin

10-03-2006, 04:36 PM

Two of my jobs have come from connections/referals from guys on my soccer team. Business partners of soccer players and wives of soccer players also make up a good chunk of the work I do on the side.
No I do not deliver pizzas to their wives.

PrintDriver

10-03-2006, 04:39 PM

Mine was in the paper. That was nearly 9 years ago though and it's not a true design job.

budafist

10-03-2006, 10:12 PM

I answered a newspaper ad.

Virgo Nightingale

10-03-2006, 10:36 PM

I saw an ad in the paper, faxed my resume in around 5:15 a day or two later, got a call back from the owner of the company 9:30 the next morning and was hired by noon the next day.

greyghost

10-03-2006, 10:44 PM

I quit working for the newspaper and went to my county office and filed for a ficticious name and a business license.

jimking

10-03-2006, 10:49 PM

morea

10-03-2006, 10:52 PM

I was referred by a friend. Although now that I have seen what this job is like, I don't know if he is REALLY my friend any more... :p

jena4

10-03-2006, 11:15 PM

I've had three jobs out of college. Every one of them I got by sending my resume for a job posting I found in the good old newspaper. I've done a lot of job searching and I've applied for jobs I found online, but the newspaper has been the best medium for me. In fact, I almost just accepeted another position that was also posted in the newspaper.

budafist

10-03-2006, 11:59 PM

Does anyone on here send their CV to places that aren't currently hiring?

I was told it was a good idea in University, but I've never done it.

morea

10-04-2006, 12:03 AM

yup. The so-called "hidden job market". It's supposed to be much more reliable than responding to classifieds, but it has not been for me...

jimking

10-04-2006, 12:05 AM

Does anyone on here send their CV to places that aren't currently hiring?

I was told it was a good idea in University, but I've never done it.
Yes, absolutely.

Virgo Nightingale

10-04-2006, 12:57 AM

Does anyone on here send their CV to places that aren't currently hiring?

I was told it was a good idea in University, but I've never done it.

I did try that - I basically went online and in the good ol' yellow pages to find local graphic design studios and sent out a few resumes. Nothing really panned out for me, though one place offered to give me an unpaid internship for six months at which point they'd decide if they wanted to hire me for an actual salary. Seeing as I had already graduated and thus would not be earning credit for this internship, it basically amounted to me working for them for free for six months. Yeah, um, thanks but no thanks.

budafist

10-04-2006, 01:53 AM

I wondered about that because I've been emailed by several designers that are looking for work in my "company".

Little do they know that I'm struggling to find work for freelance myself. Lucky I have a day job!

JPnyc

10-04-2006, 01:58 AM

I just went to the address they gave me and there it was.

budafist

10-04-2006, 02:03 AM

silly JPnyc.... :p

Ovaltine

10-04-2006, 02:41 AM

Let me see....
My 1st full-time job I found perusing the want ads at my college's "Job Magnet". I was looking for more free-lance work to do, and found a scrapbook company wanting to hire a graphic designer. I brought my portfolio, and my son's scrapbook (he was still a baby). They hired me because my 3-D sculpture/packaging designs gave me an edge other applicants didn't have.

My 2nd full-time job I applied to online through Monster.

My "3rd" job... my 2nd job/company called to ask me to come back as a "temp" (I was still working 40hrs/wk) for a month. A month turned into 3 months, I asked if they were going to put me back on full-time (I really needed the healthcare for the kids). They needed another Marketing person and had been thinking of asking me....

Enter my 4th job. They decided I could do marketing since it's related to graphic design, I have a BA in Graphic Design, I am very analitical, and I will hound people untill they give me the information I need to complete my work.

Silence04

10-04-2006, 02:45 AM

i did a meet and greet at ever graphic place in the Yellow pages... Finally got a job around the J's

JPnyc

10-04-2006, 03:03 AM

silly JPnyc.... :p
I soitenly am!

Actually I was a member of 2 jupitermedia forums, and that's how I heard about the job and got it.

budafist

10-04-2006, 03:19 AM

i did a meet and greet at ever graphic place in the Yellow pages... Finally got a job around the J's

Holy crap. Are you serious? Wait you don't live in a really small area with about 5 graphic studios do you?

I was at my wits end applying for every graphic position that was out there and getting turned down for 8 months. I couldn't imagine cold calling all those people!

Ned

10-04-2006, 03:21 AM

I put together a business plan, went downtown to register and license my business, implemented my plan, and that was that.

Believe me, it sounds a lot simpler than it is... :)

patkennedy78

10-04-2006, 01:44 PM

Wow, this is great! Thanks everyone for posting.

Exodus

10-04-2006, 01:59 PM

Sounds like a great guy to work for. You should email him this. http://narang.com/instructions/douchebagset.html :D

ROFL! :D

patkennedy78

10-04-2006, 05:04 PM

I did a quick tally of the responses:

Newspaper – 6
Friend – 6
Internship / School – 4
Posted Resume on web – 3
Freelance to hire – 1
Online Ad – 1

Quite interesting if you ask me. I guess I'll keep my eyes on the local papers a little more.

Samakimoto Graphics

10-05-2006, 07:06 AM

Before I was a freelance Children's books Illustrator and and dabbled at layouts for several self publishers...I decided to change career path into full time layout and design.

At the current place, I was refered by a friend.

budafist

10-05-2006, 09:08 AM

I'd love to childen's book illustration full time. I think maybe this would be my dream.

What is the $$ like for this? I guess I could always just do it on the side and keep my day job...

Samakimoto Graphics

10-05-2006, 09:51 AM

In comparison to European and North American rates, here it's peanuts. But if you are talented enough, you can make a decent living. One cartoonist group is currently making waves.

The European and North American markets for this skill are well protected by guilds and functioning, relevant associations, here I tried to set one up, but was frustrated by the lack of coopertaion from artists, and the perpetuation of the "craft industry", where such a skill is viewed as cheap art rather than a profession.

I still beleive the guild can be set up with assistance from experts in the copy righting industry. I have hope in it coming to pass.

One cartoonist group is making waves in East Africa at the moment. One of the artists in particular- GADO Visit Gado's Web Site (http://www.gadonet.com/)

This his contribution in today's paper:

cgmpowers

10-05-2006, 12:06 PM

Here's my story...

I graduated in June, had my resume and promotional piece and my portfolio in order and started sending out resumes. The job market was really hot at the beginning of summer and I had plenty to send my stuff too.

I called a college professor of mine to double check to see if it was okay to list him as a reference (I did some work for him in his class, we had a personable relationship). He was not only fine with that, gave me a job lead.

The job lead was unfortunately NOT graphic design.. It was as a production assistant in a digital press. I applied and had a couple of discussions with them but declined the job because this was the very first job offer and I had JUST SENT OUT all my resumes & whatnots. This is still early June and I wanted time to try to get a job as a designer..

By the end of July the job market died done, and then some. I had gone on a few job interviews, not many but a few. Most wouldn't even entertain me due to my lack of experience.

I got an 'internship trial' that lasted a day, I wasn't 'fast enough' for them. This was mid to late July.

My August I had no leads...and nothing was showing up on Monster, HotJobs, etc..

By Mid-Sept. I filed all the necessary papers to become a freelancer, my business license and my ficticious name, etc..

Late Sept. I saw a job lead for a graphic designer. I mailed them my promo piece and my resume. They liked it and called me in for the interview.

I interviewed on the 2nd to last week of Sept. and got the job offer two days later. I accepted and started on Oct. 2nd.

The job I took is for a company that provides a service in the medical field. Its a fairly large organization (a lot larger than I originally thought). They have a marketing department, a PR department and of course a sales department. They have a creative director whose been alone and I'm under him. They have a marketing director over all of us. There is also a handful of people from another company who work for a marketing/ad firm and are freelancing with us.

The pay is good, they understood exactly how inexperienced I was and wanted to help me by being my first employer. They didn't have any real exciting perks aside from the basics. The one real interesting perk is an onsite culinary chef. He cooks us breakfast and lunch and the job gives us a large allowance for food--for free. They also have an onsite gym but in 3 days haven't seen anyone use it. However, we have keycards and can access it 24 hrs so who knows who uses it on the weekends/nights.

Today is my 4th day and its been fantastic. I'm not creating anything too heavy right now, did a few banner ads for their advertisement department and a direct mail piece for Vegas right now.

Chris Powers

Samakimoto Graphics

10-05-2006, 12:24 PM

Wow! sounds like a holiday camp, not a job.

colonel5

10-05-2006, 01:16 PM

Well the days were short and the nights were cold, I had been laid off from my previous job just before Christmas and was still searching... In the mean time I was working at the Apple Store for something to do with my days and than Finally in Mid February, like a call from a distant land, a friend called and said I might be able to get a job at his company as a part time graphic designer...

well almost 2 years later I've worked myself up the ranks I'm their marketing director and life is good.

TheBluePanda

10-05-2006, 01:53 PM

I found my job on careerbuilder. Got the call, went in for an interview, waited a couple of weeks, was told I didnt get the job.... and a week later they called again and gave me the job. Fun times.

Exodus

10-05-2006, 02:42 PM

I'm under him.

That's what she said. :p

LeftBrain Artist

10-05-2006, 02:49 PM

I've had three graphic design jobs, the first I found out about through the newspaper, the second two I found out about through contacts at technical college.

Drorain

10-05-2006, 03:04 PM

First Job...Monster
Second Job...Craigslist

who knows where i go next

Six

10-05-2006, 09:10 PM

First one in college was a recommendation by an agency I had done some freelance for. The second was ths same deal and same agency but with a new TV station starting up. That was right before graduation. They were hardup, because I was 1A in the draft and I let them know that. For you "youngins", that is high as you can get with your draft board, and we had a war going on - Vietnam.

Well, as 1A would have it I was drafted right after graduation and went into the Air Force. After discharge I was searching, and a friend in the business put me onto the job I have now. He had just left it for another position. That was in 1973.

I have hired several designers through our intern program since then. I didn't have that in the "old days". That gives the new designer some experience and gives the hiring folks a chance to get a close look at your ability and potential. My senior art director came to me that way. I guess what I am saying is, if you have a chance to grab an internship or two - GRAB IT! It is a foot in the door and maybe even a chance to do some "real" work to put in your portfolio.

Six

budafist

10-05-2006, 10:25 PM

They didn't have any real exciting perks aside from the basics. The one real interesting perk is an onsite culinary chef. He cooks us breakfast and lunch and the job gives us a large allowance for food--for free. They also have an onsite gym but in 3 days haven't seen anyone use it. However, we have keycards and can access it 24 hrs so who knows who uses it on the weekends/nights.

Today is my 4th day and its been fantastic. I'm not creating anything too heavy right now, did a few banner ads for their advertisement department and a direct mail piece for Vegas right now.

Dude, those aren't basic perks...that's fantastic. Unthinkable around here in fact. You want something, you pay for it.

Begga

10-06-2006, 09:17 AM

I am still in school but I got a job in a plastic packing company, they have their own design department. It's a mix of pre press and designing. And I get to redo their website, which is what I really want to do. Web-design.

A family member works there as a salesperson and she knew that they wanted a young person who knew little to nothing about printing, but had knowledge of the illustrator, freehand, photoshop etc. It's been great, I work with people who have been in the business for over 20 years and can take time to teach me. And I get paid like a normal employee but I also get credits for a degree that will help me get into university.

lol, I have never had a job I really love. It's a nice change.

budafist

10-08-2006, 05:08 AM

CamarotaDesign

10-09-2006, 04:35 AM

Begga, you are from Iceland? thats awesome, I'd love to live there, it's a place I really want to visit. Care to enlighten us on the way of life for a graphic designer there?

As for my job, I wasnt having much luck in the San Francisco Bay Area job hunt on craigslist, just too many skilled designers there. I did get an interview and did really well, but out of the 100 or so people that applied (for an entry level position) I just didnt have what it took. I do believe I did very well as I made it through all 3 stages of their interview process (the last being a quick onsite test). It was a great company and had a great employee satisfaction record, many many perks. So, bummed, naturally, I was visiting my brother in the north valley and applied to an unpaid summer internship at a direct mail place. I got the gig because all the college kids were gone. After a month they hired me fulltime and gave me benefits and a small pay increase. Its not very good pay, but I am the creative director (only designer). The creative freedom is nice most of the time, but I wish I was working with an experienced designer who could give me direction and let me in on the secrets and techniques they have discovered along the way. I'd love to just be given designs and told "finish this up, make it look nice" because thats something I do well. I have learned a great deal about print production though, and I feel very confident with my experience and growing portfolio, so its for the best. I'm pretty confident I will find something in San Francisco when I decide to leave here.

budafist

10-09-2006, 07:00 AM

applied to an unpaid summer internship at a direct mail place. I got the gig because all the college kids were gone. After a month they hired me fulltime and gave me benefits and a small pay increase.

You got a small pay increase up from unpaid work? Doesn't sound too good. :(

Dan_Grr

10-09-2006, 07:36 AM

I was fired Friday! Im now trying to set myself as a freelancer all round designer. I need to further develop my skills though.

prewe

10-09-2006, 07:59 AM

A couple of weeks ago I got a phonecall from a someone I know.. a couple of days later I worked as an ad-producer for a big.. hm.. what's it called in english again? Can't figure it out. Why don't you just learn swedish? :P

CamarotaDesign

10-09-2006, 04:42 PM

heh heh, woops. I dont know why I typed unpaid, I was getting the minmum legal wage for the internship.

You got a small pay increase up from unpaid work? Doesn't sound too good. :(

budafist

10-10-2006, 03:03 AM

Are internships generally paid or unpaid?

Samakimoto Graphics

10-10-2006, 06:01 AM

Where I work they are paid.

Generally, as long as it's an established firm, there's a small budget for lunch and transport for interns.

Begga

10-10-2006, 09:43 AM

Begga, you are from Iceland? thats awesome, I'd love to live there, it's a place I really want to visit. Care to enlighten us on the way of life for a graphic designer there?

Hi TC
sorry for taking so long to answer.
Yeah Iceland is beautiful, and cold. As for the graphic design industry, Icelanders are 300.000. We have 5 TV-channels, 4 newspapers and around 80 advertising firms. Most companies go to the firms. What I think could be the biggest problem is the language. A good designer can get enough work, but some understanding of the language is necessary.

And it's expensive to live here :) But I don't think you could ask for a better place for your family. :o

muffin

10-10-2006, 10:05 AM

i work in Online Marketing, so i design email templates, advertisements, write copy, work on search engine optimization, etc.

i found my job through a marketing job agency in London who referred me to the employer. It is my first job since leaving university last June.

Six

10-10-2006, 01:44 PM

Are internships generally paid or unpaid?

When we have interns we pay them above a minimum wage. Many agencies do not pay them. At SPAR they can work up to thirty hours a week, but few can get anywhere near that except in the summer. As part-timers they get no benefits.

We do select our interns based on interviews and their portfolio. We take only interns who have completed their junior year. Furthermore, we consider it a training experience for them and try to expose them to as many aspects of their chosen field as we can instead of treating them as cheap "gofers". We also try to give them at least one challenging project during their stay in which, under supervision, they do most of the work - design through production - that can result in a finished piece for their portfolio.

Six

popejoydesign

10-10-2006, 01:54 PM

I found my gig at Monster.com. What was really weird was that all through college I was building my portfolio, coming up with unique ideas to put into it and how to present it, taking portfolio classes, doing free work just to get the work into it, critiquing my resume, designing it, spending hours upon hours on it, hours on mounting and matting my portfolio work.....then I take an assesment test, pass it, take a pretty easy-lame art test, pass it and get the job offer. Never had to crack open neither the portfolio nor the resume!

But at least it wasn't all a waste, I can now show my friends and family what I did in school lol. Actually no, I do use it for my freelance career so it was useful.