Screenprinting/embroidery job interview

[JaCkinbOx]

I have a job interview next week for a screenprinting/embroidery company that's asking for help in their art department, putting emphasis on Illustrator skills. They sounds pretty nice, from what I've been able to gather from their email response. They basically want to walk me through their establishment and "see if it's something [I'd] interested in doing". Sounds pretty good to me.

My freelancing has been kinda slow lately, so it would really be great if I could land this job and get some additional income coming in. Think happy thoughts for me.

Anyone care to offer some advice/suggestions?

[PrintDriver]

Be sure it's a job in the Art Department and not out back washing screens. Yech. Washing screens is nasty. LOL!

You might also notice the air quality. Some of those inks are noxious after a time.

How's your vector skills? Other people's files can be mind bending. :D

[JaCkinbOx]

My vector skills aren't too shabby, actually. It took me about a year of fiddling around with Illy before everything finally clicked. I know my way around with it now. It's second nature, exceeded only by my Photoshop knowledge. I imagine there are a few useful things I have yet to figure out, but at this point I haven't felt incapable of doing anything I want to do with it.

I have no idea what the name of their company is yet. That's the only thing that's buggin' me, but I suppose there's a fair reason for it.

[balou]

I have no experience with screen printers so I can't offer any advice for you but I can say good luck. Good Luck Jack!

[budafist]

Check if they want help in the art department, or if you are going to be their art department. Be wary of the second option. It could be lots of headaches. Rewarding if you can teach yourself and fix all the files that need to be fixed, but you could lose some hair in the process.

[urstwile]

Well, depending on if you feel positive after the walk through, I hope it works out for you Jack. I agree with Buda though, so you might want to try to pin down what some of your actual responsibilities would be.

Whatever happens, best of luck so that it works out in your favor!

[PrintDriver]

All I can say about screen seps is the Pathfinder is your friend. And your enemy.

Learn keyboard shortcuts. You will find yourself programming your own because what Adobe thinks you need and what you really need are two different things.
Once you have a keyboard layout, save your illy prefs on a flash drive to make reloading faster when you have to trash them.

[Logo-Mechanix]

Yeah, most screen shops don't do much designing it will be mostly fixing other peoples files and doing redraws of low res stuff. Hey, look at the bright side, if you take the job and happen to get art I've done it will be perfect.

[JaCkinbOx]

Fair chance it would be more art oriented, I gather. I'll be meeting their "other in-house artist" during my walkthrough. So hey, at least that.

Thanks for the positive vibes and advice, peeps!

[JaCkinbOx]

Welp, I had my interview today. I should know in about a week whether or not I was hired.

Their business has more emphasis on screenprinting and less on embroidery. They tried me out on their computer today doing a little editing on one of their graphics for a t-shirt. I figured out what they wanted from me, but it did take a little messing around because they're still running with an old version of Illustrator, and I'm presently accustomed to CS2. A lot changed! Also, they use a different workflow than I do. It was a little confusing.

But hey, I think they liked me all right. I can't say one way or the other if I'm gettin' any positive vibes about it. I'm going to be sending them a thank-you card for the interview and tour, and a follow-up email in 1 week if I don't hear back before then. I learned a lot. Any suggestions from you folks?

[joe02]

I had one of those jobs for a few years. Very good experience, if you ask me. Excellent vector practice/study. Learn troubleshooting with many different projects.

My advice would be to keep the job for 1-3 years, and then move on. Unless they pay you in dumptruck loads. :eek:

[JaCkinbOx]

Well, I don't know that it would be a very high paying job down the road, but it definitely would help bring some stability into our lives and we could very much use that right now.

[Exodus]

I somehow missed this thread the first time around... Good luck with the job prospect Jack! :)