The Middle Child Syndrome

[Patrick Shannon]

So I'm sitting here at my dead end job trying to go over what went wrong with my last interview and trying to run the clock out until lunch, and I just had an epiphany. In order to understand this, we must question just what a designer like myself (and like most of you) has to compete against.

On one side of the fence, you have those individuals who have about twenty years of experience and every glowing mark. Of course, if they're so great, why are they applying for such a lower end job that someone else would appreciate much more? Be that as it may, these people are the reason you always hear "the other person was more qualified" whenever you get to the very end of interviewing.

But the other end is a polar opposite, an unexperienced designer that wouldn't know a bitmap from a vector. They're all too happy to accept crap wages underneath your fair offer just to get the job. Granted they deserve a break, but it's quite likely the job they're shooting at is too high for them on the pecking order and they need to pay their dues elsewhere for a while.

When pitted against both sides like that, I just realized....I'm the ignored middle child! I'm trying to be as productive as possible with these dark times, if I can tackle the problem, then I can solve the issue.

I guess what I'm getting at is this: there has got to be a way to combat the big brother's experience, somehow sell to the employer that you're a true diamond in the rough, that you're more deserving of the position and a better fit, without having to sell yourself/your salary too short. (Granted, you're not going to be paid as well as big bro, but that's a little different than whoring your services out.)

And there's little brother, who despite being too green and will work for peanuts, is a very real threat to any middle child.

What kind of advice would you all offer to tackle both situations in the face of an employer? (Other than taking a peanut salary)

[Drorain]

Well patrick, I am a middle child, and let me say I am the most independent of my brothers. I payed my own way thru school, I got a job in my field first, and I have excelled in many things, my older bro is still in school and the younger bro is following in my footsteps.

Independent...

I think this simply boils down to we need to work for ourselves...possibly?

[uncle carbunkle]

develop a behavioral disorder and demand prescription drugs.

[Patrick Shannon]

I can do that without drugs, Uncle :P

[uncle carbunkle]

i thought perks were perks.

go figure.

[Tyger]

Live in the "now". Where ever you are in life you give 100%, your time will come, so enjoy the journey. Continue to dream and visualize where you want to be in life and continue to strengthen your strengths and improve on your weaknesses. Your life is the way it is because of you choices and thoughts...if you don't like it...examine your thoughts, emotions, feelings and choices. There your answer lies.

You create your reality. It's your life. Live now, and tomorrow will come.....

[Envision1]

Go through alot of interviews

[imagemaker]

Stand in line with me to get my anti-depressents and anti-anxiety scripts. Then we can go to the wellfare office.

One gets the feeling as they leave the employment office that behind their backs, the interviewer is shaking their head, thinking, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, poor guy. So much talent, and so nice. Too bad we'll never be able to place him, but we just can't sell experience. Seems they only want bottom line. I hope he'll be OK."

[wango]

The problem Patrick - lies most with the unethical & morally unjustified hiring practices of some employers & the broad ignorance of many entry level applicants (as you just experienced first hand). Some companies now adays are more concerned with protecting their profit margin, than hiring quality creatives. How do they get away with it? Their clients don't know what quality design is, even if it mushroom-stamped them in the face! The reality is that many of us don't get that dream design position out of high school or college, occurrence is about as common as a female orgasm :p. We have to work our way up - (as in many occupations) through; non-stimulating production work, unpaid internships, or repetitive in-house design/administration positions. So how does one get that dream design job, if their portfolio is full of generic, limited, non-innovative collateral from said past occupations? That's the irony of the creative field, a veritable catch 22, if you will. That's why I can't stress enough to my creative peers & friends the importance of establishing at least a residual freelance identity. That way, you can begin to fill your portfolio with work that truly expresses your full visual & creative aptitudes, & showcases your aesthetical versatility. The problem I think you ran into Patrick, is that the kid who "took" your job (we shall refer to him as Bumface - herein), probably had more relavant design collateral than you. Though your comic is amazing & im sure you had a few other jems in your portfolio - your print shop samples - (through no fault of your own) most likely could not compete with Bumface's plethora of applicable logo's, brochures, websites, ect. that he probably accumulated through his coursework & possible freelance contraction. But the irony is, though he may of had a better portfolio - (refering to the expressed term "Superman"), the only reason he was probably hired over you was because he undercut you. Returning to my point; the solution to combating the Bumface's & "big brother's" of the talent pool is to enhance & focus our portfolio on the job you most desire. If it's a marketing firm - submit creative advertising pieces, if it's an in-house position - previous company branding collateral, & so on. Now I thought it was a good idea for you to show your web comic & it's backend capabilities in your previous interview, but what if that back-end application wasn't for your personal web comic? What if instead it was for a large real estate firm or online magazine, ect. It would add more credibility & relevance to your employability, which is a very important to many employers. Always IMMEDIATELY back up your salary requirements, tell them what your time is worth & why. Don't worry about someone undercutting you, if there interested in your talents - they'll be willing to negotiate a resolution. The bottom line is, what you just experienced happens all the time, remember that. I mean, imagine adversely being "big brother" with 20 years experience & a portfolio to the sky - only to get undercut by Bumface, or out-talented by "middle child". thusly, suppliment your portfolio through freelance - (great risidual income), interview at least five times a year (builds experience & who knows - you may screw around and get hired :)), NETWORK like a escort, and most importantly - cover your weaknesses. "big brother" has experience over you, Bumface is willing to work for candy, thus you must expose & justify your weaknesses first - and finish with your strengths. If they question your experience; compare yourself to a recent grad, tell them about your freelance experience, your work ethic - then make them forget all about the question with your portfolio. If they question your salary requirements; tell them that for someone of your experience..., be confident & unwavering, compare & contrast your freelance rates, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY - switch the question back on them if possible. Tell them you would be willing to negotiate with their offer of compensation, don't be afraid to inquire about the salary history of your position (after all they ask you), anything to delay salary negotiation until after you are deemed employable. If they question your portfolio...that's your fault. Like I formentioned, if you cannot get the quality & dynamic portfolio collateral through your dead-end production job - freelance to suppliment. In closing, if your current job is keeping you from being able to interview at least five times a year - you need to have a talk with your boss. But regardless, I always recommend grouping interviews in weekly spurts (vacation weeks, "sick days", ect.) instead of periodical off-days. That way you can build up confidence & experience with each interview & capitalize on your mistakes/strengths in the fresh oppertunity you scheduled the next day. Just remember, despite your metaphorical middle-child status in your career, you control your own destiny. Your problem is not Bumface or "big brother", but time - the one element you currently have the least influence over. You need to interview more, the more you interview - the greater the chance of finding an employer who will appreciate & value your apptitudes. Have a talk with your boss to make time - demand it. As the wise & infinitely quotable 'Uncle Carbunkle' once said - "people will take advantage of you for as long as you let them". Because the harsh reality is, if you don't make time - you may be stuck in this dead-end abyss for the duration of your career. I'm sorry about writing so much - not even sure if what I wrote makes sense - (drunk off eggnog), but the solutions to your problems Patrick are so simple...it's complicated. Marinate on that for a while...

(BTW - no paragraphs because they smell - & I hate them...with a passion.)

*falls asleep, pant-less*

[Patrick Shannon]

> BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY - switch the question back on them if possible.
> The reality is that many of us don't get that dream design position
> out of high school or college

Honestly and truly, I never was unrealistic about that. Hell, I remember sitting in class listening to classmates brag that they'll freelance after graduation and be able to work from home, and I just rolled my eyes. My job hunt the first time wasn't even that fustrating compared to now. (Disappointing sure, but I understood the reasons why)

If I hadn't been so stupid and settled on this copy shop job, then perhaps I would have got on with someone more reputable and learned from other designers. Work my way up. Have connections.

As far as my next job goes, it doesn't have to be a dream job at all! I don't expect to be working for a Stan Gellman or a Zippatoni's in my next job (although I'll sure as hell be trying to apply for them), but there's a perfect "medium" place that's going to be just right for me. That place I just applied for is a medium, not to mention some of the places I'm about to target are good mediums too. Heck, if I am able to make a happy little life for myself at those places and can continue to grow, why leave?

But it comes down to this. What I'm doing right now is absolutely no different than what I was doing last year. And the year before. The year before that. And that. I have long since paid my dues, and until someone decides to give me the opportunity I so richly deserve, do you know what I'm going to be doing in five years time? Exactly the same as now. And I really don't want to be a thirty year old man living in his parent's basement.


> Tell them you would be willing to negotiate with their offer of compensation,

Actually, that's exactly what I did this last time, even informing them I would fairly negotiate with them. I tried my best to keep money out of the conversation (they brought it up). However, all it did was set me up in a position for the other person to outbid me (even though it was the employer who threw the number out). But fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame on me. As my friend suggested, I'm not negotiating anything until you hand me those employment papers.

> if you cannot get the quality & dynamic portfolio collateral through
> your dead-end production job - freelance to suppliment.

If I could quit my job, I would do just that. On the other hand, if there's this much trouble getting a regular job (in THIS area), then freelancing would likely be even worse. Of course, the answer is to move (I've heard that STL is one of the WORST places to be for design). One problem, to move, I need to establish myself (financially, too). To establish myself, I have to get a better job. There's the trap right there.

I have been considering going back to Western Union on a part time basis (they would probably take me back easily, I had a glowing work record with them years ago) to open my time up for that kind of stuff, but I'm not convinced a part time job will pay my bills.

As far as portfolio samples goes, what I have been doing is working on private pieces in my spare time (and on the employer's watch). That seemed to be a success on the last interview, and there's always more to be done.

> if your current job is keeping you from being able to interview
> at least five times a year

I don't like taking off too much because it looks suspicious, not to mention my employers try and put a guilt trip on me ("Seems like something goes on the minute you leave the door," they always say). But I realized lately that if I don't care about my job anyway, why worry? Besides, that kind of false sense of security about a nothing job is not going to be of any help in securing me a good job.

As far as interviewing five times a year, that's up to the employers...last year I went ten months without an interview. My fortunes have seemingly changed a little this year, though. I'm looking forward to seeing where my new portfolio takes me.

But I've been thinking about it...big brother may have one weakness. His stuff has been seen/done before, and he possibly might be a one trick pony. It's like a popular television show, it seems all so great and fresh when it debuts, but after a few years it stagnates and everyone is no longer "wowed" by it anymore. That's when networks shop around and try to seek "fresh blood" to once again attract viewers. In the case of graphics shops and studios, would they want to turn away a potentially fresh person to bring something different to the table? Most of all, if big brother is so much greater, why is he trying out for such a "lower" position? (Well, we have to pay our bills of course, but we'll overlook that)

I think that's going to be my focus of attack. Thanks Wango, and be responsible with the egg nog, my friend. ;)

[wango]

Wow :), I think that's the record for the two longest consecutive posts! Yeah for us - where's my cookie - dammit! I was promised a cookie!!

Ohh, and good luck Patrick, you carry the 'torch of hope' for the rest of the lost souls - (don't machine wash).

[Patrick Shannon]

Oh, I could go even longer, I love to write....I've often wondered if my true destiny was creative writing, hehe.

[UmmYeahOK]

i told you patrick, man forget being unappreciated graphic artist become a misunderstood writer