I need Career Advice Urgently!!!

[ryaninwa]

Ok I studied and worked hard in design school graduating in 1999, learning each aspect of this field etc. for some reason or another after graduation and working at a low quality magazine for one year, I became uninterested anymore in pursuing any other jobs due to a bad experience working for this magazine. My boss threatened to fire me and It caused me anxiety to the max, to make a long story short I decided it would be best to quit before I got fired. Since then I have wanted to stay away from working in some office or high pressure firm, were you are constantly under the gun and could be fired at any hour. Those jobs just bring too much stress and baggage that affects my home life and happiness. Now after 4 years I still have not used my hard earned education at all, 0 thats right 0 jobs, projects since the day I quit that job, Now here comes the question:
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS I COULD START THAT UTILIZES MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Look into book publishing. You create the layouts for these folks and design a nice little cover with no pressure cause all the editing that goes into these things. I guess you can be like a private firm or something. There is always going to be pressure but don't let a bad experience dictate your future or potential.

Welcome to the forum!

[D-Zine]

Good idea benjo. And yes please don't let one bad experience ruin how you feel about the career. This business is FULL of pressure. It's how it is, plus we are the fall guys no matter what. Like if something goes to print, was proofed and everything and has a typo when it comes back...they let is fall on us. Just be able to back yourself up in those things and you will be fine. IF you don't work good under pressure then I suggest maybe doing something like Benjo said.

What do you feel is your strongest point in graphic design? Just curious. I know you said you were working for a magazine - so maybe publications isn't for you. Maybe you need another area of design?! What did you do for the magazine you worked for?

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

[defjoe]

And what magazine was it? Cause what you described in what happened to me at a magazine I worked at. Same thing. boss was always threatening me. Eventually i found a new job and he threw me out anyway. Was a real a-hole.

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'

[D-Zine]

Have we ALL had this magazine experience? LOL! I had one working downtown here in Savannah. She is the reason I won't have a female boss again! We had 2 magazines (monthly and a quarterly), a newspaper (bi-weekly) AND a friggin yearly book that we did. She hired me as the Art Director...but...umm...I was the ONLY FKN designer for the entire place...to do all that crap AND all the in house stuff too. I left there. I had a corner office with a window but ya know..the sh!t just was NOT worth it!! LOL!! I heard that when I left she said I was too slow anyways. What a fkn b!tch! I mean I was the ONLY designer to do TONZ of crap. And of all the sales ppl I had worked with...thiers were the absolute WORST! LOLOL!

Oh anyways...sorry...didn't meant to vent there ;o) Yes...what magazine was it?? What one did you work for Joe? Mine were all local deals.

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

[defjoe]

Florida Media (http://www.floridamagazine.com/)

He had a few magazines. I was the only designer also, except for an intern but they usually worked on one on 8 electric company newsletters that were included in the monthly mag every month (that I would also have to do when there was no intern). He had a bunch of quaterlies and annuals. It was a nightmare..well actually he was. I loved doing the magazine cause I love that final product. I think it requires all of your skills as a designer.

He was such an A-HOLE! He went thru 7 designers in a year and a half. but I was unemployed at the time and he used that against me. Low balled me big time, I took the job cause I needed it. After a year of torture from him I got a new job and he tossed me out (after I gave him a notice he didn't deserve) and threaten to sue me for 'corporate sabotage'. Which doesn't even exist (my sister-in-law is a lawyer for the US government...she would have known).

He went thru 4 more designers after me and the magazine look horrible. We use to ger email from subscribers saying how good the magazine looked when I was on it. The sales people got great praise from the advertisers as well. I mean take al ook at this months issue... HORRIBLE cover. Just ugly and so unprofessional.

If you look in the previuos issues I did Oct 2001 - June 2002. so superior to the stock art covers that happened after. I really can't blame the designer totally cause the budget per issue was ZERO. He allowed no money for photos or anything. We had to rely on alot of CFB supplied photos. Was really pathetic.

I worked for a real publisher a year or so later and that was ten times better.

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'

[D-Zine]

Man Joe...ppl suck! Mine also went through tons of designers. I stayed for about 10 months. Then I called my old boss one day (where I am now) and asked if he had anything available. I knew they loved me. He said he would call me back the next day and let me know. Well, they basically re-arranged ppl to make a space for me. Here I have like a billion job titles and am pretty much the Jill of all Trades. I am thankful that my old bossman took me back in...but the challenge here is....TOTALLY GONE! I am bored with this job. Could layout both papers with my eyes closed...its time for me to move forward again and I can't do that where I am now. I am as high as I can go here. I think I feel 'stuck' bc I know I'm gonna get that check every week. I gotta get outta that thinking and advance somehow.

Anyone ever get that stuck feeling? I mean with your current job. Like you know you can get something better or that you will enjoy more and have more challenges with but you also know that you are golden where you are and that you are gonna get that weekly check to cover those bills no matter what?? FK I HATE that :o(

Damn...I did it again...then vent - rant thing. My bad guys :( My mind is in thinking mode today about my career evidentally.

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

[defjoe]

D.. I know that stuck feeling. the ad agency I worked for in Boston (one I got Dorian an interview at) I totally felt that way and was one of the reason I decided to move to Florida. I loved the people and the company was great but the work was boring. I felt I could go no higher there and didn't really want to. At that point i knew it was time to move on.

I just got a call from the guy I worked with at the ad agency I worked at last year (one doing all the car ads). Well he is now tired of it also. Feels stuck and wants to move on. It was his first design job anyway, so he got good experience but you can only do car ads for so long. I told him he has to move on. you just have to know when it is time and take the leap.

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'

[D-Zine]

Yeah I agree totally. I mean..I do car ads but that's not all. I do all the layouts and I love layout but...I also do all the office manager type stuff...AND all the 'techy' stuff too. I get so tired of ppls STOOOPID computer questions. It's like 'oh..Leanne is here so I won't bother to try and figure it out myself, I'll just get her' know what I mean?!

Knowing when to move on is tough. I tried before my mom passed away - when she was sick. Then I realized it just wasn't the best time bc I was taking time off to help with her and you can't do that at a new job. So..I halted the search and never took it back up. I am DREADFULLY BORED here at this place. But...I just bought a new house...more responsibility. Plus...I now have a BF that lives 2 hours from me in Fla and if that heads somewhere more serious...then what. I mean I would be the one that would have to move bc he is stationed there. Gaawwdddd there is just so much to think about. But most days I feel like if I have to talk to another cocky auto dealer or design another sh!tty ad for them then I'm gonna go graphic designer on someones a$$..know what I mean?? ROFL!!

Thanks for the input Joe!!! I need to take the leap..I know! And ryaninwa - I didn't mean to hijack your thread...sorry!!! :o(

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

Post Edited (D-Zine) : 5/17/2004 3:12:39 PM GMT

[Drorain]

Okay here's an idea.


Print Production Artist

This might be a good job to pick up, you know the programs, and you get to utilize them in creating or doing production work of a designers work. This might be a good start to get you back into the field, Its really how I want to start off, I graduated last year, had only a couple freelance things, but I'm always looking. I know this might be the bottom rung on the designer ladder, but you've got to start somewhere.
Also I think maybe you should try a print shop, or a smaller design firm where people are more laid back.

good luck

- Everyday, all the time, without fail!

Defjoe I have to say that cover with the Award on it was absolutly amazing. Very nice work and after that you can see it was down hill for them. Corparate sabatoge lol!

[defjoe]

Why thank you Benjo... yea.. its all crap. See the shrimp one? Pathetic.. .but I think this month's one is the worst.

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'