I need a new career

I have been in the design world for over 10 years now and i think i am burned out. the deadlines are getting so extreme, the work is being crushed by idiots who know nothing about design at the studio and at the client. it is not fun anymore.

looking back, all the "losers" from high school are either cops, teachers or own landscaping companies. either way, they are in stable jobs making nice money with amazing benefits or they own their own company. wtf did i do wrong.

now it's too late to do anything else too. there is no such thing as a 50 year old art director. plus with the way technology keeps moving, the amount of programs and info i am supposed to know has reached a ridiculous level and im not into it anymore so learning new things is not exciting or challanging at all, id rather just not do it.

Learn maths or science.

They always need teachers in those areas.

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:27 PM, jules said:

there is no such thing as a 50 year old art director

Yet! Why be a conformist?

What kind of degree do you have?

im turning 31 tomorrow and i have a shit job as a taxi driver, i've no real education to speak of and im pretty much broke. i need to make some goddamn changes. my new album is not far from release and i keep thinking maybe, just maybe someone important will notice.

or did you want some advice? i've got none.

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:27 PM, jules said:

 

looking back, all the "losers" from high school are either cops, teachers or own landscaping companies. either way, they are in stable jobs making nice money with amazing benefits or they own their own company.

they certainly don't want to go further in their careers. but do you?

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:27 PM, jules said:

I have been in the design world for over 10 years now and i think i am burned out. the deadlines are getting so extreme, the work is being crushed by idiots who know nothing about design at the studio and at the client. it is not fun anymore.

 

looking back, all the "losers" from high school are either cops, teachers or own landscaping companies. either way, they are in stable jobs making nice money with amazing benefits or they own their own company. wtf did i do wrong.

 

now it's too late to do anything else too. there is no such thing as a 50 year old art director. plus with the way technology keeps moving, the amount of programs and info i am supposed to know has reached a ridiculous level and im not into it anymore so learning new things is not exciting or challanging at all, id rather just not do it.

 

1. are you working in new york? if not, do that instead of working in jersey.

2. there are 50-year-old art directors, but by that same age, other art directors become business partners in the same (or other) design firms instead—it's not like you're a horse put out of their misery by that age.

come on, man!

you gave yourself the answer already:

1. buy a 3 button sport coat, don't go for brown or grey, never butten the bottom button, surprise yourself, show some taste

2. get a business card: teh Jules - Art Director, Consultant or whatever. If you were in business that long why get your hands dirty with every novelty

3. if your hair shows some grey spots, its a plus

4. could be worse: you could be me: 33 years old, studied business IT, hates technology, hates computers, resigned his job, will move to another city, has no clue what to do at all.

5. ?????

6. profit

i'm not in ny, im in nj. it would cost me an arm and a leg to work in manhattan and my day would be so long i wouldn't get to see my family. working in ny for what i should have done in my 20s before i was chained to a wife, house, kid, etc. now that i have roots and responsibility, i have to be there to take care of things. my job is closer to our daycare (which costs a fucking fortune) so i have to pick my boy up and drop him off. that is almost making me trapped here.

i have no chance of being made partner here. i'd have to start over somewhere else, which i am not super excited about but not scared to either. this is my 4th agency and i need to find something large and corporate. i don't care how much of my soul i have to sell. to be honest i have thought of trying to make the switch to account side, they make the decisions on all creative anyway. how do i make that switch?

i don't really have a degree but that doesn't matter in my field. i can not afford to go to school to become a teacher. looking back, the best move i could have made would be an art teacher or gym teacher. what a gig, summer's off, retirement plan, 401k, best benefits in the state, no overtime, etc. damn it.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:10 PM, schlucharski said:

you gave yourself the answer already:

 

1. buy a 3 button sport coat, don't go for brown or grey, never butten the bottom button, surprise yourself, show some taste

2. get a business card: teh Jules - Art Director, Consultant or whatever. If you were in business that long why get your hands dirty with every novelty

3. if your hair shows some grey spots, its a plus

4. could be worse: you could be me: 33 years old, studied business IT, hates technology, hates computers, resigned his job, will move to another city, has no clue what to do at all.

5. ?????

6. profit

1. i prefer 2-button coats, and still do not button the bottom

2. i have several sitting in various drawers

3. very slightly

4. at least you have your youth

5. & 6. fucking lol

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:44 PM, data said:

im turning 31 tomorrow and i have a shit job as a taxi driver, i've no real education to speak of and im pretty much broke. i need to make some goddamn changes. my new album is not far from release and i keep thinking maybe, just maybe someone important will notice.

 

or did you want some advice? i've got none.

burning chrome is my favorite album from watmm in a long time.

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:44 PM, data said:

im turning 31 tomorrow and i have a shit job as a taxi driver, i've no real education to speak of and im pretty much broke. i need to make some goddamn changes. my new album is not far from release and i keep thinking maybe, just maybe someone important will notice.

I'm not important but I noticed your music is awesome.

a 3 button sits better, if you have a big chest like me.

You sound very european...you americans change your careers all the time, everyone can do everything, yes we can, multiple choice, etc whats with that ?

With over 10 years in biz, you have a lot of experience, that counts.

Why would it be impossible to go into teaching ?

have faith & be patient man, eventually you will get what you are looking for, I'm sure.

dude, 50 is far, faaaar from over.

Especially considering that you are more willing to be flexible in this downward job market than most.

For example, I just met a 65 year old professor that went to graduate school at the age of 45. That's starting grad school. He received tenure last year.

Follow your passions, and see what positions are available. Be creative, adapt to the job market. See something that could utilize your skills in a creative way? Be proactive and make the connections and contacts with businesses.

A lot of universities and private schools would love someone with your expertise to host community/scholastic art projects, and independent studies.

Im just going off the top of my head here, but your advantage is you have experience, and lots of it. Market the shit out of that, and be confident!!

50 is the new 18 apparently.

Jules: Don't get stuck making tofu. No matter how bad you think your job is it isn't nearly as shitty as my last job making tofu. I promise you.

Landscape architect. It's the best profession in the world (seriously)

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:39 PM, essines said:

Jules: Don't get stuck making tofu. No matter how bad you think your job is it isn't nearly as shitty as my last job making tofu. I promise you.

could you expound on this? i would like to know more.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:39 PM, Smettingham Rutherford IV said:

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:39 PM, essines said:

Jules: Don't get stuck making tofu. No matter how bad you think your job is it isn't nearly as shitty as my last job making tofu. I promise you.

 

 

could you expound on this? i would like to know more.

I gotta go plant some raspberries so I'll come back to it later but as a tl;dr it was mainly the owner of the business that made it shitty. Lots of ins and outs though.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:35 PM, Smettingham Rutherford IV said:

50 is the new 18 apparently.

totally

also jules, you are a home brewer, yeah?

if you have the capital and some connections, why not consider a local brewery? Competitive, yes...but youd be doing something you enjoy nad making business connections for the future...I mean, you could apply your art design skills with the logo of the brewery, brewing website, shirts, etc. etc. etc.

maybe this is too far gone though.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:18 PM, chaosmachine said:

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:44 PM, data said:

im turning 31 tomorrow and i have a shit job as a taxi driver, i've no real education to speak of and im pretty much broke. i need to make some goddamn changes. my new album is not far from release and i keep thinking maybe, just maybe someone important will notice.

 

or did you want some advice? i've got none.

 

burning chrome is my favorite album from watmm in a long time.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:28 PM, scones to die for said:

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:44 PM, data said:

im turning 31 tomorrow and i have a shit job as a taxi driver, i've no real education to speak of and im pretty much broke. i need to make some goddamn changes. my new album is not far from release and i keep thinking maybe, just maybe someone important will notice.

I'm not important but I noticed your music is awesome.

Just wanted to third this, sorry to get off topic. Incredible tunes. You should put Shores of Orion back on your soundcloud!

give up. move to the cheapest part of a cheap town and live on as little money as possible whilst pretending to be an artist

obviously

i think maybe the problem i am mainly having with this career is that i feel like i am constantly fighting to keep my job. i have to reinvent myself and do new stuff all the time. and now i feel like i'm just resorting to my same old bag of tricks a lot of the time. i have and still do well with it but it is getting tired. like i said, i think i need a larger and more stable company to work in. either that or be on my own, which would be ideal but i have no idea how to do that.

I wish someone would pay me to sit in a cubicle all day and make bleep bloop noises.

  On 8/31/2011 at 9:27 PM, jules said:

I have been in the design world for over 10 years now and i think i am burned out. the deadlines are getting so extreme, the work is being crushed by idiots who know nothing about design at the studio and at the client. it is not fun anymore.

 

looking back, all the "losers" from high school are either cops, teachers or own landscaping companies. either way, they are in stable jobs making nice money with amazing benefits or they own their own company. wtf did i do wrong.

 

now it's too late to do anything else too. there is no such thing as a 50 year old art director. plus with the way technology keeps moving, the amount of programs and info i am supposed to know has reached a ridiculous level and im not into it anymore so learning new things is not exciting or challanging at all, id rather just not do it.

 

You're at the realization I came to back in 1999 - I was a graphic designer and at the time, the surge of the dot-com bubble made me realize that graphic designers were (are) a dime a dozen, and there was no way I would be able to support a family on a sub-50K salary.

I switched jobs, still being a graphic designer, but went to work for a Firm under the auspices that I be allowed to learn and teach myself web development - HTML, CSS, etc. and use my graphic design skills to augment that. I started joyrex.com to teach myself HTML, and along the way I've learned enough to now manage a department of developers creating applications. Is it as creative as my graphic design days? Not in the same way, but programming is fun and solving complex problems is a reward within itself. Does not having a Comp Sci degree hurt me sometimes? Perhaps, but I could always take college courses if I wanted to. I can say it worked out well for me, so why not yourself?