I need a new career

Even if you are not really qualified for new things it is still worth a shot applying for them and bullshitting a little bit about relevant experience. Sometimes once you actually get an interview people will start to take you more seriously even if not totally qualified. You just need to be present, nice, and interested in the work. I'm in the middle of a series of interviews for a dream job. It is going very well, and I don't think I'm really all that qualified, I think they just like my personality. Be persistent, keep this job, but apply for other jobs, and take time to create cover letters because that often impresses people a lot more than a resume.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:56 PM, Joyrex said:

  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?

basically joyrex is asking you to be the new joyrex. the benefits are shit, but you get a key to the private bathroom. although you will probably need to febreeze-bomb the whole place if you even think of using that key.

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:00 PM, Bubba69 said:

Even if you are not really qualified for new things it is still worth a shot applying for them and bullshitting a little bit about relevant experience. Sometimes once you actually get an interview people will start to take you more seriously even if not totally qualified. You just need to be present, nice, and interested in the work. I'm in the middle of a series of interviews for a dream job. It is going very well, and I don't think I'm really all that qualified, I think they just like my personality. Be persistent, keep this job, but apply for other jobs, and take time to create cover letters because that often impresses people a lot more than a resume.

this is a wise man right here.

Yeah, I've gotten most of my jobs by carrying myself well and knowing how to speak. Because, let's face it, no one is going to hire MacReady to make tofu.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:53 PM, jules said:

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'm on my second stint in freelance right now. The reason I didn't continue it the first time was because we kept moving around a lot. I lost clients because they thought I was unstable with all the moving. Unfortunately, one of them was a BMW Motorcycle dealership that paid me really well. Once I lost that account, I decided to stop the freelance until I became more attuned to my skills and learned other things like web design.

I'm stable now and been doing it for the past 8 months. but the work is very sparse. there'll be times when I get like 3 to 5 jobs in a week then nothing for about a month. My big problem is actually going out and getting clients since I'm no salesman. So most of my work comes in from a business consultant friend of mine in Los Angeles and a web designer in Portland until I come up with some promo ads for myself.

I'm also the art director for my record label. I don't make any money off that though since that's how I pay my weight while the others fork out the money for stuff like Hard Copy releases and PR. The only thing about working freelance is that I take care of the kids while the wife is working and its hard to maintain contact with people when i have 2 screaming kids waving light sabres behind me while I'm conducting a video conference. So most of my work is done at night. but a lot of the time, most clients that I have now are not available at that time.

Jules, it sounds to me like you might just have reached a dead end at your company. Not that your qualms with the career are meaningless but it seems an obvious first step would be to look to move companies without changing career. If that doesn't pan out to your hopes then maybe something more drastic might be worthwhile but even then freelance work is not unreasonable in your field and you are obviously competent enough for either of these options.

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:45 PM, asymmetrical head said:

its hard to maintain contact with people when i have 2 screaming kids waving light sabres behind me while I'm conducting a video conference. So most of my work is done at night. but a lot of the time, most clients that I have now are not available at that time.

LOL, you are a modern day hero whoadie

thanks peeps, and sorry for derailing your thread a bit jules.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:45 PM, Gravity said:

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

shores of orion is on the album.

  On 9/1/2011 at 12:13 AM, data said:

thanks peeps, and sorry for derailing your thread a bit jules.

 

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:45 PM, Gravity said:

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

 

shores of orion is on the album.

Am I insane or is it not on the iTunes version of Burning Chrome?

Ahahahaha just realized you meant on the new album. A bit drunk sorry.

Looking forward to it!

So I just got a heads up that the job i was hoping for is still a possibility. If i were to get said job i'd be hoping to become steam chief. Otherwise my life is shit though. but i guess i am young enough. or something.

  On 8/31/2011 at 10:56 PM, Joyrex said:

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?

i have tried web here and there and it is very intimidating. i can barely work my way around a wordpress site. it probably is the key to my problems but i get discouraged on my knowledge/age level sometimes and it prevents me from pushing forward. stupid i know, but i think that is what it is. plus i am not all that interested in coding.

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:07 PM, Smettingham Rutherford IV said:

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:00 PM, Bubba69 said:

Even if you are not really qualified for new things it is still worth a shot applying for them and bullshitting a little bit about relevant experience. Sometimes once you actually get an interview people will start to take you more seriously even if not totally qualified. You just need to be present, nice, and interested in the work. I'm in the middle of a series of interviews for a dream job. It is going very well, and I don't think I'm really all that qualified, I think they just like my personality. Be persistent, keep this job, but apply for other jobs, and take time to create cover letters because that often impresses people a lot more than a resume.

 

this is a wise man right here.

indeed. very good stuff there bubba. getting interviews these days is very difficult. some companies used to be like, screw paying someone 70k, i am going to hire 2 people at 35k instead. well now it's like, screw paying someone at 70k, i am going to hire 1 person at 35k and tell them they are lucky to have a job.

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:54 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

Jules, it sounds to me like you might just have reached a dead end at your company. Not that your qualms with the career are meaningless but it seems an obvious first step would be to look to move companies without changing career. If that doesn't pan out to your hopes then maybe something more drastic might be worthwhile but even then freelance work is not unreasonable in your field and you are obviously competent enough for either of these options.

nail on the head coalbucket. i have no doubt reached the end of the road at my current comapny. i have 2 problems though. 1) the three owners absolutely love me to death and treat me pretty well. even though i disagree with 80% of the decisions they make, having them behind me makes me feel pretty comfortable if the shit were to hit the fan here. 2) having to drop off and pick up my kid at daycare makes my starting a new job virtually impossible right now. the hours just wouldn't work out. i would hat to be running out the door every day at 5:00 on the button, especially as the new guy.

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:54 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

  On 8/31/2011 at 11:45 PM, asymmetrical head said:

its hard to maintain contact with people when i have 2 screaming kids waving light sabres behind me while I'm conducting a video conference. So most of my work is done at night. but a lot of the time, most clients that I have now are not available at that time.

LOL, you are a modern day hero whoadie

yea asym, that visual got a hearty lol from me.

  On 9/1/2011 at 12:13 AM, data said:

thanks peeps, and sorry for derailing your thread a bit jules.

lol, don't think twice about it man, you deserve the compliments.

  On 9/1/2011 at 12:46 AM, essines said:

So I just got a heads up that the job i was hoping for is still a possibility. If i were to get said job i'd be hoping to become steam chief. Otherwise my life is shit though. but i guess i am young enough. or something.

essiness you are such a classy guy, i am considering giving you a job that would have you interviewing as me to get me a job. i think we both may end up hammered underneath my apple tree on a wednesday afternoon though.

  On 9/1/2011 at 2:46 AM, usagi said:

Jules is 50? Holy fuck. I saw your pics and thought you were in your late 20s or something.

50? wat? im 35 homie. christ.

I live on < $5000 a year (usually closer to 2 or 3) so I can pretty much get by on moving furniture for people once in a while or selling some junk.

That's a pretty decent career.

  On 9/1/2011 at 2:49 AM, jules said:

indeed. very good stuff there bubba. getting interviews these days is very difficult. some companies used to be like, screw paying someone 70k, i am going to hire 2 people at 35k instead. well now it's like, screw paying someone at 70k, i am going to hire 1 person at 35k and tell them they are lucky to have a job.

Amen and flol.

The synchronicity in our lives is astonishing, Jules. Both 35. First-time dads, fucked up career scenarios. Big life questions, etc.

I'm in the precise same boat. I decided to pursue and MFA in mass comm and I think it's a waste of time. I wanted to make Hollywood films once upon a time, then realized that I don't like Hollywood and that's beyond a pipe dream to begin with.

Now I'm like...fuck it, I love my family and I just wanna kick back and enjoy the simple things until I'm dust. The end.

So the private sector is currently seducing me to make a grand return. We shall see. Bubba's advice was dead-on though. Just apply for weird jobs that sound intriguing. A lot of smaller companies out there still treat employees well and they're looking for diverse skill sets, which it sounds like you have in droves.

not to mention our kids being like 4 days apart and our wives having the same wacky spelling of their names. are we doppelgängers overlook?

  On 9/1/2011 at 2:49 AM, jules said:

  On 9/1/2011 at 2:46 AM, usagi said:

Jules is 50? Holy fuck. I saw your pics and thought you were in your late 20s or something.

 

50? wat? im 35 homie. christ.

i hate to derail the thread...

(so, why don't you just take up web design in your freetime? you really don't need an intimate knowledge of building sites as much as knowing barebones html/css/maybe a little bit of javascript [jquery? does anybody know? i don't lol], and a basic idea of what else is capable in server-side programming like ruby on rails or some shit. again, if anybody knows better than i do, speak up!

as far as html/css goes, that may be daunting. but as a designer who has an idea of hierarchy, you definitely have a leg up. as somebody who isn't interested in coding—like me; fuck coding!—it's really not as daunting as it seems. the other stuff is trickier, but i can't say exactly how much you should know.)

anyway, what do you look like? i thought you were that dude from tool

Jules, I'm 34. I worked in 2D animation/storyboards/design etc. for the last 6 years. I've just recently changed branches into 3D animation and have had to learn the tools. It's the same industry and they share the fundamental disciplines, but the technical differences are quite stark. I'm hoping my natural 2D/drawing skills will give me a lep-up in the 3D side of the industry.

I think there are a lot of us making changes at our age. To not identify the need to change/evolve is detrimental I think.

Fuck Craigslist and their $10 an hour design gigs too.

You know what had a hand in all of this? Filesharing. It used to cost $1500+ for the actual software (Adobe CS). Now kids download, install, play around with it and are able to fake their way through it.

  Quote

indeed. very good stuff there bubba. getting interviews these days is very difficult. some companies used to be like, screw paying someone 70k, i am going to hire 2 people at 35k instead. well now it's like, screw paying someone at 70k, i am going to hire 1 person at 35k and tell them they are lucky to have a job.

 

 

THIS.

Sorry to add more noise to the thread, but I have no advice (as I'm pretty much a schlucharski) other than telling you that it is a bad idea to compare yourself to anyone else, it's hard to avoid but it only makes yourself your own worst enemy.

My latest million dollar idea is to try to not fuck up my dead end job and in the meantime, teach myself how to write, how to stop being an introvert, get really good at English, learn German, learn French and maybe in ten years or something I will be one of those people who speak four languages and get fancy jobs just because of how cool they are. How naive is that.

  On 9/1/2011 at 4:35 AM, m u st co n t r ol t h o 4 said:

Sorry to add more noise to the thread, but I have no advice (as I'm pretty much a schlucharski) other than telling you that it is a bad idea to compare yourself to anyone else, it's hard to avoid but it only makes yourself your own worst enemy.

 

My latest million dollar idea is to try to not fuck up my dead end job and in the meantime, teach myself how to write, how to stop being an introvert, get really good at English, learn German, learn French and maybe in ten years or something I will be one of those people who speak four languages and get fancy jobs just because of how cool they are. How naive is that.

THIS.

  On 9/1/2011 at 4:27 AM, rumbo said:

I think there are a lot of us making changes at our age. To not identify the need to change/evolve is detrimental I think.

yo, this guy right here

This guuuuuuuuuuuy

  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.

hi-five (i don't do that very often, but it seemed like a fun thing to do for once.)

  On 9/1/2011 at 3:33 AM, Cryptowen said:

I live on

That's a pretty decent career.

wao !! You a survivalist (or a moucher lol) ??

schlu:

4. could be worse: you could be me: 33 years old

Jules:

4. at least you have your youth

50? wat? im 35 homie. christ.

LOEL