[MikeM32]

Well circumstances at work definitely suck, and although I've done my best to negotiate, things don't look good. The real kick in the nuts was seeing an ad in this past sundays newspaper (North Jersey Star Ledger). The Ad is for a Mac Operator, and describes my job to a "tee".

I work in Northern NJ for a mid sized printing company at thier corporate headquarters. For 4 years (plus) I've worked as a Mac artist in thier pre-press department. When I started here I had little to no experience in this field, although I've been an artist since the age of 13 (for 20 years). In 4 years I've managed to do alot for this company and have added 50% to my annual income from what I started at.

I'd quit while I'm ahead, but I won't be able to collect unemployment and therefor I won't be able to survive while looking for other work. I haven't let on to anyone at work that I've seen this ad yet.

Looking at the classified ads it really doesn't look like there's much out there in my line of work. This whole situation stinks

Oh well, screw 'em

Mike

[SunSeeker]

Hey, write up your resume under an assumed name, elaborate enough to secure an interview and turn up in disguise....

Of course if they're just trying to get you an assistant it could turn out badly :o

In any case good luck, I'm already out of work and it's tough to even find a vacancy. Lots of knocking on doors to look forward to

[sean barrett]

Being unemployed sucks man. When you're working, you moan a lot about the job you have but when it's gone, you realize that getting to work on the mac all day is better than pushing papers for sure.

Good luck to us all!!! Hope there's enough work to go round.

.....now where was that ad again????

[bluedog]

Working in pre-press you probably have some good transferrable skills to a production environment in a design or marketing company.

I think you should put together some pieces of work you helped to produce. Get a résumé together and call and/or send them out to local design or marketing firms. Its good to call and get a feel or an agency before just dropping your stuff on them.

If you have some creative, and feel its relevant to show your skills include it too. Be sure to let them know your background and how you can help them to be more efficient or reduce printing errors with your skills. Do you really think they're after your job and not just adding to their workload? Evidently, you seem to think so... are you not really motivated by your work? It would be a good time to go then, anyhow.

Is your job just to pay the bills? If so perhaps another job in a related or unrelated field will work for you. Look for a job that includes things that motivate you. If its not where you are now, find one that does. Its really important to enjoy what you do.

Perhaps they just can't continue to afford and pay you for your current skills and are looking for an entry-level person who can do your job; take your skills and move beyond them.

Good luck finding a job!

[MikeM32]

s your job just to pay the bills? If so perhaps another job in a related or unrelated field will work for you. Look for a job that includes things that motivate you. If its not where you are now, find one that does. Its really important to enjoy what you do.

Perhaps they just can't continue to afford and pay you for your current skills and are looking for an entry-level person who can do your job; take your skills and move beyond them.

It's never been to pay the bills, but I'll admit it may have become that.

As for not being able to afford me, they're hiring someone with an ad which job description is far beyond what I answered to 4 years ago.

I actually did so much here beyond what was "required" of me that they have had to re-define the job itself. So now they want to find a replacement and I know they want a cheaper one if they can find it, that's just how these bastards are

Too bad they left so much **** I can do out of the ad itself.

I'm hoping I'll get some of my retirement benefits or something back when this all goes down. I'm seriously considerring not going right back to work for anyone for a while. After all this B.S. I need some time off from everything to get my head screwed back on right.

Mike

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: MikeM32 ]

[buchrob]

A word to the wise for ANYONE who works in graphic arts.

There are a LOT of employers who really don't understand what is going on, especially at the mac pre-press level. I literally once had a client who thought that he could scan-in his hand-drawn layout, then the text and the photos, and then his mac would put the layout together with just a little help from a mac operator to touch things up.

I sold my business a few years ago while it was quite successful then bowed out of a fairly lucrative employment contract because I couldn't stand to see the way things were being run by the new owners and the difficulties my competent ex-employees were facing with the new management. A few hints might be in order, sent from a guy on the other side of the employment desk:

1) Make friends in the business (you probably already have some that you can milk a little). Even that salesman or client who drove you nuts with that impossible job probably have a few finished samples of jobs you produced that they will part with if you butter them up a little. After all, they are probably working under the same ridiculous contstraints you are under. Get a hold of a few and start building "your" portfolio.

2) Employers are interested in paying for results, not resumes. If you show up for your next job interview with your portfolio of job samples you helped work on, you can politely point out that "this job was a b^&*h to trap" or that "we had to work all weekend to get this special project out". The employer instantly understands that you are a team player, know the issues involved and are willing to put put out the effort to keep the client happy. You are also light years ahead of anyone else who comes in and can just say "I can do close-cuts".

3) Maintain your confidence. Take a look at your "portfolio" and the other people around you. Is there anyone else in the same general pay range who could have done the job you did? SO THERE!!!

Good luck.