[godzookie2k]

Originally posted by art_director:
But that article and your instructor are full of ****. We are business people and we need to charge what the market will bear, not what we want / need after flu shots and rent.

art_director oh wise and ay-ged one, you bring up a current cunundrum of mine. freelance wise, I'm all about charging what the market is charging, and getting what I deserve. However recently I decided to forego the freedom of freelance and go for a nice steady corporate job. I've been at this job now for almost 7 months. I do ad design for magazines. Now, I can understand that being a corporate design monkey I won't be making nearly as much as when I was freelancing, but currently I am making *significantly* less that what the minimum I *should* be making considering my experience level etc, according to CA's last salary survey. (about 30-40% less) Now, I told myself that I was new there and I shouldn't rock the boat too much. And I sure as shite don't want to risk my income in this kind of market, But a few days ago I did some very quick math and realized that as a direct result of ads I'd designed, I had made my company around 50-60+ grand as a result of advertisers seeing *my* work and/or for ads I'd designed for a client, who decided to sign a long term contract as a result. All in the last 3 issues. Now, I'm making enough to scrape a living razor thin and its getting tiring. So...and this goes out to anyone else who wants to chime in.... Whats a poor design monkey to do? Take it to my art director, my financial concerns that is? I think/know he is the kind of guy who will either a) laugh it off, b) say "sure we'll see" and do nothing. or do I go straight to the boss, quite possibly the devil incarnate? do I wait for my next 9 month review? or just do it now? Or bite my toungue and wait for the market to pick up so I can have bite behind my bark?


somebody?

erm.... help?

[kulverse]

Its a tough one. I get payed a huge amount less designing/prepress at a screen printing shop than my freelance work. I have to make time to do both. I sit in front of a computer 5 days a week at work, and then about 4-6 nights a week at home. Good thing I enjoy doing it .

It depends on the personality of the art director, but I would approach him/her as a start. If that gets you no where, then I'd consider job searching. No use being in a place that won't fulfill your career goals.

I've noticed a HUGE decrease of graphics jobs in my area...the funny thing is, I've notice a HUGE increase of crappy work to go along with it. Seems that good people were hard to find a few years ago, so companies hired anyone who knew how to use Print Shop pro Now experienced, good artists are having issues furthering their career goals because of it. At least thats the point I'm at. I hope things turn around soon.

[art_director]

godzookie2k:

you bring up a very good point that was not covered in the other thread: what to do in this market?

economics being what they are i would tread lightly on the subject. after all, you need to eat, pay a mortgage, etc. that said i do not believe you need to be robbed.

so, what to do?

first, you have a paying job. you can:

a. freelance at night and on the weekends to compliment your income
b. ask your superiors for a little extra jing
c. quit and go freelance again
d. look for another gig
e. move to another market
f. all of the above in logical order

if you freelance on the side you can get yourself into a better financial spot but you give up free time.

if you do ask for a raise it needs to be done very carefully. if you appear greedy they could sack you and hire someone else -- it's a buyer's market.

if you quit and go freelance you're back into the world of uncertainty -- for some a place of comfort, for others a living hell.

if you look it may take months or days to find an offer. even if you don't take an offer it can be used to leverage more $ at your present place of employment.

if want to move you can freefall and hope (not wise at this point) or you can use a headhunter / cold call yourself for jobs in other places.


only you can determine the best course for your circumstances / risk tolerance. if i were in your shoes i'd and freelance had gone well i might head back. if not, i'd stay where i am, look for an offer and leverage it for the highest bidder.

[dadder]

I would bypass the art director and go straight to the big cheese. Tell him what your feeling about your salary. Be honest, be sincere, but be VERY political. Don't whine.
Then, if he's reluctant, ask if you can set a salary goal to where you could be at 9 months from now at your review and what you can expect if your work stays above average for the following years' review.
If they're a smart company, they should know good help is hard to find. You'll know immediately whether they value your presence. If they knock you down, then they don't give a rip about you and it's on to the next drone for them - they're tough sh*t.

[godzookie2k]

Thanks alot everyone for the input. I guess I'm thinking along the right, reasonablish path. I'm gonna start pounding pavement, and get a decent offer, BEFORE I take up salary concerns. my boss is the kind who would find a reason to fire my ass if I did I think, so that backup plan is a good idea. Thanks again all.