Hello,
I am web designer trained in the graphic arts who has been unable to find employment for A VERY LONG TIME,
I have 2 associates degrees in graphic arts(and not a typical 4-year degree from a state university in(cs or graphic design or business)
My problem is NO one will hire me as a full-time designer and I cannot go into any other field because I dont have a 4 year degree or related experience(i.e sales, marketing,etc.).
I am over getting a design job and now just focusing on ANY job at a reasonable pay(35k-45k),but my resume and background is scattered with various design contracts and short-term employment along with my 2 associates degrees.
Have condisered going back to school, but how can you do that when your budget wont allow working part time. Im stuck In between!!!!!!!!!
Need help, how do I get out of this!!!
February 7th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
If you are a good designer and not getting job, just start looking for some good projects. Become a free lancer and build websites for companies… Its a big thing these days, once you see you getting good projects start hiring programmers and designers and build your own company. I know its not easy at all but once you pass out your hard years, the reward will be fantastic and you would love it!
Good Luck, fight on
February 9th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
But wait, Bill Gates said we needed to import more tech workers from overseas…what gives?
Screw going back to school, you have the required education. You need experience. Put together your portfolio. Make contacts in any industry where they may require your services…family, friends, networking. Move if neccessary. Work for yourself if neccessary. If you need to…lie about your education and experience. Be confident. Don’t quit. Believe in yourself.
February 10th, 2010 at 4:26 am
Most of us get stuck because we won’t move.
Your type of degrees or lack of is not the problem… I work for an IT Director that only has certifications (no degree), he wouldn’t be able to add up a credit hour if his life depended on it. In your line of business it’s wacky out there, your only restricted by yourself. It could be that there isn’t any place in the area you live that has a need for a designer, but you do have other computer skills that might apply to a bunch of businesses.
Sit down and give it some real thought, I mean look through the eyes of common sense. Since you have the graphics thing down, you could easily fall into a design (engineering or network design) type of position. All you would need to know is how Cisco for example lays out their networks for wireless. Read up on it at a Barnes and Noble. Then go find a job in IT. Make sure you don’t go to a Cisco company, otherwise you will really need to know how they work. Go to acme co and tell them you are experienced in Cisco but could learn there system quickly… You wouldn’t be lying! Would you?
February 12th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
You seem to have enough education, trust me its a not a 4 year degree that’s holding you back (there’s a lot of folks with 4 year and even Master’s degrees in your position)
First you need to understand the market, do you live in a Major metro? like NYC, LA, WASH, BOST, SEATTLE , ATLANTA? If not then naturally the opportunities for design as a career choices are limited to none, if you can move then by all means do so. Most folks in the design business work on the coasts in the major cities ,its just where all the agencies and IT folks are.. that’s the reality of the matter, that’s where the work is..
Next , do you have a real solid portfolio of projects, if not create one! Design is all about showing off your work, you need to show off you creative brilliance. When you go on interview with design its less about education and more about Design .. Work on selling yourself more.
Finally, as you alluded to in your question, full-time positions are simply scarcer these days, because so much design work is freelanced and most companies don’t have a need for a FT design professional. Consider being a Freelance designer and working at some other job during the day for income until you develop enough clients. Since it seems you’ve resigned to getting any job, then try to get something in an ancillary career field, like in a Print shop, publishing, computer company.. or some work that at least lets you show off your design talents indirectly..
Best of luck!