Can't find a job...Grumpage!!!

[MrsSFrances]

I am still in college, but I am finished in June...I have been sending out my portfolio and resume....And grrrrr...No one wants to hire me...I hate this, I go to college to be able to get a better job...AND STILL CAN'T GET ONE!!!

I have been freelancing on the side, but it's not enough

I drove a friggin school bus for 6 years....I am not going to do it again!!

I am so mad I could just SPIT!!!....Grrrrr!!!!


Some one shoot me please!?

[Moses]

You went to college for?????

What type of work do you want to do/looking for/interested in?

Someone may be able to help........

[MrsSFrances]

Graphic Design.....I can do anything from web sites to logos, i really enjoy doing logo's

[ChrisH]

The job market in that field is always tight around here. Who are you sending your book and resume to?? Larger ad agencies are a tough nut to crack without a real strong book. Did you try any newspaper ad departments? It is a great way to get a lot of experience with tight deadlines and client relations. Print shops in your area are also a good place to get experience, any knowledge of pre-press, and printing will definatly help you out. Do you have any experience other than freelancing??

Or... you could go out on your own..it is an attrective idea but fraught with pitfalls...

Good luck, and don't give up. Things will work out. Let me know if I can help you out.

Chris

[MrsSFrances]

this is my last semester in school, and i am having pre-press and printing.....


I know Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop...etc...etc...I have been sending to small ad places......i know not to send my stuff to huge ad places, i know they will not even look at my stuff without years behind my belt...

the thing that is going to hurt me the worst is that i am graduating with an associates degree of specialized technology...which in english terms means nothing...

i am good at what i do and love what i do....it like trying to sell a clunker car to someone...ya know what i am saying?

you gotta sell yourself....


you wanna be my pimpdaddy *that was a joke ofcourse*



the job market is tight around here too...

i freelance, but not enough to make a good living....i just got done doing wedding invitations, and then in Oct. I am doing the photography for the wedding....but that is ions away...ugh....


anywho....thanks for the imput ChrisH it is greatly appreciated

[ChrisH]

Keep freelancing..you never know who you will meet. Have you tried doing any probono work for some non-profits in your area?? That is another good way to get some nice work in your portfolio.

I see that you have learned to use the "Trinity" of apps- Quark, Illustrator and PhotoShop that is great you will need to know how to work in them all. They are just tools, creativity is what counts.

Definatly look to newspapers and print shops..I have worked at them both and gained very valuable skills. I have also worked in large agencies in Boston, but found I really hated the drive from the Cape and the politics

Keep trying things will work out.

Chris

[MrsSFrances]

heres something i did for a class project....we had to redesign a rest. logo.....


done in illustrator 10/ *my hand writing* for the Rouge.

I love to do custom logo's with the corp. name in hand writing...i am not much of a type fan...

[MrsSFrances]

let me know what you think...i would post my husbands logo i did for him, but i would most likely get flamed then i dont want anyone to think i am advertising for him....

[MrsSFrances]

and heres my own logo.....

[ChrisH]

Well done MrsSFrances!

I like them. You nailed them both! What I look for in an identity is a clean graphic represention that re-produces well in any medium and size and simplicity. The artwork should also work well in black and white. Some designers come up with concepts that are just not realistic in terms of end usage.

Both designs are spot-on in my book. Don't shy away from using type, use it to your advantage...

MrsSFrances you will do well, keep it up. Let's see more...

[MrsSFrances]

well thank you....that makes me feel a bit better here's an identity i did for a fence company....

[MrsSFrances]

see i do work with type haha....i combine it together....im not sure if this is going to post it might be too large...this is an advocacy poster I had to do...

[MrsSFrances]

the pickle jar....

[MrsSFrances]

the pickle jar 2

[Raven]

First] you could go to an agency and let them look-> for you. There's no interviews and you can be as choosey as you like. Company's dont want to hire until they see your performance as a temp to hire and they can do that without any risk. You may not find exactly what you want straight away but it certainly won't be as a bus driver again....also you will have the opportunity to meet more people and increase your ability to network which is the best way to find a job these days. Second] you mentioned several times things you "had to do".....so perhaps you could take some time to use your obvious talents to do some small projects to create a kick A$$ portfolio between now and graduation and then advertise and start your own buisness on the side. Start going to Job fairs before june and try to talk with as many people as possible to find leads to jobs that are never advertised or at least get some other people helping you in your search. Eventually your art will catch the right person's eye and you'll be offered a position. Until then stay positive and always
remember that its out there somewhere but its not always found by mailing a resume as much as a getting a referal.

[MrsSFrances]

thanks for the great tips raven it is greatly appreciated and i will take any info that i can get.....

[Raven]

i thought i might have been insulting your intelligence there.
hey did ya know that you can advertise in google for fairly cheap money? They have this method of only paying for the number of hits you get and you can configure it to scale to any budget.
Anyways check it out and perhaps you can advertise your services
there.....Just a thought, and i have no affiliation to google. keep us posted and "reminded" so that others [in your area] are aware of your goals. Also if your at a fixed position (ie not moving) define your area of where you could economically commute to via a circle or by the highway layout and then you can explore the local chambers of commerce and/ or public library's for a list of local companies your interested in working for. Follow some of those people at lunch time and accidentilly bump into them at their eatery's of choice and listen in on the gossip. Also i have been previously advised to make lunch dates with people that could discuss with you opportunities not necessarally with them but in general in your field.
Remember too, that small failures can best "serve you" by pointing ->you .........in the right direction . ok go gettum lol ! and Mrs Frances , you're quite Welcome

[MrsSFrances]

nah your not insulting me....i take info where ever and who ever i can get it from...i figure there are people out there who have the experiance and know alittle bit more then me, and its good to listen to these people for they might be able to help you ....and again thank you...


Mrs. F

[ChrisH]

MrsSFrances, I've been away for a few days...wow!..nice stuff, I like the "Abuse" piece. Raven is correct about your local chamber of commerce, they love to have pro-bono work done, great way to get your name out there and make valuable contacts. Great job.

Chris

[MrsSFrances]

thank you for the compliments Chris.....Sorry it took me so long to get back to ya, as you know I am doing some logos for NilsC, which he likes very much...keep your eye open I think he might be posting them for everyone to take a look at...not sure...I just got another request to do a logo, which I just got done also...


I am definatly going to look into what Raven said....

[Crafty Angler]

Nice design work, clean, crisp and to the point with impact - nicely done.

My wife and I are photographers and we have 70 - that's not a typo - years experience between us in the field and have literally done everything but forensics.

So my own words of wisdom - if you do decide to go out on your own:

Just make sure you make enough to cover your liquor bills. It ain't easy in good times and it's even tougher now. Don't want to rain on your parade but consider the economic realities of freelancing first. Chris knows whereof he speaks, trust me, been there.

Please understand, my wife and I have been doing it together for an awful long time and parts of it have included some pretty wonderful moments that have been absolutely awe-inspiring and almost impossible to describe in their beauty.

On the other hand, if my son or daughter wanted to follow in our footsteps, my first inclination would be to beat them absolutely senseless until they gave up that notion once and for all.

I dunno, Mrs. F., I guess I'm saying think about it carefully first.

The very best of luck to you - you will do well if you stay focused, you've certainly got talent and a great eye.

[MrsSFrances]

I appreciate the words of wisdom...I have dabbled in Photography myself, took it in college...I do understand what you are saying fully....It is a dog eat dog world out there...and I have to find my place...its just finding it...I like what I do, I enjoy creating different things for people and I find it as a challenge...and yes it can be mind twisting and hair pulling at times, but the end results are hearing people say, WOW you did that! Just makes me realize that I truely like what I do...

I have to do a wedding next year (photography), they saw my photographs when they where on display in college and where really taken by them and made the choice for me to do their wedding photos...I am still confused on why though... I guess you would have to see the photos to understand...My professor wanted us to do a story board with photos. My story was called "Loss" it was a collection of photos telling the story of a pregnant mother who lost her child, and it was done in B&W...My professor was quite impressed on how I captured the moments...My personal opinion I didnt like it...


But anyway now that i got totally off the subject of what you where saying....I fully agree that if my kids wanted to do what I am doing, well I dont know how I would react....I would tell them its a tough world out there in anything that you do....Being a "starving artist" is the toughest....

But anywho its late and I am rambling...

I have been thinking about what I am planing to do...and Chris and Raven have been a great help.....and now you too....I take everything everyone tells me as a learning experiance and think about the words said to me....


Thanks for the compliments on my work too

Mrs F

[Raven]

just found this called: liquid icon

i am all over it....looks fun and free


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