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More Previous Letters:Bloody Awful I had planned to "hang witchew" for awhile, but then I saw the graphic on your front page. Yuck! I am not certain how to spell this, but eeeeuoewww! I would like to come back another time -- when does the graphic go? With all due respect to your awesome work, Pointing a Finger I've been enjoying Eric Adams' columns since you've been running them, but the piece on audit trails really hit home. Though I'm not currently a freelancer (alas!), I used to be one, and I have many friends who work for themselves. This is a very touchy issue and one that I've discussed with friends on many occasions. Eric's suggestion provides the perfect solution. I know I will take his advice, and I will certainly share it with my friends. I look forward to more inspired pieces from Eric. Nancy Beckus Eric Adam's advice on protecting yourself from finger pointers is solid. Audit trails are like making back-up copies of important documents. The process requires extra effort, and you don't end up with much to show for it. However, if the hard disk crashes, you keep your job. Robert Graves Pushing Their Buttons I just discovered your zine after reestablishing my relationship with Aquent. Once upon a time, I worked on an in-house video production team. We very quickly discovered the value of the hairy arm, in a slightly different context. You see, the area where we gave our presentations to the client was also our editing suite. If you've ever been in an editing suite, you know there are usually several large pieces of equipment literally covered with buttons, switches, sliders, and knobs. We created a modification to one of our consoles, which increased productivity dramatically. We called it "The Client Button." Whenever a wannabe editor/middle-management type came to preview the tape for their project, we inevitably got a response like "The image seems a little hot," or "Can we highlight his face a little?" We would cheerfully respond in the affirmative and reach up during playback and tap the Client Button a few times. Tap tap, "Uhhh-huh," tap tap tap. "There. That does it," we'd say to the client. "How's that?" "Now it's perfect" was their unfailing reply. You've probably already guessed that the Client Button didn't actually do anything. It was merely a spare button on the console that was attached to absolutely nothing. It was, however, quite functional -- it sped up production and helped us meet deadlines every time! Paul E. Mullin The IT Girl Loved your article Madame IT. I am a Web copywriter and a tech writer. I see women everywhere in IT, but not many in the core, "gung-ho," important roles -- the old chicken and egg story, I think. I, too, experience discrimination as a female in IT, but of a very odd sort: it doesn't come from others on my project team or even from the clients. It comes from the tech people I interact with as a consumer -- ISP support desks, hardware resellers, male techie friends (all of whom seem to think an iMac would be "perfect" for me), and so on. Perhaps actually being hired for a project pre-qualifies me in the workplace, but this doesn't happen in retail. Anyway, great mag. Really well-organized, well-written and user-friendly. Jenny MacKinnon A Personal Touch Nancy Austin is absolutely right about writing thank-you notes. In today's form-letter, email, junk-mail era, people really appreciate receiving the gift of a handwritten note. Her article was well-written and very appreciated. Thank you for your excellent selection of writers and topics. Suzan Ozker A Stylish New Career I found your article A Winning PROPosition at a most appropriate time. I have just entered the world of independent professionals. I am currently consulting for a direct-mail gift catalog on merchandising and creative design. Previously, I worked for 15 years in the catalog industry as a merchandiser and sometimes had to come up with the right props for our products out of season. Romance or clarity or simplicity -- all of the emotions we were trying to create in the shot depended on proper styling, and I was consistently amazed at the lack of good stylists. Because of my background as a merchandiser and of working closely with our creative teams, this article has suggested another route I can take with the services I offer -- that of prop stylist! Now, I just need to get started… Thanks for the idea! Ami Waller-Ivanecky Love Him or Loathe Him Wow, I am amazed that Aquent's president would enjoy the fact that you can look up on his company's Web page and see profanity like San has used in his Christmas tale. I would be truly interested in what the president's reaction is. Obviously San's attempt to be "edgy" rules out the possibility that he can be intelligent. Not to worry though, he will continue to present his sophomoric prose to an audience that will enjoy his attempt at humor, yet still be able to drive away business at a brisk pace. I am sure if every client of Aquent had the chance to read this article that a noticeable drop in business would again occur. His disdain for Hallmark clearly indicates his desire to reach that level of success and notoriety but, as his work shows, his inability to ever reach it. Too bad San, it looks as though you struck out again -- you big city idiot! Dick Carroll
Great Christmas column. Great topic… so glad someone else besides me skewers the holidays. I'm so glad I found your column. Thanks for sharing your unique, entertaining and philosophical views on being an IP. This is great stuff. Keep up the good work. Lisa Creagh Johnson Letter From the End of the World I live in Argentina. I am a freelance graphic designer. I love to work till 3 or 4 a.m. I love to spend time in front of my Mac. I love my life. I love my job. My girlfriend is always by my side giving me some mates (a popular drink here) in order to make my nights shorter. I noticed Aquent when I started to search different Web sites about freelancing. That was a big job. There are a lot (millions, I think) of freelancing sites, and I was trying to find something that really helped me to do my work. When I found Aquent, I said to myself, "OK, here we go again. Same old, same old" -- no way! Aquent is great. Even though I'm on the other side of the world, all the tips you published on the site helped me a lot. The site helped me by giving me new ideas about my job... and it is helping me now that my girlfriend gives mates to someone else (the sad part of the story). Aquent is helping me by giving me tips for work, and that's something really great, even here at the very end of the world. Francisco Cervi Isn't That Specialized Thank you very much for answering my questions about combining my photography and design services. Much to my dismay, I pretty much anticipated your response that it's often better to specialize -- but it was good to get a solid confirmation from a professional in the field. Here in Los Angeles, I think it's difficult to just specialize in fashion photography. In fact, I did both the design and photography for some of the biggest jobs I've worked on. I'm sure if I were higher up the food chain, I would have to make a choice. But since I need to learn how to use a computer anyway, I figure I might as well utilize my graphics knowledge, too! Rolf Juario Sounds like
you know your market. But be careful to distinguish between the need
to handle more than one aspect of a job in a given market, and the desirability
of initially presenting yourself that way. You can present a photography
book and then, after you've hooked the client, casually mention (or,
even better, let them "discover") that you can handle the
design too -- or vice versa. Handling more than one aspect of a job
is great; that's called cross-selling. But explicitly presenting yourself
that way to new prospects may make you seem less professional. Enjoy Your Stay I recently was sent an email by an acquaintance of mine who suggested I visit your site to read a story. In the process, my eyes went to a few other story titles, which I found quite interesting as well. I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I was here and that I really enjoyed my visit. I'll be back. Keep up the nice work. Mark Cappitella An XXXtraordinary Problem The majority of my web development work has been done for an adult site. I've completed one other site and am currently working on a third -- that's my entire portfolio. However, the things I've done developing the adult site are the most impressive. When interviewing for other jobs, should I use this material as part of my portfolio? Matt Huffman Your question is a tough one, because the answer depends on the mindset of the prospective client who's reviewing your work. True story: we've been in a creative-agency recruiting office when an erotic URL came in as a portfolio sample from a Web designer. Although sexually very explicit, it was cartoon animation in an arty context, not really a porn site. The reaction among the recruiters was uproar -- hysterical laughter, people yelling out, "Hey, look at this," and other people running over to look from all over the office. They talked about that submission for months. (Of course, the fact that the artistic and production quality was extremely high certainly helped.) This story points to at least one advantage to submitting offbeat work: unlike most submissions, it gets noticed and remembered. Of course, this designer was submitting the work to an agent, not a prospective client; in fact, she never meant for the agent to show it to prospective clients, either. She was just showing the agent that she'd picked up new animation skills. There are many prospective clients who would be infuriated at an "adult" submission. Others, even if they liked the work on a purely technical or artistic level, might assume that the mere act of submitting it showed you had bad judgment or were a flake. Perhaps the best approach would be to furnish clients with only your innocuous (but less impressive) URLs, together with the frank statement that your best work was for an adult site, and would the client care to receive that URL? The advantage here is that you show sensitivity to the situation -- you show that you're not oblivious to the problematic nature of the work. By implication, this sensitivity may remove much of the "flake" element from the submission. Situations
like this are one reason why we always recommend that 1099ers take career
considerations into account, and not just money, when they decide on
what kinds of projects to go after and accept. WOW! I was recently laid off from my graphics position at a newspaper, and I found your site during my online job search at other newspapers. I am very impressed. I am not a prolific or inspirational writer, but I encountered Aquent's site and then 1099 for the first time today and had to write you to say... WOW! <amr10@ids.net> Oh great! I just read your response to the letter The Fourth Degree, in which you recommended getting either a Bachelor's degree or on-the-job experience (rather than a certificate) in graphic design. I just enrolled in a certificate program in computer graphic design. I majored in graphic arts back in the early '80s, then pursued fashion photography instead. Originally I landed many jobs because I could both design and photograph an ad. Then the computerization of the design field forced me to just stick with photography. Now that things have slowed down a little, I want to get back to offering both design and photography services. Now I'm wondering -- should I develop one catch-all book or keep examples of my design and photography work separate? My book (all photo tears, some of which I designed as well) contains some things that, while good and done for big-name clients, are several years old. Now that I'm going back to school, should I start a brand new book(s)? Please take into consideration I'm in the fashion field, where trends die fast! <Rolfpix@aol.com> Typically, especially in large metropolitan areas, the odds are more on the side of specialists; they tend to get more work from the best-paying clients. Put yourself in the shoes of a prospective new client: if he already had a photographer (or designer, or whatever) whom he had worked with, and trusted, and who was available to do the work, he wouldn't be calling you in the first place. He's likely to be nervous about trying someone new, and specialists have the edge in calming those kind of fears. This does not mean that you can't offer more than one service. It does, however, mean that you probably should present only one service at a time to any one prospective client. In your case, you should have separate design and photography books. You may actually have some of the same pieces in both of them (since you both photographed and designed them), but you don't present them that way or even mention the overlap, at least not until you've figured out how the prospect's mind works. Another
question was implicit in what you said, and the answer to that is less
clear: should you chuck your old samples, if they're starting to look
dated, even if that means replacing them with student work? This is
a terrible dilemma that many graphic-arts professionals face if they
haven't been working steadily. To some extent, you can be screwed either
way: top clients in trendy fields won't hire you if your work seems
dated, but they also won't hire you if you're showing things that are
obviously student comps, in spite of presenting yourself (and charging)
as a seasoned professional. We don't have a good answer to that, other
than to say that a successful book (portfolio, for those of you outside
the field) doesn't have to be very large. Perhaps you can find a few
produced pieces that don't look dated, put them in front, and supplement
them with a few newer student pieces in the back. In creative fields
-- hell, in most fields -- a few great samples beat a pile of questionable
stuff hands down. Good luck! I am starting out a new career as a graphic designer, going to school at night while working full-time. I cannot afford to put myself through a four-year degree program, so I have chosen to complete a certificate program in graphic design instead. Is this good enough to land an entry-level job in the design field, or do I need a B.A. degree? Donna St. Pierre In graphic design, there's a certain amount of interchangeability between your degree and your portfolio. In other words, if you somehow manage to land juicy freelance assignments, and get sharp printed pieces (not just comps) in your portfolio (or "book," as it's called in the field), then potential employers or clients will care less whether you have a degree. Other advantages to starting out as a freelancer are that you'd get a broader range of experience, and not just assume that the way things are done in your one job are the only way they can be done. Obviously, we're biased in favor of the freelance route, since that's our mission. However, it's hard to bootstrap yourself, and there are undeniably real advantages to starting out with a regular job. The answer to your specific question hinges on what you mean by "an entry-level job in the design field." Certificates have much less caché than four-year degrees, so you're likely to land a low-end design job. This may be mostly production work, and/or low-end design work (for example, assembling industrial parts catalogs, or any design job working for a printer). Such jobs (and, more important, the portfolio samples that result from them) are likely to turn off potential high-end clients and employers later on. Many designers get trapped into doing that kind of work as an "entry point," only to discover that they've effectively locked out more creative design work later in their career. Ultimately,
our answer is this: if, for whatever reason, a four-year degree program
isn't an option for you, you may be better off just taking a few production
courses, rather than a certificate program in design. You'd then try
to land a production job in a high-end shop (like a design studio, ad
agency, or possibly a publisher) rather than a design job in a low-end
shop. You'd also do some freelance design work on the side. That might
provide a better launching platform for your future career than the
game plan you've sketched. We have a feeling we're going to get some
letters complaining about this position -- from institutions granting
the certificates, or successful designers who started that way (there
must be some) -- but we also know designers who wish they had taken
the approach we're suggesting, years ago when their career started.
Good luck. Learning New Tricks I've been a freelance writer for the past 40 years and now am turning to illustration in hopes of becoming a writer/illustrator. I'm finishing a degree in illustration at age 58, and I'm wondering how I'll be treated when I start looking for paid work. What's the truth about age discrimination for freelancers working at home and beginning their careers after age 60? Is it true that illustration and graphic design jobs always go to the young? It reminds me of one of the Alien Nation movies, where a character in her seventies says she's 28 to get a job. Is there any hope for me -- or does illustration have to be an unpaid hobby for the next few decades? Anne Hart Age discrimination is a real problem, but it doesn't affect every occupation equally. In general, ageism should be less of a problem for independent professionals (IPs) than it is for employees, because when clients engage IPs they're thinking more about suitability for a particular task or project and less about the company's staff mix as a whole. In your case, the bad news is that age discrimination in the creative fields is fairly high; there's often a perception (unfounded, in our opinion) that older workers are less creative or flexible or "hip" than younger ones. The good news (for you, anyway) is that these pernicious attitudes vary depending on which creative field you're in. Designers and art directors seem to get hit hardest: we've seen many advertising agencies where you'd be hard-pressed to find a single designer over thirty. There may be somewhat less age prejudice against writers. For one thing, clients may value writers' "wisdom" over "hipness." The really good news for you is that illustrators probably suffer the least age discrimination of any creative field. (To be honest, we have no statistics on this; our answer is based on personal observations and on logic.) Most illustrators work exclusively freelance and off-site. Any successful illustrator is likely to have a signature style; the client is buying your style, not you.
Also, in this era of Internet communications, potential clients
are likely to associate you with your Web site (where you put your portfolio
samples), your list of client credits, and your voice on the phone;
your clients are unlikely to ever meet you, much less ask your age.
1099 Report Card I found Nancy Austin's column on press kits very helpful. As an IP just starting out, I feel overwhelmed with possibilities. I liked Nancy's suggestions because they were concrete, useful, and doable. On another note: where have you gone, Mr. San? No new rants? I look each week for the new one and have come up empty for awhile. Perhaps my next letter will disagree with some of your points, which may encourage you to give us more. I've enjoyed other articles, too. June Walker is very useful. All of your Getting Work and Doing Work columnists have something interesting to say and give good food for thought -- especially when I disagree with them. Mostly I search for new content (which seems to be coming faster). I like your personal profiles -- Restaurateur to Go, Ringmaster , and Street Cred most notably. Have you considered profiling a rogue programmer? I love the events and news pages. The story Gifts from the Gods inspired me to search out new ways to fund my new business. I also liked Charge Your Clients More -- can you tell I'm money minded? Anyway, I didn't mean to go on like this, but once I got started I couldn't stop. Thanks for the support -- we need it out here. Ashley Adams Thanks
for taking the time to give us such detailed feedback! We'd love to
get letters
from other readers about what parts of the site they love and what parts
we can improve. Supporting the Passion The letter Unleashing the Passion struck me very deeply. I know what it's like to have your creativity crushed, smothered, or otherwise ignored. Working in a field that requires creativity and imagination is difficult if you don't have a strong, supportive network to back you up, keep you pumped and motivated, and, most of all, believe in you and the work you're trying to do. People who are creative or want to discover their creativity need all the oohs and ahhs they can get; you can never give enough or receive enough. Positive feedback, encouraging words, and guiding hands can bring out wonders from people. I agree with Jill Heppenheimer that there needs to be more positive and supportive places where people who want to create can go and feel great about their work and themselves. Tracy Sutherland |
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