Sorry to post this here but I know the HAMB is a very resourceful place and some of you guys may be able to help. Delete this if you have to. I was laid off yesterday, the 2nd time in 2 years. The 1st time I was back in 7/07 with a company I was with for 8 years. This more recent one was almost 1 year. I am a graphic designer in the Dallas area and any leads will be much appreciated. Andy
Sorry to hear your plight. I work in the same field and the whole time I lived in Austin I couldn't get work. Lost almost everything because of that city. Hopefully the ending you get turns out better than mine did.....Good luck!
sorry to hear that. and with the way th economy is going and the unemployed rate i feel for you. it took me a couple months to get the job im at now when i was fired. good luck and hope you win the lottery if you do i want a cut lol
Sorry ta hear the news, But I think its going to be worst before it gets any better, Save us a place in line ,we'll be their shortly.... We may all have to go back to the old ways of doing things and surviving, Gathering all of our family's together under one roof and growing our food and making do with alot less then we're use to... The near future don't look to good ,BUT if we can make it until next summer .I think things will be better....... I'm saying my prayers and I will include you and your family
I'm always looking for guys- starts at 60k a year, 7 days on, 7 off, 12.5 hours a day. U 2 could be oilfield trash!
ive been unemployed since feb. things in Fl are bad now. ive been job hunting for a few months now, and havent gotten anywhere. its not lookin good.....
Andy, I used to be in the design field, specifically an museum/trade show exhibits designer. Back in the last big economic down turn, 1991, I too was laid off; last one hired/highest paid designer. I immediately put together a portfolio and hit the phones and streets looking for freelance work. Fortunately, within three days I had some work. I initially thought that I would do freelance work until a job came along. To my surprise my freelance work went so well that I ended up turning down a number of job offers and decided that I would continue to work for myself. I realized that the reason that I was successful, was because during an economic downturn, companies really do not want to hire additional employees, but would rather sub out work. It saves them money, in not having to pay salaries and benefits. My first year I ended up raising my salary by $10,000 while only working only 21 hours a week. Your fortunate to be in a high population area, so go out there, and ask what you think you are worth (per hour). I started out asking about $35.00 1991 dollars an hour, and slowly, as companies got to know me, went up to a standard rate of $50 an hour. Another key to being successful is being reliable; finish the work on time and on budget! Good luck, and I hope this works. By the way the movie Kramer versus Kramer is always an inspiration.
Bad deal , hang tough, "never give up!! also go my notice of plant shutting down in the first quarter of 2009, worked 19 years ,,,be 52 and starting all over again....but kids and wife, and myself are healthy... I got 2 good hands and and a pretty strong back,,,won't starve
Add another to the list. I'm looking for a lower level job then what I was doing before but no one is hiring.....damn automotive field Lets keep our fingers crossed.
Zumo, don't know all your talents, but try crossing over into different industries. As an example, let's say you know Photoshop. Those skills can be used in large agency's, small studios, sign shop's, video post production, film studios, t.v. stations, and more. Check these out. Also, if your work is anything like your avatar, sign me up, great work. Which brings up another option, merchandising. Best of luck!
Thanks for all the post guys. I hope I didn't come off as a pussy because that was not the intent. I have already sent about 15 resumes out all for Design jobs. Actually there seems to be a lot of design openings right now in my area. What cool about being a designer is that you are not tied down to one industry. I am the type that can't sit still and feel sorry for my self so I try to use every resource I can. and if all else fail I can always turn a wrench. Carnutofthedecade: I hear you on that, already trying to line some things up.
Good luck, and remember hit those fields that may not be part of your fields. Everybody, everybody, needs a graphic designer. Hit architects, interior designers, exhibit/museum designers. Carnutofthedecade
When I first got hired down in dallas, I grabbed the yellow pages and started in the A section of Graphic Design and was hired by the time I got to the S section. I called all the places that sounded like they had more than one designer. You may even try contacting your clients and tell them you're going out on your own and try freelancing.
well Im in the same boat,selling houses went to shit so Im on a state paid vacation until I find a new gig........makin things a little tight but not bad,kinda nice in a way Im getting my shop finnished
I thought you owned your own company? Zumo grafix? With talent like yours, you won't be without one for long. I love my Zumo logo!!! Justin
Carnutofthedecade is pretty much dead on what I would suggest. I am an architect/lighting designer and that is pretty much how I started. I agree on the freelancing bit. You can always do that if you can until you get a better offer. Good thing with Graphic design is mostly what you need is a good computer and internet connection and some talent and time - you can do that at home and in the middle of the night if you have to. Hopefully you have your own decent computer at home if nothing else. Start cheap if necessary, work hard and good and give them more than they asked for faster than they expected. Even companies going out of business need the "Going Out of Business" signs. I also totally agree, no matter who wins the elections tonight and what ideas they may or may not have and how effective they may be, it is going to get worse for pretty much everybody except the special top 5-10% of those blessed by the process that got us here. The economic hole this country has dug itself is deep and vast, on all levels of government, business and personal, and there is likely to be a lot more pain before we get our selves back out. We all need to pay off our unnecessary debts and start living within our means, starting with our government down to all of us as individuals. We don't need more credit, we need less. But, I am a proponent of the ideal that good honest hard work can solve a lot of these problems. Stick with that plan along with a positive spirit and I am sure things will work out well for you. Good luck!
Zumo, I wish you all the best of luck...you certainly have gobs of talent. I am 'kinda' laid-off as the Automotive OEM and Supplier world is hitting the roughest patch of poor sales in decades....I'm on a 'temporary layoff' until the new year. After the new year...I'll see what happens. My company is picking up all of my benefits but alas, no income for 9+ weeks. Ouch...time to raid the savings account. The fact that they are picking up my benefits for the duration makes me feel pretty confident that there will be a job when I go back to work but I do worry about the domestic auto business for 2009-2010 and I am pretty sure that there will be a lot more permanent lay-offs throughout the industry over the next 12-18 months as the rough patch will continue until the credit crisis is solved and consumer confidence returns. May we all keep our heads above water.
Best of luck Zumo. WE are seriously re-thinking a move down to NC to get out from under the weight of Long Island.
Best of luck to ya man. GE closed our plant in Feb. Been laid-off since. Not many choices in NE Ohio for sure.
best of luck to ya, its tough all over. i just have one question is there still a middle class? it seems its us poor folks and then all rich. how that work! keep on truckin were all with ya.
31tudor, it would be nice to keep this thread positive and supportive and not go political and get this thread deleted. Thanks for the help with that.
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