Life challenges, something to think about and plan? Can you plan for those challenges and how to work through them?  Or do you just live your life, and take it as it comes, learning along the way how to handle and live through it? 

Is there truth to the saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail?

You cannot possibly plan for all of life’s challenges. You can start with a base plan but we know life throws us curve balls.

Working for a company for over 24 years was definitely not one of my plans. It just happened! Being laid off was certainly not part of my plan. It too just happened!

The way I am handling it keeps me positive and motivated. I am fortunate to be able to freelance and appreciate this opportunities awarded me. Keeping connected with friends, colleagues and constant networking within the industry is one of the keys to keeping motivated. Yes these are trying times but we must continue to move forward.  

This is certainly one of my life challenges and although not planned, I am planning to succeed!

No full time jobs. Those are the words I am hearing from some of the talent reps I am working with who search for talent to assist companies with their creative needs. They have the freelance jobs but not the full time jobs. These talent reps are very good at what they do and the services they provide. It is just the companies are holding back on hiring full time anything right now, especially in the creative field.

What is the real issue with the job search for graphic designers? And I am mostly speaking of those who worked  for that internal creative department servicing the company.

I see plenty of job listings on the various sites but see the same jobs I applied to at the beginning of the month reposted as if they were new jobs today. Does that help, reposting the position? Didn’t they see “my” resume? did they pass me by?

A colleague of mine suggested I do the same thing with my resume housed on Monster.com and Career Builder. Go into your posted resume make a minor change and upload the refreshed one. It will bring your resume to the top of the pool which could help when applying for jobs listed on these sites. 

Many companies are pairing down to save money and it appears one of the first to go is the internal creative talent. But there is still the internal need for that department or group. The many years of legacy files used every year for clients are now gone as the department is dismantled.

The Companies are asking employees to utilize a core group of outside agencies to get the work done. They work to streamline the pricing structure to get the best prices, but the employee still must pay premium costs to start the project from scratch; no legacy files to retrieve. Something that cost $100 to $200 internally would now cost the employee double, ultimately effecting their overal budget. 

Where is the savings in that? At least with the internal creative group the money was staying within the company. Wouldn’t it have been a better idea to keep a core of talent to continue the services? What cost?

As a graphic designer in a world of always changing technology, what areas do you focus on or do you need to know it all? What does a graphic designer need to know to make it; make a living?

Through my job search it seems you need to have your hand in everything from print, web, and video including gaming, html coding, etc. Whether you work for yourself or a company, your are expected to know the majority if not all aspects to get the job. I even read a job posting requiring you to be on Twitter, have a blog and be a Facebook fanatic. Is this the new creative requirement for finding a job?

Having started in the day of marker to paper, it is difficult to find the right mix of talents to land the next job, to stand out from the others.

My last job gravitated towards production management as well as design managing. The internal clients knew the project would get done whether I did it myself or working with a team within the department. It was guaranteed, a quality job completed on time and on budget. My department responsibilities aslo included anyone having any issue of any kind with MAC/PC application programs, the internet, email, desktop systems, billing, estimating, etc., most if not all would see me for the answer or the fix.

Although on the management track, during these times, there is definite set back of positioning. You need to go back before you can go forward. I may not get that job managing a department, or managing people. There will be a expectancy to prove myself to gain back the momentum lost from my previous employer.

Having confidence and positive outlook is key. Continual learning, communicating, and dedication to the work is a good start until finding the right mix that works.

Is it possible to know it all? Can anyone do it all, know it all? Is there a need to know it all? Who knows!

Here I am sitting at my laptop trying to write my first blog. I am not a writer but it was suggested by a friend to start blogging. So here I am late at night getting underway.

My blog title, Graphic Designer-Working & Searching comes from my present state of being. I am graphic designer doing freelance work and searching for a full-time position with a company or agency.

After a 24 year career with a creative department for a large company, the department was closed in January 2009. It was quite unusual since we were a liquidating center and making our numbers thus very little overhead paid out by the company. But what can you say except it was a business decision and move on.

For me, it could have been exactly what I needed, working such impossible hours having little time for myself. This chance to freelance and channel my time so it works for me, seems to be an opportunity which needs exploring. 

Could full-time freelance be my future? Do I need to work for the big company like I always thought, to be under the corporate umbrella with the benefits? Can this work? There are still many years before those retirement days are to arrive.

So working and searching is the present plan!