Life after a designer
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- Mick
So we all love design and being designers and don't think we'll ever get sick of it, but I'm curious what everyones long term goals are. If you're a designer or senior designer, are you aiming to be a creative director one day (is that as far as you expect to go?). If you're already a CD, what next?
We all dream of earning 150K plus or even much more, as a designer that's very rare - so how do you plan to fulfill your dreams?
- k0na_an0k0
sell my body parts on ebay
- pascii0
i try not to become an asshole.
that's all.
- Biofreak0
id just like to own my own firm and do more fine art, go fishing and occasionally come in, bring some food and beer to work, give it to my employees and tell em that they kick ass.
then i'll go home, smoke a fatty and cook some fish. talk on NT and see what all of you guys are doin (cuz you will all be ADs and CDs by then) and we'll all live happily ever after.
- unknown0
Become a CIA trained killer.
- Mick0
Congrats Bio - looks like you have at least thought about this seriously ;) anyone else?
- unknown0
Id like to win the lottery and quit design altogether!
- ********0
I currently work in advertising and to be honest I'm gonna give it up! Im hoping when I move to Canada, I'm gonna start a new career, not sure what but I'll work that out when I get there! Who cares I just want to be happy!
- exador0
love your post bio!
it's hard to say Mick..
i started out in advertising, and did that for several years, and only ended up on the online side of things by accident or fluke...i expect that the same thing will happen again, and i'll end up doing something else creative, but in another venue..
maybe motion graphics (can't do it yet, but a friend is gonna show me the ropes this year)but i think i'm mostly down with bio's plan..
im 30 now, and have been doing this for close to a decade..
and i've allready reached art director..
i figure that something will come along sooner or later that will capture my attention, and lure me away from this..
just as 'this' lured me away from print .....
- unknown0
taking 2 years off between novels
- Mick0
Makes me wonder why so many people in the "oldest designer" thread are surprised there are no older people in design.
I seriously don't know a designer at the moment that doesn't think they'll leave design after 35-40
- sp0
i am working with investors and such right now to start a small company.
a few associates and i have plans for many projects...spanning a few different industries...
so, it's hard to find a niche market right now for all the things we want to explore.
we are thinking about just making it a research and design technology company...
that way we can take on multiple projects of varying degrees and industries and still market to those specific groups.
it's tricky and it's taking more business knowledge than i have...i'm a geek, not a ceo.
:)
- frow0
Currently a "Creative Director".
Aspire to be a "Creative Director" for the firm that Bio starts.
- Biofreak0
well, i was really quite serious with my post.
i would like to have my own firm (i know that it is full of tedious tasks, but that is ok). i would like to spend more time at home and studio doing fine art. of course i love designing and i hope that i never leave it, but if i have my own company, then id like to pick and choose what i want to do. i'd also like people to fight over me.
like no, I want him to do MY job. please eric, can you do our designs personally?we'll pay you twice what it is worth just to have your name on it! no, not one of your staff! please, YOUR designs!
and i'll say, weeeeeell... i think i might can slip it in. haha.
*wakes up and smells the printer on fire* eek.
- unknown0
Well, being a designer has really rewarded me in more ways that I had thought. Its made me realize a whole lot of other jobs, careers and pasions and introduced me to so many smart people and interesting places in the world.
As for what is next ... not sure ... I too wonder about how we get into more senior roles.
I met a very well accomplished designer once 'Ian Kidd of Australia' and he told me about how he focussed on designing houses for a while, packages for a while, trains and airplane graphics for a while, clothing for a while and then put them all together and hired staff he met along the way. A bit full of himself I thought but it made a lot of sense.
I think though, there is something to be said about enjoying things for today ... sounds fromage I know ... but it makes sense.
Work hard
-M@
- Duane0
i'm with biofreak on this one. i'm currently senior art director, but i'd like to have my own firm...either by taking over at my current employer or opening my own place. more time for art and life experience would be great. i don't think i'll ever stop doing design in one form or another though. only time will tell...
- Bluejam0
I believe design is for life.
It's something that doesn't start at 9.00am and switch off at 5.30pm each day.I'm gonna do it till the day i die and maybe along the way, someone will write/recognise something good about what i did...
...that's all i want.
- Duane0
> I'm gonna do it till the day i die > and maybe along the way,
> someone will write/recognise
> something good about what i
> did...
>
> ...that's all i want.amen!
- Biofreak0
word.
- k0na_an0k0
my career goals is to have the job of mel gibson in 'what women want'. make a ton of $, good looking, lead creative mind on all projects. or.... ahhhh.... so i've HEARD thats what his job was. um... i've never seen the movie.
i'm currently senior web designer who's more like an art director but they won't give me the title cause they know they'll have to shell out some more $. not sure if i want to own my own firm someday or not. a lot of hassle but i'd love to be able to take young designers under my wing and mold them just like my peers did to myself.
- unknown0
I agree I would like to own my own firm as well.
Although I think that working at the top of your field and taking advantage of the brains that a lot of the larger companies and firms can afford to hire is well worth doing for a while, first.
Relationships are pretty important in running any business.