Working in Rome
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- Seph
I worked in London for 3 years and was on between 20K and 29K a year. I am a Shockwave and Flash developer.
I have been to 5 interviews here in Rome and the most I have been offered is 11K. Now I realise the cost of living out here is cheaper, but not that much cheaper.
I have been advised by all these companies that what I do just doesnt pay like London.
YOU'RE NOT KIDDING IT DOESNT !
so will everyone from London stop complaining about crap salaries.
Why oh why did I have to get an Italian pregnant etc etc.
- Bluejam0
"I am a Shockwave and Flash developer. "
You'd get more if you used the word designer perhaps?
- Seph0
Maybe I dunno, but designer implies that you dont know how to program.
- xflixi0
so... developer implies that you dont know how to design.
- Blofeldt0
I guess that just the way it goes mate. I don't think changing the term designer/developer will make much difference.
- Seph0
Interesting point. What should I be calling myself? Is there a new term out there that I dont know about?
Progreigner ?
Devrammer?
- unknown0
YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!! 11K to work with thos tools, ouch I know I have lived in Milan a bit, and Italy is very nice, but shit! I've made that in a month once on contract, yikes! ;)
- Seph0
I hear I could earn about 30% more in say Milan or Bologna.
A whopping great 30% of 11K!
- xflixi0
i lived in milan too for a while.
hey, you dont need so much money there. enjoy the climate, the way of life, the food and the wine.
forget about rainy days and stinky pubs in london.viva la dolce vita
- Seph0
Cost of living in Rome.
Incoming
salary after tax monthly
E1100Outgoings
E490 Rent for 2 bedroom flat
E180 Extortionate bills !!!
£300 Food and all other expenses when youve got 2 young kids and non working partner.That leaves us with a whopping E130 at the end of the month. I think Ill start saving it up to pay for flights back to London.
Whats Quality of life mean when you aint got no £££ ???
- xflixi0
its sad that your quality of live depends on €, Seph.
- Seph0
If you have children you might understand.
- exador0
is there somthing perhaps that your partner could do to earn some money?...or would that cost more in the longrun, by then having to pay for childcare...could she leave the kids with a parent or some kind of babysitting, while the both of you work?...
besides the 11K (wich is euro, right?..which means around 22 canadian)
could you also start getting freelance jobs?....sounds like it's possible...i mean, c'mon...Romes a big city right? get out there, and start hooking up with the right types....get your self connected man...hook in and empower yourself...if 11k aint cutting it, then get the rest of the cash you need by aggresivly putting yourself on the freelance market, and busting your ass...you should ATLEAST be able to bring in an additional few hundred bucks a month...at the very least...
it may not be the most fun work...and for all you know, it may be doing stuff you aren't familliar with...
done much print work dude?
if not, then roll up your shirt sleeves and get to it...LEARN....you have a family man...
i feel for ya, and i know what that kind of pressure is like..
so stop complaining
and 'get in the game'...you can't be the only designer in Rome, right?
and the others must be getting some kind of work...right?go get em dude..
- unknown0
U said it exador. Tell the kids & wife that big daddy has to work some more and go get some freelance stuff.
Or quit and get real job.
- Seph0
I think its time I spoke to my partner, you are right about that. And yes we have her parents who can look after the kids for say half the day. The kids are nearing the age where she has no more excuses.
Exador I really appreciate your advise, its quite inspiring in some ways.
But aside from sending my CV to lots of companies offering my Freelance services I cant really think of other ways of 'getting in the game' The game in Italy is closed and inward looking. And there is no real social center for Media heads in Rome, and the kind of bars where I might meet useful people charge 15 Euros a beer.
IM THINKING !
The pressure man the pressure ! You would not believe how much my life has changed with 2 kids, and Im still only 27, and I am sure I still got it all to come.
- exador0
hey seph
there are other ways, my friend, of getting in the game... ;) that won't cost quite so much as 15 bucks a pint...
some thoughts are...
check out the design studio neighborhoods...
if Rome is anything like the rest of the big cities in the world, a lot of these types of studios are found in the warehouse areas, etc..
anyhow, work up a tight resume and just pound the pavement..find out where these places are, and go out and drop in on em...talk em up...chat em up...local theatre groups..
lets face it ...this bunch of creative people usually don't have a lot of spare cash..and one thing they can ALL use is good advertising and well designed posters..
find em...find as many of these groups as youcan, and offer your services FREE..all the have to pay for is the printing..
the benefit for you is obvious...you get a wide ass circulation of your work, and a new network of people from which to draw from...who knows..maybe one of these actor types knows someone that can hire ya?new business centres..
romes gotta have one somewhere right?...contact the cities local government and find out how they assist new businesses and if they have some kind of centre...drop in there and offer your services...
entrepeneurs often need logos, brochures..small websites...etc..they don't have much money, but the payoff is that if your work is good, when they DO have money, you're still their go-to guy for design...printing houses...
printing houses and film houses often have customers that need light to medium weight design work...
ie
cd covers and such that need design work, posters for clients that don't have much money etc.years ago, when an ad agency i worked at bit the dust, i had a friend that owned a small film house/printing firm
i was able to get about 20-30 hours a week work just from him on small jobs that needed a designers touch...
didn't pay 'that' much..but it was good work, and best of all, you get in good with some printers and you can get the odd job of your own done for free...anyhow, best of luck man...
be creative, and bust your ass, and who knows?..
a year from now, you'll be laughing at how 'hard' it all seemed before things suddenly went better for ya!
- Seph0
Thanks a lot, on skimming your message there some really good ideas there, I have emailed your message to myself and will ponder over it some more this evening.
What do you reckon about digital resumes? Are traditional Word documents not enough in this day and age?
You are so right though, I spend too much time moaning and not enough time thinking what to do about my situation. I suppose its time to get out and about in my car and sell myself a bit more. I never had to do that before, its kind of degrading but then again its not like Im selling my arse !!!
Thanks again, you ever need any technical advise on flash or shockwave you can reach me at joe@alecsandria.it (thats for Exador only please people)
best
Joe
- Vinney20
Yeah good luck Seph. Dont feel that going around these places is degrading. Its just business. And no, you arnt selling your arse (yet!). Im going to be looking for freelnce work when I go to Sydney (from UK) everyones gotta do it sometimes. Walk tall, and believe in yourself when you approach them.
- mrLady0
> its sad that your quality of
>live depends on ?, Seph.
>xflixii don't think it's sad at all. it's the reason most of us work. i think it's respectable to enjoy life (good food, drink, travel, time, fashion, art, etc.) by means of one's paycheck.
besides, we don't know what determines his quality of life. just because you assume someone doesn't share your life values, doesn't mean you should judge that person on your assumptions.