Getting older and working in design
- Started 10 years ago
- Last post 4 years ago
- 129 Responses
- IRNlun66
Sounds like many agencies are not only undervaluing their employees but shorting their clients with mediocre work. Seems like it will be an advantage to be a smaller shop who values the work that goes into providing great design, building a great team, and growing a creative environment.
So many of you are uniquely qualified to understand most aspects of what it takes to produce and market a product. Most of you probably have more knowledge and experience than those that manage or hire you. We're our own worse critics. You're at a huge advantage and need to accept that you've outgrown your position and need to become business owners, leaders, or entrepreneurs.
- Ben991
- I bring something into the world every day in the morning on the toilet._niko
- ^ genuinely made me LOL this morn. love school yard humourdee-dubs
- I'm being pedantic about a turd joke but that's not creativity, it's just regurgitating what already exists.********
- Now, if you did a shit without eating anything first... THAT'S creativity.********
- Not a bad quote considering he's the only one of these people I don't really like.CyBrainX
- @set if you do a shit without eating thats a biological issue and not being creative is the least of your problems.Wolfboy
- MrBixler0
Recommended reading and guides for life:
- Bluejam0
damn good read ...
- formed0
Another thing to consider is other professions. I came from architecture, where the most famous don't do much until they are in their 50's. There's lots of reasons for it, but the point is that creativity doesn't die, it's always there.
Frank Gehry is 86 years old and just design Facebook's new buildings. I could list more and more. Point being the only way it dies is if you let it.
- I think architecture and graphic design are two different animals in this respect. Age and reputation are important for both but for an average designer withoutfadein11
- a big reputation the work may dry up in middle to old age. It's a trend driven industry and unless a trend-maker age is an issue.fadein11
- Pavement Lyric: Architects are like virgins without an itch they cannot scratch. Never build a building till your 50, what kind of life is that?Knuckleberry
- lol, I used to listen to that just after grad school...and when I switched careersformed
- but also keep in mind most architects sucks, just like any other profession...I was just trying to offer some hope ;-)formed
- martinadolfsson0
Really interesting discussion, I'm a photographer and feel like I'm facing many of the same issues, - not only am I getting older but the industry has gone through a massive change over the last decade. In order to survive past 45 I'm trying to diversify my business into a commercial side for commissioned and licensing work and a more experimental arm where I'm working on longer projects such as books, short films and app development.
Working in a fiercely competative environment -I think the only way to stay relevant past a certain age is to work on short and long term projects parallel. Hope I doesn't sound like a jerky motivational speaker, just my two cents.
- My brother in law, a photographer, just got laid off and is now working towards getting his teaching credentials.Knuckleberry
- What is your specialty? I'm a photographer as well.epigraph
- I'd imagine photographers have been moving into video as well.CyBrainX
- Yes, a lot of people are definitely trying to learn video. However, clients doesn't seem to have figured out how to produce captivating video content yet.martinadolfsson
- the_reverend0
mid 30s doing advertising design (been same place last 8 years). as I look around I'm probably one of the old ones. I expect to be replaced by younger and cheaper version of myself sooner or later. at which point i probably won't be able to find a similar paying job and will be fucked trying to pay my mortgage.
- bklyndroobeki0
Jot down some ideas and sell something (clever/simple) on
http://society6.com or etsy.com
- epigraph1
36 here. I was kinda floating in the wind in college and got snagged by graphic design. I enjoyed it immensely as a student, but the realities of making it career of it burnt me out in only a few years.
It quickly became demoralizing to spend so much mental energy and bandwidth on making some stupid piece of shit product or service look pretty for such a little payoff. Luckily I got fired and was forced to find something more suitable.
Now designing stuff for my own business and cherry picking super small projects for colleagues and friends fulfills my desire to design.
- jonnypompita0
I am a 36 year old interactive art director/designer who is also starting to feel burned out with the industry. It's just getting harder and harder to give a shit anymore. I have never held a job outside of creative/advertising so it's scary to even think about doing something else with my life. Been freelance in NYC for the last 6 years and I've been observing alot of the same things mentioned in this thread. The employees at agencies getting younger. The race to the bottom in terms of budgets and timelines. The chaotic approach to getting digital work done. The awful clients, it's really soul killing. At this point I'm going to try to milk every penny I can before I make my exit in the next 4 years. So far it's been working for me.
Ideally I would love to work in a product based business or even client side in a managerial role. I still love design and would love to continue doing it, just not in an agency environment. I f*cking hate advertising agencies and the holding company bean counters that run things now. I hate the politics and the people who work in these places. I do it only for the money now. Having health insurance through my wife allows me to continue freelancing until I can make my exit.
- The key is to save enough money for a rainy day. Too many people live paycheck to paycheck and thus have no options.jonnypompita
- utopian2
bottom line...if you do wireframes you are hired.
- versus4
New here.
38 and have freelanced for 12 years, in-house at various places before that. Mainly identity and print work - never made the transition to digital and now regretting it as opportunities seem to be thinning/priced out by younger guns as mentioned by previous posters. Have identified as a designer my whole working life and have no idea what else I could do.
Am good at design, but no real business or self-promotion acumen is a weakness I acknowledge.
I also think working alone has been my downfall and put me in a very dark place mentally. I would urge younger designers not to isolate themselves if possible.
The stories here of people making moves into different areas are inspiring, thank you.
