The Rant? What Do You Do When Your Job Is Uninspiring?

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Volume 23 In a Series By Felix

Notice the question mark this week. I’m not sure this is a rant in the traditional sense of the word, more like a rambling train of thought on a subject that many of you may be all too familiar with. I’m hoping to start a conversation that taps into the vast, collective knowledge of Denver and maybe something good will come of it. If not, I’ll just bitch about it next week, as usual.

So first of all, how does a creative person like you end up in a dull, suck-the-life-out-of-you, worthless, crappy job? Well, it can be for a number of reasons.

First, it’s your own fault. You saw the dollar bills being offered to do inane, pointless work at a hellhole of an agency and thought “fuck it, I’ll do some dross, go home at five and watch my shiny new big screen TV.” You even thought you could do some great work there, you know, really turn things around. After a few months, the golden handcuffs were fastened tightly around your balls (that includes the ladies) and you realize you took a job at AHOLE Incorporated, with no way out in the distant future. And your book, well, it’s gathering dust in a corner next to your Pet Rock and an old copy of MAD magazine.

Second, you became a victim of circumstance. You lost your great job at one place (and in this economy, that’s happening all the time), and the impending mortgage payments and food bills forced you to find anything. Beggars can’t be choosers, which is why so many people work at Sterling Rice I suppose. And before you knew it, you settled into your cubicle and all dreams of producing a decent piece of work flew out of the window with your fifth nasty tent card job in five weeks. The economy killed the chance of finding another job any time soon, and even if there were another one, ten different people are trying to get it and half of them are spotty grads who’ll work for a PBJ and a Powerade.

Third. Mediocrity is thrust upon you, usually in the form of a takeover, new management or a new Creative Director. If you had it good for a while, you soon learn the hard way that with new faces come the chances of new problems. And that can mean a management structure that stifles creativity, or worse still, a Creative Director with no vision and an eye on more important things than work; usually, a promotion to partner, a bigger office, a raise and a fat bonus at Christmas. And your pesky standards and creative ideas won’t be getting in the way of that.

Fourth, you turn to the asshole end of the dark side and go “in-house” at a corporation or local business. This can often spell the end before you even set up your family pictures on the desk. You tell yourself that there are great in-house places doing some great work, like Apple, HBO and Target. But you forget that, not unlike acting, most of the work out there is horse manure and only a few make it to the top. After that sinks in, you count yourself lucky that you even have a job at all in today’s rotten economy, and plaster on a fake smile as everyone gives their uneducated, pointless and irritating opinions on your work. The Creative Director, who is usually neither of those things, gave up long ago and took the job to rake in some fast cash to send their kids to college. All they care about now is keeping the management happy and being seen at all of the important meetings. Worst of all, in an in-house job, the creative work is no longer the product. Now, it’s a by-product. Instead, the product is computers, software, furniture, news programs and a gazillion other things I’m too lazy to mention. In this environment, your book can go untouched for years, and you see your career slipping away in a cascade of awful flyers, design-by-committee print ads and radio spots that make your ears bleed.

There may be other avenues that plunge you into an uninspiring job, but these are the four I hear being discussed most often.

Now, I can already here the dicks of The Egotist-commenting community starting to pipe up. “Just fucking quit” or “Blah, blah, stop whining and go freelance.” Sure, it’s an option for some. But when jobs are scarce, health insurance is exorbitant and money is tight, that may not be an option; especially for people with a bunch of mouths to feed and a mortgage teetering on delinquency.

So you’re trapped. You’re doing awful work, you hate getting out of bed and you pray for five o’clock to roll around so you can veg out in front of the boob tube and drink a few cold beers. And life sucks. Because for most of us creative types, the work we do is a measure of who we are. Our book is our brain. Our career is important and we want to do good work.

What’s the game plan?

I have my own solutions to handling a turd of a job; trust me on this one. What I think is important is to produce work that you’re proud of every day. Even when the brief asks for something cruddy, think laterally about where you could take it. If it’s a boring flyer for Home Depot, can you print it on sandpaper? If you have to do some lame health insurance mailing, can it be printed on x-ray film? You get the drill, you’re creative people. Think creatively. And never give up. Just because your great ideas have been shredded eighteen times before, it shouldn’t stop you from presenting another great idea the nineteenth time. Keep trying, for your own sanity. If (and when) it gets killed, you’ve spent the company’s time and resources producing an ad for your book. True, it didn’t get printed, but it’s better than putting the final aberration in there. And always try and present extra work if you have time. Add a guerrilla element, or a piece of sharp DM to a print piece. Again, no harm in presenting it. All they can say is no…but they might just say yes.

When it comes to radio, TV and web, that’s tough. People rarely read scripts any more, they want finished pieces. And they want links to websites, not printouts (although they are often OK in your book…if you can back them up with a live site). Speaking of book, always keep it updated and ready. When new jobs do come up, you need to be ready to jump on them.

Also, sniff around for some moonlighting opportunities. Do some freelancing for places that will actually let you be creative and inspired. You may burn a little midnight oil, but you’re getting paid more per hour than your day-job and you’ll score some decent work at the end. And use some of your dough to get a website. Agencies want website links to your work these days, otherwise you’re looked upon as some kind of crusty dinosaur.

And whatever you do, try not to antagonize people with your constant moping around and cries of “this is bullshit” at every job. It’s fine to have principles but if you don’t have a poker face, you could be the first one cut when it’s time to trim the staff. And you want to quit that shitty job on your terms, not theirs.

Now, it’s at this point that I turn it over to you guys. What pearls of wisdom do you have for creatives who are stuck in a rut, be it through no fault of their own or really bad judgment. Do you really think the only way out is to quit? Or do you have some other unique perspectives on this. Best answer gets a prize; a shiny new job as Creative Partner at CP&B. Well, not really, but it’s good to have a dream. Right?

Comments

  1. Rich February 26, 2009

    Teach.

    Teach.

  2. Matt February 27, 2009

    I’ve heard, and found out

    I’ve heard, and found out myself, that diving into something new that your current employer isn’t doing can be valuable. When your employer eventually sees the value in this skill or tactic, he/she will call upon someone to step up, and if you have mastered it, you’re in. It will also allow you to dive into something that might be more exciting than your “official” job.

  3. larry hinkle February 27, 2009

    first, been there.
    second,

    first, been there.

    second, done that.

    third, yuppers.

    fourth, fortunately, not yet.

    so now i’m freelancing. busy about 20-25 hours a week, which is enough to keep me out of mass-produced domestic swill. except for the occasional rolling rock, a holdover from my college days at THE ohio state university.

    wish i had more words of wisdom, other than hit up every contact you’ve ever had, and don’t let your pride get in the way. today’s brochure could be tomorrow’s fulltime gig. or, at the very least, a fridge full of dogfish head 120 minute IPA.

  4. Christopher Cox February 27, 2009

    This is tough. I admit at not

    This is tough. I admit at not being the easiest guy in the world and can be a grumpy artist sometimes, but I just never quit. Just work hard. All the time. Never shut it off. If it really is the measure of who you are, its kind of impossible to shut it off.

    Also something I have learned from some of the sincerely fantastic people I have had the pleasure of working with and for in the last couple years, is to continue looking for opportunity in every project. This is a business. You have to reconcile with that. When I want to make art with no restrictions purely for the sake of self expression, I do that at home. But even the lowest of the low projects still hold a pearl of opportunity if you just try to seek it out. I have seen some of my coworkers create some pretty amazing things under some really tough circumstances and sometimes I think to myself, ‘Wow, I would have never seen the opportunity with that client or project to produce something like that.’ I made assumptions at the start, and I have learned something every time those assumptions are proven wrong. Its taught me, and is still teaching me to keep my mind open. Great work happens when you strive to create it against all odds.

    Also work with your clients. Get to know them. Talk to them. Care about them. They are paying you (which you should be thankful for), and no one cares more about the success of their business than they do. Ask them questions. Get to the heart of why they are giving you feedback that you disagree with or why they hate the color red or whatever. A part of this business is psychology. Dig. And be genuine. Care. If you really care and you speak as open as you can with your clients they will reciprocate. Make their business your own. Think ‘we’ not ‘me’. Sometimes trying to make it into the One Show isn’t in the best interest of your client. Work at producing something that helps them succeed, and you will share in that success. You’ll feel good about it to.

    Also, stay fresh. Just because you fall on some tough times at work, which happens to everyone, even people at the most kick ass firms on the planet, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep working personally to better yourself and sharpen your skills. While you are sitting in front of your big screen T.V. with beer in hand, pick up a pencil and draw a picture. Start a blog. Write in a diary. Take up painting. Learn 3d or After Effects. Just keep learning. Keep pushing. Do what you can when you can. You’ll discover something new about yourself and get better at what you do. After all, creativity is a perpetual voyage of self discovery isn’t it? That discovery might just get you in the door at the place you really want to be.

    Stay positive. I admit that I am not always the best at that. I get down sometimes and trash talk Denver, but that is bullshit. Just outright straight irresponsible pussy bullshit. There are some great people here who want to do great things. Just look at all the people that gravitate to this site to talk about it. This community is ripe with possibility. Denver is a absolutely awesome city. I am proud I live here. Its beautiful here. Its an inspiring place to live. Great creativity can and is happening here right now. Reach out to people and find it. Its already here. Believe you can make it better here and shape your creative life in the way you want it to be wherever you are.

    Felix is right when he says it’s your own fault. That sucks ass to admit and it stings like hell but damnit all if it isn’t the absolute bitch of the truth. It’s your fault if things suck and it’s your fault if things are great. So aim for great. And never settle for anything less. If you really want it, you’ll get it. That’s how life works.

    Sorry for my run-on sentences. I get a little nuts when I start rambling.

  5. The Denver Egotist February 27, 2009

    Really valuable advice,

    Really valuable advice, Chris. Thank you.

  6. Pieratt February 27, 2009

    Just a headsup that Sally

    Just a headsup that Sally Hogshead’s book, Radical Careering, is an absolutely great read for anyone in a job they don’t particularly care for. I recommend it to everyone.

    Do links work?

  7. Pieratt February 27, 2009

    ^ Yes. Links work,

    ^ Yes. Links work, sorry.
    Click it to check out her book

  8. Snotboogie February 27, 2009

    YES! Radical Careering!
    Has

    YES! Radical Careering!

    Has anyone noticed that SRG is stealing all kinds of CPB people lately. They’re desperately trying to reverse their old, crusty, behind the times dinosaur status. And I guess they think ganking a few mid level miscreants from the top-level shop down the street is going to do the trick. Good luck with that guys.

  9. paul suggett

    paul suggett February 27, 2009

    I’d heard SRG scooped a

    I’d heard SRG scooped a decent CP&B team, but it’s going to take a complete shift of thinking, new clients, new management (or new ideas in management) and a shitload of decent publicity to make SRG a legitimate creative shop. But hey, if they’re trying, good on them.

  10. bitterman March 2, 2009

    You have a job? Fuck you for

    You have a job? Fuck you for complaining.

  11. Dave March 9, 2009

    This was a very good read and

    This was a very good read and inspiring. I’m feeling all of this and then some. I moved to Boulder this summer (in June) from South Florida to start working at one of the agencies downtown because an offer was extended my way. I was laid off 4 months later with 15 other people. It was a great day. I’ve been unemployed now since September and am questioning if this is at all what I signed up for in graduate school. Thanks for the foresight guys, you coulda saved me 1600 miles and a fist full of cash to pick up and move everything, including family.

    Before this, I was let go of an Art Director position at a smaller studio in Florida in October 2007, long before the recession moved west and was out of work for 4 months then. This has been long coming and it’s us in the advertising industry that sold shit to people they didn’t need. They’re getting wiser, thank god.

    It’s difficult to make sense of it all. There aren’t any jobs left and our field is so deregulated that professionals are forced to compete with sophomores working out of their mother’s basements. My home is being foreclosed on now, my vehicle payment is delinquent and my self-esteem is shot to shit.

    Write a book I guess or find something new to do that you enjoy, even if you aren’t getting paid because chances are you won’t get paid for anything you truly enjoy doing. And, did I mention there aren’t any jobs that pay anyways?

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