Graphic Designers - A dime a dozen

I went to one of those schools that takes in anybody and everybody -- and their money, too. Talent isn't a prerequisite, a high school GED is. Oh, and money, lots of money.

I paid 24,000 dollars for an 18 month course (which, because of unfortunate circumstances, took me three and a half years to finish) in advertising design. They make it easy for you to learn, and to spit out ads, copy, and yes, even illustrate.

How taking a term (three months) of illustration, two times during the course of the entire year -- excuse me, 18 months -- can teach someone to draw is beyond me. And it's insulting! I've been drawing ever since I was in eighth grade. Seeing people copy illustrations that people had already done was laughable. 99% of the people bitched and moaned the entire way through, while I was in heaven.

Despite my talent, I can't seem to find a job. Why? It's not my skills, oh, no. I'm perfectly good at what I do.

It's the fact that schools like mine ingest and throw up "graphic designers" in 18 months, what I'd been doing since my parents opened a desktop publishing business in 1994. It is an over saturated market. There are too many graphic designers, and not enough jobs.

Most of us end up working jobs like I did after I graduated -- not in our field. Instead, I was going door to door selling fixed energy and gas prices (and I bet everyone who didn't sign up is kicking themselves now!!!). Speaking of the economy, I'm sure it's not even that.

Companies are willing to pay experienced graphic artists ten dollars an hour, just because they can. And because they know there are people out there, like me, desperate for a job. However, I will not cut myself short. My last job paid me eighteen dollars an hour to do what I do. I did NOT pay 24,000 dollars to lower myself to substandard pay.

I've only been working for two years. But in this time, I have been approached by figures that were willing to get me to do professional work for them as a "test", also known as "ripping people off". Don't be naive, or scared, or think that because you're still a student, or a recent graduate, that it is okay for people to take advantage of you, not pay you for an internship, or refuse to sign a contract (I suggest this for all freelancers, my best friend was screwed over because AFTER she did the work, they reminded her it was an internship -- for the first time).

If you're thinking of taking a course in advertising or graphic design because you have not figured out what you want to do in life yet, and think it's easy and you'll find a great job, play it smart.

Research. Think it over. Talk to people in the field. This applies to those "schools" I mentioned before as well. They have an array of programs offered, and they're out for your money. Quite frankly, they could care less whether you get a job afterwards or not.