I am job.
I am interrupting my regular scheduled posting (art, film, music, general fun in NYC) to talk about something a little more serious; unemployment, lack of work and exploitation!
I am sharing this as a response to an email I got today. I posted an ad for someone (student, junior designer, toyer of all things Adobe) to help create a logo for a film festival. This film festival currently has 0 dollars in it’s budget. I am volunteering my time in an effort to help raise funds and attract potential sponsors by putting together a new image and sponsorship proposal to go with it. In hopes that I can generate enough cash to hire myself along with a few other people to help run the festival. So, I post an ad on CL, in this ad I say this is job is no pay but it’s a great opportunity for you to build your pro-folio and there is the possibility of paid work down the line. So someone responds to the posting “DIE!”
I can only assume that this person is looking for work, worn out or sick of being taken advantage of and not getting anything in return. Do I write back to this person and say, “Hey, I’m not getting paid either”, “I feel ya buddy” or just ignore it?
Currently I am looking for work myself. I get just as frustrated as anyone else. I send out resumes with no response, I get rejection letters from places that I really really really want to work for, I network, I apply to jobs that I am over qualified for, heck I’ll apply for anything I’m remotely qualified for (especially since I have to keep track of it for the Department of Labor).
It’s tough out there, especially when most of the open positions are already filled before the position is even posted online. Thanks to all those internal referrals and people that are too lazy to interview qualified candidates.
Thankfully for me, when I go though rough patches I have the support of my family and friends to help me through it.
Maybe the DIE GUY isn’t so lucky. To the Die Guy out there and everyone else that is struggling, it’s tough out there but Don’t Stop Believing. Cue Music video.
