The questions were delicately dealt with this month, thanks to the experience that Nicky was able to bring to the table based on her time in the industry. Erica provided the psychologist perspective, along with a deep knowledge of workplace mental health.
Here are the questions we tackled this month.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Being a mum with 2 kids in my 40s, I just graduated Bachelor of graphic design while I have worked as a part-time project officer in the public sector for the last 2 years. I wish I can use my uni skills in comm design more in my job. If I could use more skills to earn more money, I would reach our dream home quicker. I would love some ideas on how to utilise more of my comms skills at work?
MAKING PROGRESS?
Since university, completing a graphic design degree, I have barely kept my head above water... It's been 9 years... Should I pack it in? I feel like I'm ruined by hesitation, surpassed by technology and hustling for loose change.
ARGH! SELF-PROMOTION AND NETWORKING
I absolutely loathe and dread self-promotion and networking. Is there a way to do this a preserve your soul? I find the manufacture of promotion daunting and distasteful. Alcohol was my go-to for many years (in an industry with a drink problem) until I gave it up. To me self-promotion rings false, I'm a person not a brand. It's like an unsolicited sales call, somewhere between desperate and cocksure. I don't trust people with complete confidence as in creativity if you don't have a degree of uncertainty. How can you be hungry if you're not bricking it?
WORK / LIFE / STUDY BALANCE
How do you manage a full time job, part time study and having a life?
TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH TIME?
Yesterday I worked until 2am. My friend asked if I'd be putting that on my time sheet and I said I wouldn't be. Mostly because I'm embarrassed. I feel like if I was better I would have finished the job within the regular hours. So by not adding the hours I feel like my work thinks I'm a good, organised creative. Context - I'm a senior. I know I'm not slow. Everyone likes my work. But I still have this feeling like I have to hide my mediocrity behind excessive hours. Can I claim back some self worth there? Or does everyone do this and it's a good way to stay valuable in a job?
GETTING A MANAGER TO STEP UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH
How can you get your manager to take their role in their workers' mental health seriously? I've had a manager that was in complete denial that working late repetitively, having too many tight deadlines and increasing responsibilities without discussion can cause stress to employees. Particularly in small creative businesses, it's hard to get your boss to acknowledge these issues and take action, what would you suggest?
INTERN COMPETITION
I’ve been interning at an agency with another creative, we’ve always respected each other and known our positions would not be permanent/available for both of us long term. I’ve had multiple years experience in the industry and find myself assisting and guiding most of this recent graduate’s jobs and queries. They are very grateful for my help and we’ve become good friends.
For a few weeks now some seniors we work with have been making obvious actions that favour my “competitor” (how they refer to us). These include invites to meetings, lunches, gossip, tips to get higher in the agency, and the offer of work - all exclusive to them. What hurts most are the comments praising how amazing my fellow intern is and always assuring them that their job is secure and wanted. Without saying it they make me feel like I’m doing a worse job.
I find myself wanting to leave.
My question is how do I bring this up to these seniors without destroying what little hope of a relationship I might have with them or a position in the company.
MANAGING AN OVERLY AMBITIOUS EMPLOYEE
How can you best deal with an overly ambitious employee who keeps trying to steal everyone’s limelight? Any time a member of the design team is recognised for their work, this guy tries to either one up them by inserting himself into their work or by making snide comments. It’s hard to broach the problem with the studio owner without sounding petty.
HOW TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AS A FREELANCER
How to get jobs in the freelance world when you are an introvert and marketing/ putting yourself out there isnt your vibe and brings a lot of stress and anxiety.
WORKING OUT MY VALUE AS A FREELANCER
What are some tips to calculate quotes for jobs and where you sit with the market? Isolation of freelancing and lack of connection with other industry/ co designers makes it difficult to navigate this space.
CHALLENGES WITH A MANAGER
My manager is going through a lot of things in their personal life and is giving off negativity in our studio. The other day the person was bagging our boss over the phone within earshot of our junior designer and other people who were also in the studio. The person has also gone into nasty mode with their critiques, for example calling work portfolio images done years ago amateurish and looking like they were done by a student. Hearing that hurt me a lot because that was done by designers still working in the studio, me included. We got along quite well before but I have distanced myself from the person because of the negativity and me being used as a sounding board. Not sure what to do because my manager is much older than me :(
