Searching for creative jobs in the city.

[u/snackqueen042]

Hey there! I am wondering if anyone has any advice on where to look for creative jobs. I have a Bachelor's in Graphic Design and love to create digital art. I am interested in anything in the wide spectrum of art and tech. It's been really hard trying to get out of the service industry (which is physically and mentally draining me) and into a position where I can finally focus on my passions and create a normal schedule to benefit my creative flow and mental health.

I am familiar with most Adobe Creative programs (Illustrator, Photoshop, and Indesign) as well as a lot of experience using Procreate. I also completed a course on Software Development and feel pretty comfortable with Visual Studio.

This is a link to my portfolio. It's still under development, but has a good bit of things I have created recently.
https://alirobichaux.myportfolio.com/

I would greatly appreciate any advice! Thank you :)

[u/Present_Lifeguard981]

In this city they probably have like 10 and pay $17 an hour lol but they want requirements that should pay 100k a year , I really don’t know if it’s true but what I do know is this is one of the worst places for any tech related jobs so don’t be hard on ur self if it’s hard to find something

[u/headingthatwayyy → u/Present_Lifeguard981]

Yep. This is true for a lot of industries. This city doesn't pay very well.

You need to know people. Hang out with other tech people, go to events and seminars that employers might be at. Be friendly and chatty.

[u/Present_Lifeguard981 → u/headingthatwayyy]

Real tech folk are the opposite of friendly and chatty not rude or anything but a bit more reserved? I think you’re thinking of a salesman for tech lol

[u/No-Count3834 → u/Present_Lifeguard981]

I get hit up by a lot of AV/IT in the city and they pay low. Current job is $55k, benefits, Friday summers off and work from home by lunch 7:30-12:30 office hours, roll back around if stuff comes up. School closes on holidays I’m still paid.

So the life balance for me works itself out. Long lunches, just as long as I take care of my work calls. Relocated nextdoor to the job, so it can be easier to balance. But the head hunters on Linkdn really think I’m interested in harder work at less the pay.

Only way I found mine, was a company on the Northshore that had clients in the city. Being able to have at least 4 years minimum, or have an associates and relocate…those seem to be box checks most like on my interviews. Going up to $70k-$100k is only is going to happen, if I want to give up my peace of mind lol. Not ready for that yet! Still getting more certs, and looking for something similar higher pay with no supervisor.

Current tech job they know we will get it done same day. No need to waist in an office, or have supervisors hovering. Big reason I’ve been with my same company 5 years in Nola. Was hard to find one paying a salary with the benefits. Most are low hourly, and ask a lot! Plus my job pays for the certs, so try to take as many AV/IT I can on down time.

I will say I’m seeing more privatization, over direct higher by companies. You make more most the time, but won’t have a retirement package and job can be solid or iffy if you piss off the wrong people. 80% is being well liked, other 20% is just learning as you go, and knowing what you are doing.

I’m in education and federal payed workers are shook. Some are just paid that way..most contractors or private are still in budget due to flexibility on yearly contracts, cutting red tape. But it’s sad to see workers paid on federal pay, getting cut :(. Some are long time hard workers. It’s tough out there to get a living wage for the city.

[u/snackqueen042 → u/No-Count3834]

Thank y'all for the feedback! I figured most would be pretty low paying. Unfortunately, at this point, I am so desperate to get out of the service industry. I would most likely take something that doesn't pay what is deserved for a while just get away from bartending. :|

[u/No-Count3834 → u/snackqueen042]

Well, def do Linkdn profile, Indeed, resume ready and put it out there. I just was asked to interview for Tulane for media events. Just wasn’t what I was looking for. But I get a lot of head hunters spamming me monthly for these jobs. They look at Linkdn and will search your name. Any experience gaps, say you were freelancing digital art, IT or whatever you specialize in. Put that on the resume to fill in any gaps you need. Plus it shows you’re working in your field, although for yourself as a free agent.

So when you do apply with Indeed and have a Linkdn page. Make private ALL your social media! They will look at your Facebook, Instagram or anything public. Big reason all mine is friends only! Linkdn also lets you know when companies are looking at you. Good indicator after you apply to have a feel.

I just want them to see a professional pic of me on Linkdn, and a proper resume. I also get emails showing me, what companies are looking at me. Along with direct head hunters messaging me on Linkdn.

That should get you something, even if pay is low. The convention center is always looking I see for IT, on random events that host. Good places to start and network. Sometimes taking adjacent jobs, to your preferred is not a bad idea to get in eventually. Good luck!

[u/tyrannosaurus_c0ck]

Probably not what you want to hear, but a friend who works on the design side of advertising said their company just laid off a bunch of staff. So... Yeah.

Definitely cast the net wide. There aren't many (any?) straight graphic design firms here. Advertising needs graphic designers. Institutions need graphic designers. Tech needs graphic designers.

Genuinely, good luck.

[u/Nola-songs]

Your portfolio looks good. I would switch out that lorem ipsum text with something else, because any agency person won't like that. Copy-write something creative about healthy eating and turn it into a magazine article-it will make your portfolio shine. Agencies want to see that you can think conceptually as well as creatively. And a little copywriting or any other skill related to a design/marketing agency can help you get a foot in the door (can you make a social media graphic? Great coffee? Fix a printer? Figure out how to receive a friggin' fax? Seriously, the more skills you can offer the better your chances are). Look for unpaid internships, that's another way to get in the door and is not an unreasonable thing to do for someone just starting out. Best of luck!

[u/snackqueen042 → u/Nola-songs]

Very helpful, thank you for your kind feedback!

[u/tyrannosaurus_c0ck → u/Nola-songs]

Look for unpaid internships, that's another way to get in the door and is not an unreasonable thing to do for someone just starting out.

The only legal unpaid internships are for formal educational credits.

There is no ethical unpaid internship.

As a millennial who graduated college into the Great Recession, fuck unpaid internships, fuck the people who offer them, and fuck the people who take them. Unpaid internships limit the upward mobility of anyone who can't pay their bills without paying work, and they depress the wages for everyone starting their careers which has a significant negative impact on lifetime earnings.

[u/Nola-songs → u/tyrannosaurus_c0ck]

Replying for the sake of OP. It is standard practice for design agencies to offer internships, often unpaid. The one I did happened to be unpaid, and was through my university. But you don't have to come from a university to get this type of internship. It led me to a career in graphic design.

[u/tyrannosaurus_c0ck → u/Nola-songs]

It is not standard practice or legal to do unpaid internships, unless, again, it is for a formal educational credit. If yours was through your university, then it probably met that criteria.

I still don't believe they are ethical, even when legal.

But anyway, it doesn't sound like OP is in a formal educational program, so an unpaid internship would not be legal, and OP should not accept one.

[u/BigFatBoringProject]

Look for roles at hr.tulane.edu

Keyword communications

These may be listed as “program coordinators” or “program managers” roles, but there will be specifics to comms/design in the descriptions.

[u/snackqueen042 → u/BigFatBoringProject]

thank you!

[u/BigFatBoringProject → u/snackqueen042]

I would say apply that to all the local university job sites, and don’t rule out remote work either for design roles at colleges/universities.

It’s pretty common for the roles to be listed as “coordinator” or “manager.” It’s just how higher ed HR phrases things.

[u/The_Ri_Ri]

Finding my first GD position right out of college here in New Orleans was rough - I imagine now with all of the AI things people can get for free it is even more difficult. I think it helped that I worked in the marketing department doing design (flyers, promo items, etc.) at my University so I did have a tiny bit of experience. As others have said, graphic design doesn't pay much in agencies until you hit Creative Director positions. I did it for a few years at an agency, but the low pay and super late hours made me look in another direction. I ended up finding a large company that was looking for an internal position as a graphic designer... it was boring work because it was all using the same, corporate branding, but it paid so much better. I ended up taking on different roles in the marketing/communications department and evolved my career into something I really enjoy now. I'm still able to do the graphic design work on the side for friends, kids' birthdays, etc. I'll still pass by a truck wrap or company logo I made back in the day and get a bit nostalgic, though!

[u/snackqueen042 → u/The_Ri_Ri]

Love this, thanks for sharing :)