6 months layed off-Now What?

[cymk]

Gordo,
Would you work for me for two weeks without pay? I need some web store fronts designed and my designer is in the KEYS.
CYMK

 

[gordo]

Gordo,
Would you work for me for two weeks without pay? I need some web store fronts designed and my designer is in the KEYS.

If I was in Jecclr2003's position - and had the ability to design web store fronts, and I thought you were realistically a potential employer - then YES.
If nothing else it would add to the work history in my resumé - much better than saying that for the past 6 months I had done nothing other than handing out resumés. Instead I'd be able to say that I had done some contract work for cymk to set up their web storefront, etc. Only my unemployment councillor and the IRS need know that I wasn't paid in money. It would also give me the opportunity to see where I could provide value to your business and give you a chance to see how I'd fit in your organization. Not unlike an internship.

best, gordon p
My print blog here: Quality In Print Current topic: Believing is seeing

 

[ondemandbindery]

There are a couple of interesting angles to this. The 1st. is if you are looking to land a job at a specific employer and proving yourself with free labor is your angle then I see no problem with it. I can think of atleast 2 jobs where I wish I would have never been put on payroll and could have just walked away with no harm no foul. I h ave also used this to show an employer my skillset and this has actually turned into bargaining power for wages and benefits. A 2 way street. As an employer I can generally figure them out by just talking to them as well as if they are local and talented I will most like know someone who knows them that can get alot of the BS out of the way. But the reality is a whole bunch of talent in the market right now are unemployed and even if you are exceptional with the change in printing even the solid employee can have problems landing a job. Now farming yourself out as a contractor is a good angle. Just remember every shop has their own culture and do things differently. And you need to have some contacts in your area in different shops. Past that if you can "do what you say" then absolutely you can probably make a pretty good living at this. I get so frustrated with lazy help that I often get machine operators in from other shops to help do even simple handwork projects because it helps eliminate drama and I know what to expect. It takes away from the bottom line but it adds to my sanity and that my friend is worth its weight in gold. But to take on doing contract type services you have to enjoy changes and have a flexible schedule. This is how I am going to supplement my income when I move my business next year. If you are regimented don't even try this. Goo luck.

 

[oxburger]

Well, the Mrs. is finally done with her book and with the current economy, it seems fitting. It's called: "Career Boot Camp: A Self-Directed Guide Through Career Transition" Where can I buy this amazing book that teaches you how to figure out what you want to do with your life, how to write a resume, how to network and use social media in your job search, as well as interviewing skills and negotiation skills? I'm so glad you asked. Otherwise I might feel bad about the shameless promotion that follows.....

<start shameless promotion>

You can find it at Career Boot Camp. A self-directed guide through career transition.

Normally priced at $459, it's available at an introductory price of $299. $299-459 you say? Isn't that a bit steep? IT all depends. You get guidance in all the steps necessary to find a new career plus all the bonus materials listed on the website. When you look at the cost, it's still cheaper than a professional managerial level resume. In addition, you've spent thousands on college so $459 is a small price to pay to land your dream job.

<end shameless promotion>

 

[Digital Prepress Girl]

I guess it all depends on what type of clients you print for as to if the Print Industry is dead. The company I work for does printing for Insurance Companies. And since they offer free stuff to the agents, the agents eat it up. But my husband is in the offset world and he has seen the slow down. But since he is the only prepress artist. He doesn't worry. I am the only Digital Prepress artist where I work so I don't worry to much. But some days I would like a better work environment. And it does seem to be a little bit more difficult getting a job in the Print world being a women. And yes I read all of this tread.

 

[Grnofslt]

OXburger,

Thanks for the links.

Bill

 

[BigJohn]

Print is Dead!

Print is Dead!

I agree print is dying very fast. Look at what is happening to the newspapers. I use to run Komori's. When the shop I worked in, closed after more than forty years in business, I should have gotten out of printing. That was back in 2001, but being blind to reality, I took a job as a feeder on a five color Komori.When I was laid off in September, 2008, I finally threw in the towel. I went back to college, and have started to study accounting. The sooner you can go back to college, and transition to a new career the better. With the world going in a green direction, paper products are going to be reduced big time.Best of luck to you, the time to transition to a new career is now.

 

[nhprinter]

The sooner you can go back to college, and transition to a new career the better

Hard to do at 52. :-(

 

[BigJohn]

It is, I agree; I just turned 52 in May . I went back to a community college, where there are older students like myself. I just couldn't figure out an alternative. I know it will be hard to find a job in any field, but what do you when most people will have to work into their mid sixties. Good luck, John

 

[jnfish]

Hello, Hang in there man! I am also laid off and looking for a job. Printing sure is going through a major change. Take your skill set and apply it to a new career. Good luck to you!
Jnfish

 

[MartinK]

1.5 year lay off.

1.5 year lay off.

If its any consolation I've been out of work from my last printing job for more that a year. Unemployment is running out in a few weeks. Nobody is hiring. Was in printing for 30 years. People say hang in there! I don't think printing is dead. Look at all the labels and boxes with printing. Commercial printing is dying. 25 years prepress. Gone but not forgotten.

 

[plategirl]

Take the damn job, man. At least it's something coming in. Are you kidding me? You'd pay a daycare $13.00 an hour, but not yourself?

Go to social services, and ask about daycare. Or a church. Catholic Social Services. Just. Do. It.

Then count your blessings. I was made JANITOR by my employer because he didn't want to pay me over $7.25 an hour. So a pressman got my job--same job--making a LOT more than me, though I'm told for him, the $10 an hour he's making represented a loss in salary. A loss!! And he only had one years' experience in prepress!!

Take the damn job. PLEASE. I'd give ANYTHING to make $13.00 an hour. Post the link for that job here, and I'll take a look-see. I'd get on a press, yup, in a New York minute.

 

[tapdn]

I have been in this business for 30 years. I've seen prepress go from stat cameras, film, light tables, highly skilled 4 color journeyman strippers to CTP, so my skills have had to change over the years. The future is automation. You love printing and want to stay in this crazy business then you must train yourself in auto workflows and publishing for the internet. Evolve!
There will always be box/ package printing.

 

[gordo]

There will always be box/ package printing.

Printed where the products are made and put into the box/packages, China, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. :- (

gordo

 

[oxburger]

Printed where the products are made and put into the box/packages, China, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. :- (

gordo

And if it's food packaging, any left over paper can be ground up and used IN the food products, thus making them a low carbon emission and green friendly operation.....

 

[prepressguru]

I agree print is dying very fast. Look at what is happening to the newspapers. I use to run Komori's. When the shop I worked in, closed after more than forty years in business, I should have gotten out of printing. That was back in 2001, but being blind to reality, I took a job as a feeder on a five color Komori.When I was laid off in September, 2008, I finally threw in the towel. I went back to college, and have started to study accounting. The sooner you can go back to college, and transition to a new career the better. With the world going in a green direction, paper products are going to be reduced big time.Best of luck to you, the time to transition to a new career is now.

John I agree with you 100% I am actually doing the same thing, going back to school to retrain myself. Its funny you mention accounting, because I was considering it to. But choose something else.

Print is shrinking and dieing, we need to moving into a industry which is growing. The green industry when it comes around would be great idea.

Good luck!

 

[David Kunkel]

Surprised no one suggested this angle yet, but your prepress skills are highly valued as a preflight expert, troubleshooter, and as a teacher. Suggest you look into prepress-color consulting/print brokering/teaching as a way to cash in on your expertise.

I'm a 53 y.o. creative designer who got a serious DTP/Prepress education while working in-house at a large Buffalo, NY printer. I now design in-house at a corporation, where my combination of art skills and print/DTP tech exp has been very appreciated. I'm not doing prepress anymore but I've also made good money off those skills, plus teaching/training. See if your local education institutions have a print program you can join as an educator.

 

[fizzDIGG_dot_com]

I am new to this forum, so I won't post any links as I need to read the forum rules in depth.
It might be a little late for those of you that are in desperate times, but nobody's job is secure for life.
We need take it upon ourselves for find other sources of income to give us a buffer to tough times.

For those of you that are out of a job at the moment, don't just look at the print industry. This might mean you do a job you don't particularly enjoy or like for that matter. An income is welcome from any source.

I am sure some of you might criticise that it is easy for me to make these comments as I don't know what some people are going through. That may be true, and I hope I never am in that situation. For this reason we all need to have other sources of income.

I am not talking about millions of dollars, it could be an extra $20 a day to start with.

I believe that all the parents out there like me, have a responsibility to ensure our families are financially stable. We all are aware not to place all our eggs in one basket when it comes to investments, why don't we apply the same logic to careers?

There are many other ways to earn an additional income. Instead of watching TV tonight when you go home, have a think about what skills and knowledge you have built up over the years and how you can use them to help other for an additional income.

We all have the power, it is the drive that most of us are lacking.

Good luck and make sure to build your knowledge.

How was that for my first post, a bit too much maybe. I just feel strongly about it as I had a long debate yesterday with colleague who was complaining about his super.

 

[cmitchprint]

I feel for all who have lost their jobs in the printing industry. Quality Press in Birmingham bit it about 3 weeks ago. I see closures everywhere. A shop across the river (N. Alabama) just shut down after being in business 35 years. A couple of other shops have 'merged' which is a nice way of saying 'They couldn't make it and sold to someone who could'. Printing is MISERABLE here. Our paper suppliers have been crying the blues for months now. The plant I manage has seen a revenue drop of over 40% in the last year. We've had to lean out our workforce and only have 3 full timers, now.

I've witnessed a migration to on demand digital. We are presently installing an 'on-demand' shop because I cannot sell offset, anymore. People don't want 5000 of anything, anymore. They want 100 of this and 500 of that. You just can't run an offset shop with multicolor presses and hope to live much longer. Since we are a book printer, our problem is even more complicated. We have customers who want us to publish their book and assume ALL the risk, which we can't do, anymore. We are going to offer a system where THEY will assume most of the risk but very few copies have to be produced. That is where on-demand will play a major role. If the book stinks, we're not out all the production costs. If it sells, then we'll print it on offset. Either way, I've turned down customers who want 100 books for the LAST time. I'm not pissing away any more of our business.

I see a trend where shops either CHANGE or they die. If a shop doesn't go digital in some manner, that shop WILL die. It's just a sign of the times. I personally don't see digital being a long term answer, either, since every Tom, Dick and Harry has a color copier of some kind and are doing their own low quantity printing. I fully expect to see myself asking, 'What am I going to do with all these presses?' in five years. In less than 10, I might be asking, 'What happened to my job?'.

Unless a shop has a few corporate contracts where they're printing a bazillion copies of annual reports or handbooks, they're not going to make it.

 

[rbailleu]

be positive. it will get better. it may not be like it was, but it will get better.