My wife, a talented Graphic Designer, Losses job, health insurance

[usregimechange]

Just found out today. She has worked for major design companies and was easily the most talented designer at her job, they even admitted it. But, nope, the company wanted to save some $ by shipping her job elsewhere.

Not sure what we will do now... I am working but it take two of us. Wish her luck on the job search.

[Capn Sunshine]

1. Good luck

That sucks, all right. Is she by any chance in So Cal?

[usregimechange]

2. No MO but can't they do everything at a distance these days?

send files, do work, send back, etc?

[Capn Sunshine]

3. not sure

a lot of it is traditional face to face creative collaboration.
There seems to be steady work in the film industry for graphics artists.

I tell anyone looking for work, Craigslist. Great help wanted section.

[Deja Q]

10. Only as long as nobody in biz strikes.

And it's hard to break into it too.

[Deja Q]

9. The internet makes it very easy to do.

[Auggie]

4. If she had a relationship with her clients she could call them directly

and freelance -- steal the business from the company that fired her. It's more lucrative and the ultimate revenge.

Even if she didn't, she could tell them she worked on their business and is starting out on her own. Offer lower design fees and promise more responsive turnaround times. I bet she could get a meeting at least.

I've been freelancing for 12 years and it works for me.

[datasuspect]

5. 10 roger on that

she could undercut her former employer probably substantially (lower overhead) and then develop relationships with printing houses and get trade rates and add something on the top and sell back to her clients.

or something like that.

excellent idea winebrat!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. I agree; freelancing is the way to go

The only way you can get "fired" is if you do a poor job, and if you keep acquiring clients through networking and referrals all the time, even the bankruptcy of one client won't hurt you much.

Health insurance is a perennial problem, however.

[bertha katzenengel]

6. i am so sorry.

best of luck to you both - will keep you in my thoughts.

[greymattermom]

7. guru

There are a lot of freelance websites, guru.com, ifreelance.com, elance.com, and probably others. The pay isn't great, but there's work.

[usregimechange]

17. Damn, thank you!

[Deja Q]

8. With those expensive $30,000 jobs going to India, what's left to say?

:(

(Apart from the wages being offered in India conform to their cost of living; a problem not yet addressed in America.)

Best of luck to both of you. :pals:

[Coyote_Bandit]

11. So sorry

Happened to me about 5 years ago. I'm still trying to figure out how to re-invent myhself in a way that enables me to be self-supporting and have access to health care.

Best of wishes to you and your wife.

[I Have A Dream]

12. I'm sorry that this happened, usregimechange.

:(

I'm sending good job vibes her way so that she can find an even better, more secure job. :hug:

[SPKrazy]

13. this is the "sound economy" that shrub was spouting off about yesterday

a major manufacturer in my area is having a mid winter shutdown due to low production, something they've never done.

It will have a domino effect on the rest of the area too.

oil prices, outsourcing, moving manufacturing to cheap labor countries, have all taken their toll.

I'm sorry to hear this as it is not a good thing for you at all, and it is a sign of bad things I fear to come.

[supernova]

14. What kind of an economic joke

is it when you lay off people who are good, talented workers?

Who the hell said that was any way to run a business?

[usregimechange]

15. Corporate assholes who see people as numbers

[ThomCat]

16. I wish you both luck and good fortune.

I hope she finds something much better very soon. :)

[Th1onein]

18. She needs to go out on her own.

She needs to sit down and make a list of her former clients, contact numbers, etc. Then a list of her former suppliers. Then call them all and underbid her former employer. Treat it like a job--get dressed for work every morning, as usual, etc. Work til lunch, take a break, go back to work. And make sure to let people know that those are hours she is not available to them.

[usregimechange]

20. That seems to be the plan, thanks

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. Sorry to hear this

Best of Luck to you both. The free-lancing idea sounds feasible.

[RainDog]

22. so sorry

but sounds like people have some good advice here. freelancers are attractive for cos, too, b/c they don't have to pay bennies. what a strange and totally fucked up america we live in today. it's indecent for the economy/the shareholders/the ceos to hurt people in this way.

please let us know when your wife has her own clients. hope she outbids her ex company.

[Redstone]

23. If she ends up freelancing, send me a PM. No guarantees, but I might have something.

Redstone

[usregimechange]

25. Thanks bunches, she is updating her portforlio...

[Amerigo Vespucci]

24. As a Graphic Designer myself (also without health insurance)...

...it's all about persistence. I do wish both of you luck and I have a basic idea of what you're going through right now because it's my line of work. I can tell you stories about the clients who appreciate what I do, and I can tell you stories about the people who think that cheapest is the best.

I'm self-employed, which doesn't make it easier or more difficult, just different.

I don't know if your wife wants another full-time position in a company, if she wants to go the freelance route, or if she wants to do a mixture of both until she finds the next long-term solution that will make her happy. What I'd say to her right now is this:

It has nothing to do with her talent, which I'm sure will only increase as time goes on. Gifted people always move forward, never backward.

It was a cost-cutting measure, it wasn't personal, and it's no reflection upon her abilities. I always set a time to be pissed off...a day, a week, whatever it takes, then I let it go.

Second, there's always a place for talent...it's just a matter of how aggressively and consistently the talented individual is willing to seek out opportunities.

Finally, she's lucky...she's got you. Never, never underestimate the power of a "cheering section."

Good luck,

A.V.

[usregimechange]

26. Thanks for taking the time to offer some good advise

[Whoa_Nelly]

27. Damn! So sorry!

We're not people anymore...just products to be used. :sarcasm:

I really am sorry this happened to you two.

Will be looking for positive updates as she succeeds in getting another position. :hug:

[grace0418]

28. I'm a graphic designer too, and I worry all the time. I don't need insurance luckily

because my husband works for a university and has excellent insurance. But I am mid-career at a job I loathe and I don't know what would happen next if I got fired-a very real possibility at my job, especially because I'm now one of the "highest paid" art directors and there is no place for me to go in terms of promotion.

Good luck to your wife. The good news is that freelance work can be great if you're persistent. I have TONS of friends who freelance exclusively.

:hug:

[usregimechange]

29. One problem is that we live in a smaller sized city. Can it be

done from a distance?

[Auggie]

30. Possibly, though occasional face-to-face contact makes for the best relationships.

A two or three hour drive should not be out of the question, providing you meet with your client once a month or once every few months. With that approach you've just increased your potential market size by a diameter of 180 or so miles. Even more if you can fly, of course.

I did this for several years without even owning a car, renting one only when a meeting was required. The rental and gas is completely tax deductible.

[grace0418]

31. One of my friends does work for a company in California (we live in Chicago).

A couple times a year he flies out there but most everything can be done long distance. There's teleconferencing, ftp, fedex, etc. that makes it a lot easier than it ever used to be.