HS: The other day I had an interview. And this was, perhaps, a new low in my interviewing career. Not because I failed in dramatic fashion to get the job, but because the job was so silly to begin with.
Like many job-seekers, I apply to a lot of jobs. Firms I’ve never heard of, descriptions that aren’t well-written, even the occasional anonymous post. This was an in-house posting at an lighting fixture company. I’d never heard of them, of course, but I’m not really up on lighting fixtures, so whatever. I figured what the heck.
Got a call back a few days later having completely forgotten that I even applied. Being polite, I agreed to come in, but why, I dunno.
Even before I set foot in the place, I knew it wasn’t the job for me. First, it was located out of town, in an industrial estate of former glory. Still accessible by mass transit, and technically part of the City, but culturally, a world away. The commute was nearly 1.5 hours each way, and the neighborhood had me looking over my shoulder, even in the middle of a sunny working day. The role was typical in-house — make a bunch of stuff, don’t say anything about it, don’t expect any praise or glory. But I went just the same.
My interview set a new high for red flags. Actually, I shouldn’t say that. I set a new high for yellow flags, but outshining the previous record by a serious degree. Ready for some whining?
The place was a warehouse. Windowless, except for outer offices, outfitted with Reagan-era metal desks and Soviet-style paint-and-carpeting schemes. Conference rooms were kitted with the cheapest in Office Max furniture and there was really nothing impressive to be gleamed.
The Creative Director seemed a nice enough fella, probably 8 or so years my senior. But he talked with an out-of-town air. I imagine he’s from the suburbs and shoots in for this job, and then home. What’s most odd about our conversation is that he tried to convince me to take the job, but in the same breath remarked on how shabby the company and workload can be.
“We used to have a really nice studio on the third floor. That was before all the downsizing.”
“Some other places are still on G4s.” (They were using G5s — a mere 5 years out of date)
“A lot of the work is dull, but it’s also creative.”
“I need a new right hand, my other guy got a better job.”
“We offer medical and dental.” (ok, this one isn’t so bad, but expected for most true staff roles.)
The whole thing was funny in that he never said plainly where the challenge lay. My assumption of the role is that it’s mainly a production role, responsible for “churning out” a ton of graphical brickerbrack, without any thought or synthesis. Not the role I’m after.
I don’t often get into salary talk in a first interview, but here we were. He asked me what kind of salary I’m looking for and honestly I replied. “I’ve typically been looking for Art Director or Senior Designer roles, with challenges and salary to match. $70k.” They were offering $40k. Not that money is the deciding factor, but clearly we are way out of sync. For them to be asking for so many skills — web design, print production, retouching, layout, project management, ability to take over projects and “be creative” — and only offering 40 shows how out of touch they are with the industry. For a company that size, an extra 5-6k wouldn’t matter much, but yet would send a huge signal. Here, they’re basically offering a suburban salary, but expecting big-city talent.
(Obviously 70 is my starting point and I’d go down a little bit, but countering it with a ballpark figure of 40 shows that we aren’t looking for the same things.)
There was no great ire between us, and for the sake of argument I was, in fact, offered the job, but I just cannot see myself working in a place where the most enticing aspect, according to my future boss, is simply “It’s a job. And in this economy, you’re lucky to have a job.”
(He actually used the phrase “in this economy…” several times.)
Here to remind you — and me — is the sort of job I’m looking for. A challenging design role at a design agency. It should be located in the City, and have other designers working above and to the sides of me. Subordinates are optional. In-house roles are on the table, so long as they are a true design department, and not just “the graphics boy”.
Is that so friggin’ difficult?
