Grrrr
May 14, 2011 10:09 AM Subscribe
My job is making my life suck, but I think it's my fault. And I don't know what to do.
I work at a creative firm — about 12 people. I am good at some parts of our process but not others, and they knew this when they hired me. In fact, in the offer letter, they mentioned liking certain nontraditional skills I possess. In the 4 months or so I've been here, I haven't done any project work that involves those skills — in fact, almost everything I have been working on is work that falls into my "not as awesome at" set.
And then, the people in charge don't seem particularly interested in me. They will talk to my partner on the project instead of me, even about things that were my purview. (This boss and coworker are friends outside work too.) I do get along with my coworkers and display leadership in social situations as applicable. I have tried to invite this boss to lunch (it's a thing at my office; we often go together) and tried in other ways to cultivate friendship.
Anyway, all of this is driving me crazy. Today boss & partner decided to rework something I had done a lot of work on without talking to me and presented it as a done deed. They aren't *jerks* per se; I am sure they were talking about one thing and another thing came up and doot doot do. I have mentioned that I would prefer to be involved and we will see.
Day-to-day though, I'm losing it. I'm unhappy. I don't want to go to work. I resent that my SO has meaningful work that he likes. I feel like I am doing something that says "please don't think my ideas are important." It hurts my feelings and makes me feel like I spend all day wasting my time on boring things that no one cares about and are just going to be changed. I feel like I must seem incredibly stupid in order for people to be so un-interested. And I don't get it: Why hire me then? If you aren't going to make any use of me?
It's ruining my life and yet altogether it's not that bad: I like my coworkers; the culture is nice; etc. I can't look for another position now — it's still new and I have a choppy resume the last few years. There's the idea, that has occurred to me, to find solace in everything else in my life, but honestly I spend the majority of my life here and I leave feeling terrible about myself — just getting to the gym is a challenge now.
What do I do?
I work at a creative firm — about 12 people. I am good at some parts of our process but not others, and they knew this when they hired me. In fact, in the offer letter, they mentioned liking certain nontraditional skills I possess. In the 4 months or so I've been here, I haven't done any project work that involves those skills — in fact, almost everything I have been working on is work that falls into my "not as awesome at" set.
And then, the people in charge don't seem particularly interested in me. They will talk to my partner on the project instead of me, even about things that were my purview. (This boss and coworker are friends outside work too.) I do get along with my coworkers and display leadership in social situations as applicable. I have tried to invite this boss to lunch (it's a thing at my office; we often go together) and tried in other ways to cultivate friendship.
Anyway, all of this is driving me crazy. Today boss & partner decided to rework something I had done a lot of work on without talking to me and presented it as a done deed. They aren't *jerks* per se; I am sure they were talking about one thing and another thing came up and doot doot do. I have mentioned that I would prefer to be involved and we will see.
Day-to-day though, I'm losing it. I'm unhappy. I don't want to go to work. I resent that my SO has meaningful work that he likes. I feel like I am doing something that says "please don't think my ideas are important." It hurts my feelings and makes me feel like I spend all day wasting my time on boring things that no one cares about and are just going to be changed. I feel like I must seem incredibly stupid in order for people to be so un-interested. And I don't get it: Why hire me then? If you aren't going to make any use of me?
It's ruining my life and yet altogether it's not that bad: I like my coworkers; the culture is nice; etc. I can't look for another position now — it's still new and I have a choppy resume the last few years. There's the idea, that has occurred to me, to find solace in everything else in my life, but honestly I spend the majority of my life here and I leave feeling terrible about myself — just getting to the gym is a challenge now.
What do I do?
Yes look for something new. It takes time to find a great job anyway, so start now.
In the meantime, try to unemotionally raise the communication issue. I doubt it's done out of malice but it's a sign that these people just don't fit in with you, sweet though they are. (That's the way to look at this - see yourself as the prime mover.)
posted by tel3path at 10:23 AM on May 14, 2011
In the meantime, try to unemotionally raise the communication issue. I doubt it's done out of malice but it's a sign that these people just don't fit in with you, sweet though they are. (That's the way to look at this - see yourself as the prime mover.)
posted by tel3path at 10:23 AM on May 14, 2011
I think you might want to take a long view....if this workplace is relationship driven, and you are the new person, it takes time for you to build the relationships that will make you feel like this is a better fit.
If otherwise people are treating you well and are friendly stick it out, keep working hard, and do discuss with your partner and your boss ways you can bring your skill set to bear on things. As far as how you are feeling, you might want to consider that you are more than what you do at work and maybe right now concentrate on nonwork things to get your esteem up. Lots of us work jobs that don't really feel meaningful or match or skill sets-and there is a good possibility that this job will eventually be exactly what you want. Just takes time.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 10:31 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
If otherwise people are treating you well and are friendly stick it out, keep working hard, and do discuss with your partner and your boss ways you can bring your skill set to bear on things. As far as how you are feeling, you might want to consider that you are more than what you do at work and maybe right now concentrate on nonwork things to get your esteem up. Lots of us work jobs that don't really feel meaningful or match or skill sets-and there is a good possibility that this job will eventually be exactly what you want. Just takes time.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 10:31 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm not entirely sure I understand what you're problem is.
They will talk to my partner on the project instead of me, even about things that were my purview. (This boss and coworker are friends outside work too.)
I see you are quick to mention how they're old friends as if it was an excuse, but you don't mention how long your co-worker has been working there before you came on board. Months? Years? If so, that's called being new and I'm sorry, but I'm going to listen to someone I've had a functional working relationship with for a longer period of time much more highly than I would someone brand spankin' new.
Today boss & partner decided to rework something I had done a lot of work on without talking to me and presented it as a done deed.
Again, not sure what your problem is. Is it that you didn't get any recognition? That's something I'd definitely bring up: if you do 90% of the work and they come in and take all the credit after changing a couple of details, well, that's bullshit. But if you're just unhappy because you were left out of the loop… sorry, that sucks, but you get no sympathy. You're not the boss.
Day-to-day though, I'm losing it. I'm unhappy. I don't want to go to work.
Just based on what you've described, I don't know what your problem is but you sure sound like you complain a lot. And I don't even know you. If you bring this personality into the office with you then no wonder people don't want to have lunch with you. Change your attitude. Sometimes you have to do the boring stuff first. Keep looking for opportunities to use the talents that apparently are being underutilized.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:01 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
They will talk to my partner on the project instead of me, even about things that were my purview. (This boss and coworker are friends outside work too.)
I see you are quick to mention how they're old friends as if it was an excuse, but you don't mention how long your co-worker has been working there before you came on board. Months? Years? If so, that's called being new and I'm sorry, but I'm going to listen to someone I've had a functional working relationship with for a longer period of time much more highly than I would someone brand spankin' new.
Today boss & partner decided to rework something I had done a lot of work on without talking to me and presented it as a done deed.
Again, not sure what your problem is. Is it that you didn't get any recognition? That's something I'd definitely bring up: if you do 90% of the work and they come in and take all the credit after changing a couple of details, well, that's bullshit. But if you're just unhappy because you were left out of the loop… sorry, that sucks, but you get no sympathy. You're not the boss.
Day-to-day though, I'm losing it. I'm unhappy. I don't want to go to work.
Just based on what you've described, I don't know what your problem is but you sure sound like you complain a lot. And I don't even know you. If you bring this personality into the office with you then no wonder people don't want to have lunch with you. Change your attitude. Sometimes you have to do the boring stuff first. Keep looking for opportunities to use the talents that apparently are being underutilized.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:01 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Anyway, all of this is driving me crazy. Today boss & partner decided to rework something I had done a lot of work on without talking to me and presented it as a done deed.
I would be bothered by this, but I'm on the more sensitive end of the spectrum around feelings of being left out.
One thing that helps me is to look for counterexamples. I'm sensitive to slights but NOT sensitive to times I'm included, so I have to remember to notice the good times.
Another thing that helps me is to focus on the work. Do you like the changes? Do you understand them? If they made it better without taking up your time, "thanks guys!" might be the better attitude. (guys incl. gals) If they took out your favorite part, you might need to understand why that didn't work.
Finally, I try to view dealing with work annoyances as what I receive a salary for. And I view it as my job to come to work with the psychological readiness to take minor BS in stride. There's a balance here. Sometimes uncomfortable feelings are truly a signal of important information, be it feedback or threat, but sometimes those feelings are my own oversensitivity best addressed by having more fun and getting more sunshine in my non-work hours.
posted by salvia at 11:18 AM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would be bothered by this, but I'm on the more sensitive end of the spectrum around feelings of being left out.
One thing that helps me is to look for counterexamples. I'm sensitive to slights but NOT sensitive to times I'm included, so I have to remember to notice the good times.
Another thing that helps me is to focus on the work. Do you like the changes? Do you understand them? If they made it better without taking up your time, "thanks guys!" might be the better attitude. (guys incl. gals) If they took out your favorite part, you might need to understand why that didn't work.
Finally, I try to view dealing with work annoyances as what I receive a salary for. And I view it as my job to come to work with the psychological readiness to take minor BS in stride. There's a balance here. Sometimes uncomfortable feelings are truly a signal of important information, be it feedback or threat, but sometimes those feelings are my own oversensitivity best addressed by having more fun and getting more sunshine in my non-work hours.
posted by salvia at 11:18 AM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
This boss and coworker are friends outside work too.
I think this is a very key component of this work dynamic you're in, if I'm understanding correctly that this coworker is your creative partner. The other key component is the size of the firm.
In small work groups like these, there is going to be friendships, in and outside of work. I suspect you may be feeling 'left out' of this, but you just need to give it time; 4 months might seem like enough time to fit in, but you're still going to be the 'latecomer' or 'last child', as it were.
It's good that you appear to have voiced your concern to someone, but as long as your partner and the boss are friends, I fear you may always experience some level of 'left-outed-ness', since they have more opportunities to discuss work outside of work. That's just how it is. There are some very similar dynamics in my workplace, involving not only friends but family members. The delineation of the outer and inner circles of work are quite clear, even though they do make every attempt to keep everyone involved.
I say stick it out and give it more time. Suck it up, embrace the work that you're doing and continue to get involved at every opportunity, and voice concern when you're not. Do you have a 6-month evaluation? Use that to your advantage to be heard.
As a side note, if I was admittedly not as good at skill A, I would welcome every opportunity to be involved in something that requires Skill A, so that I could better my own abilities, making myself more marketable in the future.
posted by SquidLips at 11:20 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
I think this is a very key component of this work dynamic you're in, if I'm understanding correctly that this coworker is your creative partner. The other key component is the size of the firm.
In small work groups like these, there is going to be friendships, in and outside of work. I suspect you may be feeling 'left out' of this, but you just need to give it time; 4 months might seem like enough time to fit in, but you're still going to be the 'latecomer' or 'last child', as it were.
It's good that you appear to have voiced your concern to someone, but as long as your partner and the boss are friends, I fear you may always experience some level of 'left-outed-ness', since they have more opportunities to discuss work outside of work. That's just how it is. There are some very similar dynamics in my workplace, involving not only friends but family members. The delineation of the outer and inner circles of work are quite clear, even though they do make every attempt to keep everyone involved.
I say stick it out and give it more time. Suck it up, embrace the work that you're doing and continue to get involved at every opportunity, and voice concern when you're not. Do you have a 6-month evaluation? Use that to your advantage to be heard.
As a side note, if I was admittedly not as good at skill A, I would welcome every opportunity to be involved in something that requires Skill A, so that I could better my own abilities, making myself more marketable in the future.
posted by SquidLips at 11:20 AM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Oh, also, my oversensitivity often correlates with issues on which I'm insecure. So you might focus on shoring up your weak skills and looking for places to use your strong ones.
posted by salvia at 11:20 AM on May 14, 2011
posted by salvia at 11:20 AM on May 14, 2011
SquidLips has some great recommendations!
On my end, this sounds familiar - I experienced similar feelings working in a design firm several years ago. I definitely think you should not take it personally, and you should give it time: 4 months is pretty short, and it can take time to find your way to the right projects and teams in a design firm. But if you continue to be unhappy there, I'd encourage you to start looking for a better match.
Drawing from my own similar experience, I can think of a couple things that may help you gain perspective on the situation. If you've worked in design for awhile, some of this is already familiar...
Small design firms can be very disorganized as far as management goes: the owners are usually designers first and foremost with little or no business training, so they're often not skilled at using their employees strategically (as in, for their strengths). I've seen my very well-meaning bosses simply fail to consider that they may not be playing to their employees' strengths. This is exacerbated by a deadline-driven work environment, where people often seem to feel, accurately or not, like there's no time to be strategic about project management and execution.
Creative-oriented workplaces can also have some strange interpersonal dynamics! There's something about doing creative work that can entangle one's feeling of worth with their job performance in an odd way. Perhaps it is has to do with mixing a supposedly objective notion of good performance with the highly subjective practice of design? Whatever causes it, I don't hear you complaining unnecessarily (as Civil_Disobedient suggests). Rather, it sounds like you are experiencing a familiar sense of vulnerability because your creative work is not being recognized or appreciated. Honestly, I still don't entirely know how to manage this aspect of design firms, except to try and find my way to the projects where I'm happy. The last time I worked at a design firm, I usually got a mix of projects that made me feel competent and useful, and ones that made me feel like an idiot. I will say, though, that the longer you are at a firm, the more likely you are to find your way into more of the work you're best at and less of the work you're not as good at. This can definitely take some time - it could easily be a year before your bosses figure things out and you start getting assigned the work that fits you.
That said, it definitely wouldn't hurt to talk with your boss - as SquidLips says, ask for a 6-month review. You could remind them of your strengths and ask them if there is a way to assign you more of that type of work, because you feel you'd be more useful to them in that capacity. You should also ask for feedback from them: in what areas do they feel you could improve, and how?
I'm willing to bet that things will get less bumpy with time. In the meantime, don't feel like you need to be someone you're not. These folks hired you and know your strengths: if they are any good at management, they will gradually find a way to use your skills in the best way. In the meantime, again as SquidLips mentioned, you'll get to practice those skils that could use improvement. If things don't feel better in a year or so, then you can start looking for a job that offers a better fit.
posted by marlys at 11:28 AM on May 14, 2011 [4 favorites]
On my end, this sounds familiar - I experienced similar feelings working in a design firm several years ago. I definitely think you should not take it personally, and you should give it time: 4 months is pretty short, and it can take time to find your way to the right projects and teams in a design firm. But if you continue to be unhappy there, I'd encourage you to start looking for a better match.
Drawing from my own similar experience, I can think of a couple things that may help you gain perspective on the situation. If you've worked in design for awhile, some of this is already familiar...
Small design firms can be very disorganized as far as management goes: the owners are usually designers first and foremost with little or no business training, so they're often not skilled at using their employees strategically (as in, for their strengths). I've seen my very well-meaning bosses simply fail to consider that they may not be playing to their employees' strengths. This is exacerbated by a deadline-driven work environment, where people often seem to feel, accurately or not, like there's no time to be strategic about project management and execution.
Creative-oriented workplaces can also have some strange interpersonal dynamics! There's something about doing creative work that can entangle one's feeling of worth with their job performance in an odd way. Perhaps it is has to do with mixing a supposedly objective notion of good performance with the highly subjective practice of design? Whatever causes it, I don't hear you complaining unnecessarily (as Civil_Disobedient suggests). Rather, it sounds like you are experiencing a familiar sense of vulnerability because your creative work is not being recognized or appreciated. Honestly, I still don't entirely know how to manage this aspect of design firms, except to try and find my way to the projects where I'm happy. The last time I worked at a design firm, I usually got a mix of projects that made me feel competent and useful, and ones that made me feel like an idiot. I will say, though, that the longer you are at a firm, the more likely you are to find your way into more of the work you're best at and less of the work you're not as good at. This can definitely take some time - it could easily be a year before your bosses figure things out and you start getting assigned the work that fits you.
That said, it definitely wouldn't hurt to talk with your boss - as SquidLips says, ask for a 6-month review. You could remind them of your strengths and ask them if there is a way to assign you more of that type of work, because you feel you'd be more useful to them in that capacity. You should also ask for feedback from them: in what areas do they feel you could improve, and how?
I'm willing to bet that things will get less bumpy with time. In the meantime, don't feel like you need to be someone you're not. These folks hired you and know your strengths: if they are any good at management, they will gradually find a way to use your skills in the best way. In the meantime, again as SquidLips mentioned, you'll get to practice those skils that could use improvement. If things don't feel better in a year or so, then you can start looking for a job that offers a better fit.
posted by marlys at 11:28 AM on May 14, 2011 [4 favorites]
I suspect your boss and partner are actually fine with your work and might have not talked to you about re-working something because they weren't necessarily unsatisfied with what you did. They just wanted something slightly different.
Perhaps you could ask to sit down with your boss for a review? Ask how you are doing and what you could be doing better.
Because I suspect that these problems don't actually exist at your job but do exist mostly in your head. So why not ask and find out? Let them know that you want to know if you need to work better or differently. Otherwise, maybe they're just poor communicators.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:05 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Perhaps you could ask to sit down with your boss for a review? Ask how you are doing and what you could be doing better.
Because I suspect that these problems don't actually exist at your job but do exist mostly in your head. So why not ask and find out? Let them know that you want to know if you need to work better or differently. Otherwise, maybe they're just poor communicators.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:05 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not clear about the deadline for the thing that was gutted without your input or knowledge, if they had to slam it out ASAP, but if not, their doing it was unprofessional and it didn't help in terms of their relating concerns and preferences, helping you get a clearer sense of what they want, getting your input--which would serve the best interests of all concerned.
In any conversations you may have about this, probably best to put your thoughts in a context of you trying to gain understanding, work more productively as an individual and with the other people.
posted by ambient2 at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2011
In any conversations you may have about this, probably best to put your thoughts in a context of you trying to gain understanding, work more productively as an individual and with the other people.
posted by ambient2 at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2011
There's a lot that I could write about this—I've definitely been in a similar position on projects, and I've also been the person making the changes/revisions to others' projects—but the one thing I can say right off the top of my head is that this is probably not about you. I know—it makes you feel bad, and thus it's about you in some sense. But this is still most likely about them and their rushed deadlines and/or problematic time management (thus necessitating changes without consulting you) and/or their unwillingness to invest the time needed to teach you to do work more to their standards and/or, as someone said above, their general satisfaction with your work and the thought that the revisions are just minor or a matter of course and/or that maybe they think you're busy with other things and don't want to bother you with revisions when they already are used to working with your partner and could go through revisions with him or her and/or that there's an expectation (that perhaps they haven't communicated) that any work you do can and will be changed as needed. Also, it may be that you're being given work that used to be delegated to someone else (your partner?) but that is now being delegated to you simply because you're newer and they felt like it was time for your partner to move on to another aspect of those tasks and focus on his or her strengths, and perhaps take a more "managerial" role. Maybe the tasks you're being given are ones that are typically given to newer employees, and this is seen as normal within the organization.
And as others have noted, you're new, and there are likely established ways of doing things that have absolutely nothing to do with you, and maybe even have absolutely nothing to do with your partner or your boss. It may be that you're working with legacy roles and legacy ways of thinking about things handed down over years of trying to work around certain people's expectations or peccadilloes—maybe even people in other departments who aren't there anymore!—that have since been cemented into standard procedure. Or maybe, if they were shorthanded before you were hired, they got used to that and needing things to be expedited and not having to consult anyone about certain changes (maybe your job was done by a freelancer or contractor?), and didn't realize that you'd want to be in the loop. Maybe they see your request to be in the loop on certain revisions/changes as unnecessarily controlling and time-consuming—or maybe your predecessor was that way, and they got used to working around him or her. Maybe there's an expectation that your grunt work can and will be edited into the shape the higher-ups want it in, and that you just have to deal with it until you've been there and proved that you can do the work the way they want without complaining.
There are a lot of possibilities—more than even those that I've just listed off the top of my head. But I've read it here before, and I'll repeat it: It tends to take at least six months or more to really settle in to a new job, and you're probably just barely scratching the surface in terms of the nature of things there at four months in. And what you're perceiving as an unfair and possibly preferential friendship between your partner and your boss may just be the product of a long-standing work relationship. Then again, it might not. There are a lot of unknowns here.
posted by limeonaire at 2:21 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
And as others have noted, you're new, and there are likely established ways of doing things that have absolutely nothing to do with you, and maybe even have absolutely nothing to do with your partner or your boss. It may be that you're working with legacy roles and legacy ways of thinking about things handed down over years of trying to work around certain people's expectations or peccadilloes—maybe even people in other departments who aren't there anymore!—that have since been cemented into standard procedure. Or maybe, if they were shorthanded before you were hired, they got used to that and needing things to be expedited and not having to consult anyone about certain changes (maybe your job was done by a freelancer or contractor?), and didn't realize that you'd want to be in the loop. Maybe they see your request to be in the loop on certain revisions/changes as unnecessarily controlling and time-consuming—or maybe your predecessor was that way, and they got used to working around him or her. Maybe there's an expectation that your grunt work can and will be edited into the shape the higher-ups want it in, and that you just have to deal with it until you've been there and proved that you can do the work the way they want without complaining.
There are a lot of possibilities—more than even those that I've just listed off the top of my head. But I've read it here before, and I'll repeat it: It tends to take at least six months or more to really settle in to a new job, and you're probably just barely scratching the surface in terms of the nature of things there at four months in. And what you're perceiving as an unfair and possibly preferential friendship between your partner and your boss may just be the product of a long-standing work relationship. Then again, it might not. There are a lot of unknowns here.
posted by limeonaire at 2:21 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Is this your first time in a traditional creative department with partners?
Because there is NO GREATER DRAMA in the work world than the matchmaking between a copywriter and an art director. That's why some firms prefer to hired partners together, rather than build teams.
Why? Because most copywriters have opinions, ideas and even some skills in art direction and design. And because designers often have verbal ideas and opinions. And someone who has worked for a longer time in that kind of situation will have a better feel for what works.
A good partner takes your work to the next level and becomes an external extension of your brain, a sounding board that gets you enthusiastic. The creative director is there to jump in and resteer the work so you guys/gals/whatever can be free to follow the creative tangents. It's kind of a blissful, creative rhythm and it's like a high once you get there... but damn, it takes work to get there.
Coming into a new situation where the creative director is also friends with your partner and they have a better rhythm than you two do? That's hard. Really hard. Emotionally tough and tough to your worth. And you may get stuck doing crap that you're not good at because the brainstormy bits aren't fast and natural for the two of you. And here's the shitty part: it won't get better if it keeps up like this.
What it may take is a killer deadline. Or the creative director's vacation. Or whatever. But you need to be there, have ideas, jump in headfirst and don't feel like you have to win, or show them or anything. You just have to make the work better -- in or out of your purview.
Of course, you can replace "designer, production artist and studio manager" in above. Or any number of creative pairings.
If you've never worked in that way before, how can you let go and be open to learning an entirely new culture and style of idea generation? And if you have worked that way before, how can you accept that this new partner and creative director are entirely different than the people you've worked with before?
A creative partnership is a marriage. Needs trust, emotional support, people finding their own place in it. And sometimes it just doesn't work and you need an annulment.
I've had great partners who were dominant and just ordered me around but I got to contribute to awesome things and learn. I had partners that shared a brain with me (and a 2-liter of soda without cups, so germs too. eww.) I had partners (and creative directors) that made me better than I ever thought I could be and gave me tons of praise and guidance. I had partners who I thought were idiots and just did work around them. I had partners that thought I was an idiot and did work around me. I had a partner that watched porn all day and smoked a bong at his desk and still got us to win clients and awards hand over fist, so I just wrote all his body copy. They come in all shapes and sizes and you have to learn to roll with the punches and find a way to become a part of a whole, even if that includes asswholes.
Or, you realize that it isn't the setting for you, you learn what you can, put a good book/reel/link list together and then get a different kind of job.
posted by Gucky at 4:20 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Because there is NO GREATER DRAMA in the work world than the matchmaking between a copywriter and an art director. That's why some firms prefer to hired partners together, rather than build teams.
Why? Because most copywriters have opinions, ideas and even some skills in art direction and design. And because designers often have verbal ideas and opinions. And someone who has worked for a longer time in that kind of situation will have a better feel for what works.
A good partner takes your work to the next level and becomes an external extension of your brain, a sounding board that gets you enthusiastic. The creative director is there to jump in and resteer the work so you guys/gals/whatever can be free to follow the creative tangents. It's kind of a blissful, creative rhythm and it's like a high once you get there... but damn, it takes work to get there.
Coming into a new situation where the creative director is also friends with your partner and they have a better rhythm than you two do? That's hard. Really hard. Emotionally tough and tough to your worth. And you may get stuck doing crap that you're not good at because the brainstormy bits aren't fast and natural for the two of you. And here's the shitty part: it won't get better if it keeps up like this.
What it may take is a killer deadline. Or the creative director's vacation. Or whatever. But you need to be there, have ideas, jump in headfirst and don't feel like you have to win, or show them or anything. You just have to make the work better -- in or out of your purview.
Of course, you can replace "designer, production artist and studio manager" in above. Or any number of creative pairings.
If you've never worked in that way before, how can you let go and be open to learning an entirely new culture and style of idea generation? And if you have worked that way before, how can you accept that this new partner and creative director are entirely different than the people you've worked with before?
A creative partnership is a marriage. Needs trust, emotional support, people finding their own place in it. And sometimes it just doesn't work and you need an annulment.
I've had great partners who were dominant and just ordered me around but I got to contribute to awesome things and learn. I had partners that shared a brain with me (and a 2-liter of soda without cups, so germs too. eww.) I had partners (and creative directors) that made me better than I ever thought I could be and gave me tons of praise and guidance. I had partners who I thought were idiots and just did work around them. I had partners that thought I was an idiot and did work around me. I had a partner that watched porn all day and smoked a bong at his desk and still got us to win clients and awards hand over fist, so I just wrote all his body copy. They come in all shapes and sizes and you have to learn to roll with the punches and find a way to become a part of a whole, even if that includes asswholes.
Or, you realize that it isn't the setting for you, you learn what you can, put a good book/reel/link list together and then get a different kind of job.
posted by Gucky at 4:20 PM on May 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm guessing, from experience, that it's really all about the work.
The strong relationships around you were likely built around the work over time. Your boss and your partner likely have similar references, shorthand, inside jokes, histories and the "gone through war together" feeling after key projects. You'll get there too, but you have to earn it.
The work product is the primary goal, which is why things may need to be changed/pushed further even after you think they're done.
Don't be afraid to casually insert yourself in the conversation if you sense that a project you've been working on is being discussed. "Oh hey, are you guys talking about the McMahon project?" Don't wait to be invited to the conversation; it's not personal. (BTW, I've seen this "left out" feeling offend more creative females than males. Borrow their external reactions, and hopefully they'll feel natural inside over time.)
When work does happen in your absence, be objective when you look at the result. Try to learn why the new solution is better than the previous one - what were you missing? Is there anything you can add to what they've come back with, either in terms of the work itself or how your team talks about it/sells it? Your skills sharpen with experience, but be proactive and assertive about working on the ones you're not as confident about.
In a small shop, you don't have a lot of variety of projects to choose from, and there won't always be the perfect project for your skillset. Show your boss how you're making the best use of the opportunities you do have.
And, find ways to use your better skills to help whatever project you're on. It can be so discouraging to be plugging along at something you're neither motivated on nor particularly good at. If you were hired because you're awesome at illustration, find ways to insert illustrations into the presentation deck even if they're not part of the deliverable. If you're the well-organized one of the group, look two steps ahead and start building the deck early. Whatever you do, make the skills you have more important to the task at hand.
In summary, your work will (or won't) make you important in a small creative firm, and the rest will follow. Focus on showcasing your strengths and getting stronger.
posted by nadise at 6:32 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
The strong relationships around you were likely built around the work over time. Your boss and your partner likely have similar references, shorthand, inside jokes, histories and the "gone through war together" feeling after key projects. You'll get there too, but you have to earn it.
The work product is the primary goal, which is why things may need to be changed/pushed further even after you think they're done.
Don't be afraid to casually insert yourself in the conversation if you sense that a project you've been working on is being discussed. "Oh hey, are you guys talking about the McMahon project?" Don't wait to be invited to the conversation; it's not personal. (BTW, I've seen this "left out" feeling offend more creative females than males. Borrow their external reactions, and hopefully they'll feel natural inside over time.)
When work does happen in your absence, be objective when you look at the result. Try to learn why the new solution is better than the previous one - what were you missing? Is there anything you can add to what they've come back with, either in terms of the work itself or how your team talks about it/sells it? Your skills sharpen with experience, but be proactive and assertive about working on the ones you're not as confident about.
In a small shop, you don't have a lot of variety of projects to choose from, and there won't always be the perfect project for your skillset. Show your boss how you're making the best use of the opportunities you do have.
And, find ways to use your better skills to help whatever project you're on. It can be so discouraging to be plugging along at something you're neither motivated on nor particularly good at. If you were hired because you're awesome at illustration, find ways to insert illustrations into the presentation deck even if they're not part of the deliverable. If you're the well-organized one of the group, look two steps ahead and start building the deck early. Whatever you do, make the skills you have more important to the task at hand.
In summary, your work will (or won't) make you important in a small creative firm, and the rest will follow. Focus on showcasing your strengths and getting stronger.
posted by nadise at 6:32 PM on May 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
It really sucks to be the newbie, especially when you're feeling so out of the loop.
How does this match up with your past work experience in the field? How far along are you on your career path? When I switched fields a few years ago, the adjustment in how things worked was really, really hard for me. I watched almost everything I produced get completely reworked, often without explanation beyond the changes were necessary and appropriate. Likewise, there are a lot of old friendships at play where I work.
Over the past few years of sucking it up and paying attention, however, my skills and knowledge base has improved exponentially. I've built friendly professional relationships with some of the old guard. Maintaining a good attitude, keeping your head down and getting things done, and keeping on keeping on WILL get noticed in a good working group (if it doesn't, then look for a better situation). I know it's hard when you don't feel like you have solid footing, but as much as possible, focus on doing the best work possible. Pay attention to what gets changed, and when things aren't very busy, ask why the changes were made so that you can get a better feel for what they're looking for.
I'd say try to stick it out for a full year--that's how long it took me to feel like I was finally contributing at a level that was acceptable to my ego and was sufficiently part of "the team"...but of course, YMMV. Good luck!
posted by smirkette at 12:46 PM on May 15, 2011
How does this match up with your past work experience in the field? How far along are you on your career path? When I switched fields a few years ago, the adjustment in how things worked was really, really hard for me. I watched almost everything I produced get completely reworked, often without explanation beyond the changes were necessary and appropriate. Likewise, there are a lot of old friendships at play where I work.
Over the past few years of sucking it up and paying attention, however, my skills and knowledge base has improved exponentially. I've built friendly professional relationships with some of the old guard. Maintaining a good attitude, keeping your head down and getting things done, and keeping on keeping on WILL get noticed in a good working group (if it doesn't, then look for a better situation). I know it's hard when you don't feel like you have solid footing, but as much as possible, focus on doing the best work possible. Pay attention to what gets changed, and when things aren't very busy, ask why the changes were made so that you can get a better feel for what they're looking for.
I'd say try to stick it out for a full year--that's how long it took me to feel like I was finally contributing at a level that was acceptable to my ego and was sufficiently part of "the team"...but of course, YMMV. Good luck!
posted by smirkette at 12:46 PM on May 15, 2011
I've been where you are in some parallel respects. I think the answer hinges on where you are in your career and what you want out of your current job.
If you're just starting out and working with people you consider to be smart, whom you can learn from, I'd say stick it out. If you trust anyone there enough to talk with them about your concerns then maybe ask for some guidance. After all, they can't guess what you're thinking.
If you've got some experience and are looking for ways to augment your skill set then you need to articulate what it is you want to gain specifically from your role. Be clear that you want to take more ownership of you work. Be clear that you were under the impression you'd be able to apply your non-traditional skills to the role. Separate the business from the personal a bit. Try to build up your portfolio and your resume.
If you're a senior-level person then consider moving on quickly. It's unlikely that you'll be able to affect any real change. You're not learning from these people. You're not learning a new process. The result will be a lot of frustration with minor but meaningless victories along the way.
My biased opinion: after having worked in various small creative firms I think these environments can be absolute shit to deal with. Many operate like dysfunctional families, with no clear process, arbitrary decision-making, "lifer" employees that get preferential treatment and a whole slew of other issues that make professional growth challenging. A lot of agencies operate this way for years or decades before something breaks down. And as long as revenue keeps coming in there's little incentive be introspective about systemic problems.
posted by quadog at 11:42 AM on May 16, 2011
If you're just starting out and working with people you consider to be smart, whom you can learn from, I'd say stick it out. If you trust anyone there enough to talk with them about your concerns then maybe ask for some guidance. After all, they can't guess what you're thinking.
If you've got some experience and are looking for ways to augment your skill set then you need to articulate what it is you want to gain specifically from your role. Be clear that you want to take more ownership of you work. Be clear that you were under the impression you'd be able to apply your non-traditional skills to the role. Separate the business from the personal a bit. Try to build up your portfolio and your resume.
If you're a senior-level person then consider moving on quickly. It's unlikely that you'll be able to affect any real change. You're not learning from these people. You're not learning a new process. The result will be a lot of frustration with minor but meaningless victories along the way.
My biased opinion: after having worked in various small creative firms I think these environments can be absolute shit to deal with. Many operate like dysfunctional families, with no clear process, arbitrary decision-making, "lifer" employees that get preferential treatment and a whole slew of other issues that make professional growth challenging. A lot of agencies operate this way for years or decades before something breaks down. And as long as revenue keeps coming in there's little incentive be introspective about systemic problems.
posted by quadog at 11:42 AM on May 16, 2011
Sounds like you are being too sensitive. This is a job, not a stage for your work. Ultimately the company owns whatever work or ideas you produce. They can change it, ignore it, take it as their own, AND they get to decide what tasks you perform. If you want to be more involved you need to make yourself an invaluable part of the process.
posted by Packy_1962 at 11:28 AM on May 17, 2011
posted by Packy_1962 at 11:28 AM on May 17, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mhoye at 10:14 AM on May 14, 2011