Wanna hear some GOOD employment news?

[grace0418]

After all I've been reading and hearing (and posting myself), I thought I might share something good with you all.

First some background...

I'm a graphic designer who got laid off in December. I hated that job but was still pretty freaked out considering the economy. It should've been a great job but the CEO was a petty, selfish, greedy micromanager who surrounded himself with middle managers who were only there to stroke his ego. I worked with so many talented people who's talent and hard work were completely wasted at that place. The only way to get ahead was to gossip about other people to the higher ups, I swear it was like a big hen house. I worked there for 8 years and was never shown an ounce of respect or loyalty. Even though my designs were consistently the ones selected by our customers to sell in their stores, I was never rewarded or praised. The only time I would get told I was doing a good job was on my annual review, and that was just supposed to make up for a lack of pay raise. When I tried to speak up for myself or my coworkers for various reason (trivial matters like hot tar from the roof repairs leaking in on our desks, or a "manager" who didn't show up until 10:30 and then spent the rest of the day talking to her family on the phone), I was labeled "negative" and told I must not be working very hard if I had time to complain.

So in a way it was no surprise to get laid off. I was planning to become a freelancer at some point, but January 2009 didn't seem like *the best* time to make that leap. And at first it really sucked. I had no clients, the agencies had no work. It was bleak. But slowly work started coming in. As luck would have it, the week my severance ran out (the ONLY good thing my former company every did for me) was the week I started getting a lot of jobs.

Then, this past Friday I got the following email from my biggest client:

"Grace, You are just too good to be true! A phenomenal talent with a great, proactive attitude. So rare to meet an artist who comes w/the full package!"

She followed this email with a phone call telling me to add a few hours onto my invoice for all the hard work I did. I kid you not.

:woohoo:

How do ya like that? I NEVER ONCE was told anything like this in eight years at my last job. I was really starting to doubt myself there. I had always considered myself hard-working, responsible and talented. If I don't know how to do something, I learn it. If someone needs help, I help them. And yet, on a daily basis, all my coworkers and I were treated as if we couldn't be trusted, didn't know what we were doing, and would only do the barest minimum of work. Well, when you treat people like that, damn if they don't start behaving like that. Conversely, if you treat people with respect, expect the best from them, assume they are capable of doing the job they are trained to do, and praise them when they do it well, it's AMAZING what can happen. I feel like forwarding that email to my old boss and saying "THIS is the power of positive reinforcement," but she'd never get it.

Anyway, thanks for reading. This just made my weekend and I wanted to share. There still are a few good employers out there who get it! Even though I'm not out of the woods financially or career-wise, I have hope and I have renewed confidence.

:hi:

[latebloomer]

1. So good to get the feedback you deserve!

Hope your business continues to prosper. Keep a positive vision!

[grace0418]

10. Thank you latebloomer!

It's hard work for sure, but I'm really enjoying it. Eliminating the layers of bureaucratic bs from my worklife had already done wonders. I talk directly with the clients instead of revising everything 40 times before the client even sees it, only to have to revise it some more for the client. I can't tell you the number of times the client asked for a revision that turned out to be similar to my original concept that they never saw.

[Suich]

2. What a nice story, Grace!

Thanks for posting it! And continued success!!!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[grace0418]

11. Thank you Suich!

I'm hoping to get enough work to keep this up, I'm really enjoying it.

[NV Whino]

3. Good for you!

That sounds like a great client.

Just a little note here. Interestingly, freelancers actually do pretty well when the economy takes a downturn. Clients can no longer afford the big agencies and downsize to the freelancers, many of whom have been laid off from said agencies. Takes a while to build up a clientele, but it sounds like you are on your way.

[grace0418]

12. Thanks NV Whino. While the freelancer theory usually holds true (I have lots of friends who have

been freelancing for years), this particular downturn has been horrible for EVERYONE. One friend, a very talented designer, has been freelancing for 10 years, and as long as I've known her she's always been super busy whenever I talk to her. In fact, most of the time she's looking for people to help her out with overflow work. Well, this year she's been freaked out at the lack of work for the first time in her career. She lost 3 clients in a matter of weeks due to the recession. She's starting to get a little more work now but she's still scrambling.

[NV Whino]

25. Yeah, it's bad for all of us

I have a friend who is doing well. I'm holding steady--not losing any, but then I'm not gaining any either. And cost keep escalating. I do catch some overflow from my friend.

[grace0418]

28. Well I hope things ease up a bit for you then.

And that you can start gaining again soon.

It's great to have a network of friends in the biz who can help each other out. I've known most of my friends since college and they encouraged me for years to go freelance, telling me how great it's been for them. We all had a laugh at my fabulous (if not exactly voluntary) timing to go freelance. I guess maybe I needed to have something force my hand. I suppose if I can make a go of it in this economy I should be able to handle just about anything. Fingers crossed.

I just need a couple more clients who would, ideally, have staggered busy seasons. But I'll take what I can get at this point. So far I'm staying afloat. I'm happy to have two steady clients who pay on time.

[MrScorpio]

4. That was a wonderful story

Better things are ahead of you for sure

[grace0418]

13. Thanks MrScorpio! I hope so. I feel good about it despite how bad the economy is.

I know at least I'll be getting regular work from this client. It may not be enough to live comfortably, but between that and my husband's salary we can pay the mortgage and basic bills. With a little more work I can start saving for retirement again and pay for a vacation now and then.

[mykpart]

5. Congratulations! I'm happy for you. I hope you are able to be proud of yourself.

I worked for a toxic employer like your last one for 9 years. I tolerated it probably because my mother was like that to me also. Make sure your former employer hears about your success. It won't change her/him, but it will make you feel even more triumphant. Maybe you should send a thank-you note to your old employer!

[grace0418]

14. That's funny. I too had a toxic situation with my mother.

So it's very easy to let my confidence be undermined by selfish people in authority who have their own agendas. I did think about sending a note to my old boss. I would want it to be constructive and hopefully help my friends who are still stuck there. Anyway, thanks mykpart!

[Born_A_Truman]

6. Good for you!

I am so sorry your previous employer didn't value you or your co-workers. It costs NOTHING to give praise for a job well done or just a positive word or say thank you.

I'm happy you finally received your well-deserved praise!

[grace0418]

15. I know, it's such an easy thing. When I was a manager, I always tried to value my

subordinates and tell them how valuable they were to me. Just a little acknowledgment goes a long way. Like instead of pointing out the one time someone takes a long lunch or shuts down a few minutes early, how about noticing the other 100 times that person stayed late, came in early, worked through lunch or brought work home?

One of the last disagreements I had with my boss was about just that. She came into my office at 5:25 and asked what I was working on (which I feel like she should know since she's in charge, but whatever). I had just finished a project literally 5 minutes earlier and, in an effort to be agreeable and eager, I said "I just finished up xyz and I'm ready for some new stuff!" So she got mad that I hadn't come to her earlier so she could give me more work in the five minutes I had left in my day. This was after I had worked 12-13 hour days for three weeks straight prior to that moment (with one four day break so I could go visit my sister who has cancer). Never once in that three weeks was I praised, thanked, or asked if I needed help. But she sure noticed when I had five minutes of downtime.

That was the kind of bullshit that regularly happened in my office to every one of my coworkers. And the kind of bullshit I don't miss one bit. Now with all the layoffs and the bad economy, it's gotten even worse for all the poor people still there. I talk to them regularly and they are miserable. I feel so bad for them.

Thanks Born_A_Truman!

[gblady]

7. That is wonderful.....

thanks for sharing your uplifting news...
made my night!

[grace0418]

16. Thanks gblady!

I'm glad it made someone else smile too. It felt really good to have good news about my job situation for once. My friends and family were so sick of hearing me tell stories about that horrible job.

[SeattleGirl]

8. What a great thing, grace!

You and your talent deserve to be recognized!

[grace0418]

17. Aww! Thanks SeattleGirl!

I think everyone deserves to be recognized for a job well done, and yet so few people are. It shouldn't be so extraordinary for anyone who works hard to get an email like I did, you know?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. Excellent!!!

Congratulations on finding the exact correct place for yourself in this world. What a great story!

It reminded me of the fact that the Chinese character for "crisis" is the same one that represents "opportunity."

Well done, and I wish you continued success!

:toast:

[grace0418]

18. Thanks Tangerine LaBamba. You know, I think you're right. I used to be really concerned

about wanting to design super cool things and trendy stuff. But my priorities have really changed. More than anything I enjoy doing a job well, working at home, listening to music, having my kitty cat at my feet, taking lunch when I feel like taking lunch, and just not having to deal with all the superficial, ass-kissing bullshit that went on in my old office. Of course I have to please my clients, and there is a certain amount of bs that goes along with every job, but this situation is sooooo much better for me. Thanks for the well wishes!

[ThomCat]

19. Mozel Tov. I hope your reputation for great work

keeps the work coming in steady. :)

[grace0418]

22. Thank you ThomCat.

I hope the same. If I could get one or two more clients (who, ideally, would be busy at different times of the year), I would be absolutely set. I'm not looking to be rich, just to have enough money to pay the bills and enough free time to enjoy life. :hi:

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. nice story. Thanks for sharing. Congrats.

[grace0418]

23. Thank you Liberal_in_LA.

I appreciate it!

[Callalily]

21. I'm so glad to hear this.

I do remember you telling us a while back about your layoff.

It's good to hear that things are working out for you. Not only has someone praised you for your talents, but for your hard work and dedication too.

I know what it's like to have a negative boss, to be afraid to say anything for fear of retaliation. I'm glad you don't have to live in that life anymore.

Good luck, and wishing you more jobs with clients like the one you described.

[grace0418]

26. Thank you Callalily. I'm sorry that you know what it's like to have negative boss. I hope

you aren't in that situation any more. Bad bosses make your worklife terrible. And a terrible worklife makes the rest of your life worse too.

It's not even that my old boss was a bad person (I have had a couple of them who were terrible, terrible people). She just had no business being in charge of anyone. She was a talented artist but she was really disorganized, forgetful, and easily distracted. She'd try to be everyone's friend and thought that made her a good manager, but she'd turn on you in a heartbeat. She hated confrontation so she reacted by ignoring things that actually needed to be handled and blowing up over insignificant things. There was no in between, no rational conversation. I think she was promoted because she was properly in awe and afraid of the CEO, so she never made any waves with him. She just took everything out on us. The bad part is that right now my old department has three creative directors and four art directors. That's way too top heavy. I have a feeling that sometime soon the highest paid creative director is going to be unemployed and it's not going to be easy for her to get a job. I take no comfort in that. I don't wish her ill. But she's been at my old office for many years and the way they do things is really ass backwards, so even if she finds a new job she's going to be in for a rude awakening.

[lizziegrace]

24. Confidence and respect will carry you far

:hug:

I'm so glad to see someone get the recognition they deserve. :)

[grace0418]

27. It's such a little thing that makes such a huge difference.

Thank you lizziegrace. I wish it wasn't so unusual in this world as to be worthy of special comment. Everyone should be told when they are doing a good job.
:hug: