When you can't find work in your industry of choice, what did/do you do to pay bills?
Of course, one wishes they could work sunrise to sunset on personal training and portfolio work, but unfortunately that doesn't pay the bills, especially as the months go by.
I'm just wondering what sort of jobs you took in order to get by, especially if you managed to get jobs perhaps not completely unrelated to art. As well as if you were able to land a job that didn't burn you out completely so that you could still manage to get personal work done in your spare time.
I've had to do a lot of QA work in the past, and unfortunately that doesn't lend itself well to having a lot of free time. Not to mention the burnouts from working so long and then you have zero energy when you get home.
Or perhaps, everyone here has managed to find work in time, since you're all pretty talented.
I'm just wondering what sort of jobs you took in order to get by, especially if you managed to get jobs perhaps not completely unrelated to art. As well as if you were able to land a job that didn't burn you out completely so that you could still manage to get personal work done in your spare time.
I've had to do a lot of QA work in the past, and unfortunately that doesn't lend itself well to having a lot of free time. Not to mention the burnouts from working so long and then you have zero energy when you get home.
Or perhaps, everyone here has managed to find work in time, since you're all pretty talented.
Replies
Not sure if there's many other jobs that complement more artistic roles such as modeling though. Good luck - and don't give up!
www.thumbtack.com has some stuff on it
While doing that try to land some remote freelance jobs with indie developers and places like Liquid Development and/or Shadows in the Darkness to get some professional experience.
And I don't see many Vampires or Giants around now, do I? You're welcome.
...unless they were sparkly vampires...
Always keep a decent wad of cash saved! I've only just begun to do this.
I saved on having to buy food, so that's a plus.
Subway 2008-2009 making minimum wage for a year
Dairy Queen 2009-2010 making minimum wage for a year
Interned at a cg studio that did various work for 3 months in 2009 unpaid
Small Business DSL Tech Support for Centurylink, made $11 an hour 2010-2011 for a year.
Currently work at an internal help desk for Discover Card, making a little under 30k a year.
Wages are comparable to modeling and it seems i can move over to the modeling department with some ease (only been at this specific company for about a month now, was at another one on a 6 month contract)
I also fed baby tarantulas and scorpions for under minimum wage. And mopped dog kennels (these were my favorites)
Now I model trains and train accessories for a railroad training center, until next month, when I will accept my fate folding t-shirts at the mall.
I know how you feel, I have been at Target for 4 years. I have just about had enough..
The same routine every day, it sucked ass.
For me Ive gotten 90% of my freelance work through Craigslist.
Am currently looking into working with more stable clients eg. outsource houses.