The recession, benefits, the safety net, and the learning curve

ShelleyC_2

Max_Headroom wrote: »

Thanks for that NN, good spot!

Considering what an, umm, abrasive lot a certain hardcore on there appear to be, I thought I got away with it quite lightly!

Its one of the most positive HPC threads I've read with only one person after your blood :rotfl:

I only ever read there as it is scary!

Phirefly

dopester wrote: »

I've just loaded-up my Photoshop and see if I can put together something.

Go easy on the Comic Sans

fc123

dopester wrote: »

I've not posted on that HPC thread, nor will I ever post on it. Anything I've put to Max has been here, openly with honesty, with no malice, even if we disagreed.

What certain way of thinking? If you're referring to my scepticism over Liz Jones' success being replicated by any trier... the era of Big-Brother fame / X-Factor fame / Forest Gump.. "anyone can be a success without having exceptional talent" route to fame/fortune for all the desperate wannabee masses is coming to an end. It never really existed in the first place really, except for a fortunate few.

I've got family in media. The number of calls I've had from wannabees trying to work my contacts to get an entry job during the boom (not recently). The ruthless ambition stories I've heard from within. The egos. The back-stabbing. I'll agree pure talent can be hugely rewarded, say if you can write books ect, or niche articles which connect, but many a talented wannabee out there scraping by.

It's not a dig DS so don't tajke it as a bad thing, just you have a.....I can't think of the right word. Negative is too err negative....more reserved, cautious way of thinking.??

I think your viewpoint is fine...it's just different to mine sometimes. To be fair, the HPC commnets were TIcheek...and I think yours are too sometimes......sometimes it's hard to tell if you are serious or winding up.

Myself (me, I) I would be proud to be an adjective.;)

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

I found that just "being in London" seemed to be a ticket to success if you knew people.

I knew somebody who lived in London, had been chucked out of a non-subject at Uni, bumbling about, he fell onto some work where he had to phone some industry bosses, ask them a bunch of questions, then transcribe those conversations ..... the guy's English/spelling was appalling, his typing skills were non-existant, but just because he was in London and somebody he knew put him onto the work he was paid £375/day to do these calls/typing!!!!!!!

There was some right silly money going around for old rope jobs ... if you lived in London and knew people.

The next thing was he got a job as a photographer's assistant - carrying the bags. No experience, no qualifications, never done anything like it before - and within 6 months of carrying the bags he was doing actual real, well-paid photoshoots himself, for national publications .... all because he was in London and knew people! How many thousands and thousands of photographers, with kit and experience and qualifications, are out there dreaming of such a job ... but they didn't live in London and/or didn't know people.

The world's all about who you know and a big smattering of where you are.

Yeah, but there are loads of people who are bumming around Lodnon too. even people who know people. I went to school with some of them. and yes, there are people who get where they do through parents/knowing pople, but there are others too. My dad got where he's got with hard work, not even a levels, and yet, has really got somewhere to be proud of. DH does actually know people, but got his job himself in an area iunrelated to where he knew people. He had a couple of interviews with people that ''wanted to see what the surname looked like'' i.e. people who knew one or other of his parents: and they were not great interviews in the main: people just wanted to have a look-see, sometimes a bit of revenge:D. He has a great story a bout a final interview where the interviewer told him he was a bulsh1tter, his mother was a bullsh1tter, as is his father, and father in law, and this went on for the whole interview. (weirdly, he was actually offered the job, which he turned down)...so being known by someone can be a bit of a disadvantage too..

PasturesNew

I could quite easily (possibly) contact some local places (I could put a list together in under a day) and put a proposal forward to do one day presenations where I teach what I know to local people/businesses at cheap rates, say 8 to a class... but I don't have the b4lls to do the approaching/negotiating.

I could create a company name and promote this myself directly, I could identify the correct channels in a morning .... but I don't have the b4lls to do it.

Many of us, through past life experiences and other issues, simply don't have the confidence to strike out. And that can't be changed easily. OK, some people can find confidence within themselves ... for others of us, it is akin to climbing Everest (which of course some people have done, but not all of us).

Confidence ... you can't buy it.

Phirefly

PasturesNew wrote: »

I certainly don't have any skills or talents that would earn me money

I think its a skill in itself that you (one) can earn a living however modest without physically producing/serving something. I paint a picture - someone puts it on a t-shirt - I get paid. I can't get my head around how all this cyberclicketyclick actually generates an income. That's talent right there.

fc123

PasturesNew wrote: »

I could quite easily (possibly) contact some local places (I could put a list together in under a day) and put a proposal forward to do one day presenations where I teach what I know to local people/businesses at cheap rates, say 8 to a class... but I don't have the b4lls to do the approaching/negotiating.

I could create a company name and promote this myself directly, I could identify the correct channels in a morning .... but I don't have the b4lls to do it.

Many of us, through past life experiences and other issues, simply don't have the confidence to strike out. And that can't be changed easily. OK, some people can find confidence within themselves ... for others of us, it is akin to climbing Everest (which of course some people have done, but not all of us).

Confidence ... you can't buy it.

I find most 'creative' types (of which PN, you are one as you create your sites, content etc) lack confidence and are full of self doubt. Usually it's worse after creating something...and one hates it or isn't sure about this that or the other.
I have binned entire ranges 2 days before showing and OH has to pull them out of the bin (not a food one) after saying where's the so and so frock/range?..I reply that I 've binned it all as I hate it all (in a slightly shrill voice ).

It helps to have a partner or colleague to look with a different viewpoint on some work.

I find that confidence sometimes builds up over a period when things are rocking then, bam, something goes wrong and all you want to do is hide.

Phirefly

fc123 wrote: »

Usually it's worse after creating something...and one hates it or isn't sure about this that or the other.

Absolutely. Hence why I'm still sat here at quarter to Witching Hour reluctant to send a print to a client that I've spent the last 14 hours working on.

Exciting to see the mesh numbers giving themselves an airing. Although the concept of the Phiretummy adorned with a mesh panel is not something on which I'd like to dwell...

fc123

Phirefly wrote: »

Absolutely. Hence why I'm still sat here at quarter to Witching Hour reluctant to send a print to a client that I've spent the last 14 hours working on.

Exciting to see the mesh numbers giving themselves an airing. Although the concept of the Phiretummy adorned with a mesh panel is not something on which I'd like to dwell...

The Darth Vadar frocks didn't go there but there is a strong DV thingy going down at the mo in Real life Land. 14 hours? Send it and see....charge extra, they may like it more.;)

PasturesNew

fc123 wrote: »

charge extra, they may like it more.;)

That's the bit I never got over the last 10 years or so ....

If I need money and I tell you I'll do XYZ for £12/hour for you ... you won't want it. If I tell you I charge £28/hour + expenses, you'll think the sun shines out of my ***, yet while I value my knowledge at £28/hour (or more), I wouldn't have the b4lls to ask for it .... so I'd end up asking for £12, while all around me people with less ability were charging £28 and getting bookings left right and centre. I just never got it... it's that confidence thing isn't it.