Marketing professionals- anon because coworkers are in here.

Anonymous

April 19,2023 at 12:24AM UTC

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Marketing professionals- anon because coworkers are in here. My new job is nothing like what I was promised. I’m paid well and that’s all this has going for it. I was careful when interviewing to find out exactly what resources and budget I’d have at my disposal to achieve my goals/KPIs and actually earn my 15% bonus. Come to find out, we don’t have a designer, we don’t have a budget for anything, and I’m now spending 2+ hours a day creating content as someone who makes no false claims on being able to design properly even in Canva. I was so clear with my skills and we interviewed 5x! I mentioned to my manager that I am not a designer a few weeks in to reset the boundary and he expects me to just skill up magically and execute. My boss is constantly trying to cut costs and asking me to find free trials to “try”.

If you’re a marketer, you know there’s a big difference between being a Brand manager/creative ideator and design agency liaison versus professional designer. I’m not sure what to do now. This is outside of what I was hired to do, and I honestly don’t enjoy it. I couldn’t have said I was looking for a place with resources to execute more than I did in this interview process. I’ve found myself in a resource starved place that I feel like lied to me. How would you approach? Do you leave or have this conversation with your manager?

I’ve long wanted to go out on my own for email marketing and marketing strategy, and would simply outsource the design aspect as it’s not my core competency. Just not having any luck on upwork yet!

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JessicaApril 19,2023 at 3:32AM UTC
I feel you! I too would love to go out on my own, but design is not my strong suit! I was tasked with social media and doing a newsletter about 4 or 5 months into my job until they found a new Communications Manager. I was so stressed all the time and I felt taken advantage of. Looking back now, I should have refused to do it, since it wasn't a part of my job description. They could either outsource the work or pay me more. Companies don't care about employees mental health. I would get your job duties outlined by HR and then use it to negotiate or get out.
AnonymousApril 19,2023 at 1:14PM UTC
Thank you for sharing. Laughing at the newsletter because I too just got assigned one to design and implement moving forward. In a system that needs custom HTML coding to use... losing my mind and my patience here!
Jennifer WeaverApril 19,2023 at 7:07PM UTC
I am sorry they misled you in the interview process. It sounds like you did everything you could to mitigate the situation.
I feel like this happens a lot in marketing. I also was forced to be a "designer" and learned free Canva on the fly. When I got a new job that had a designer, I realized how poorly I did. So sad that for a few thousand more we could have potentially outsourced and had something fantastic.
As for advice for you, I would find some things that your competitors are doing that are catching your eye and make it clear the disadvantage you are at with lower level design (although maybe you are better at it than I was). I would also track your hours on design. They add up so quickly.
AnonymousApril 19,2023 at 7:21PM UTC
You can try sharing with your manager how a poor design from someone who's not a trained designer can poorly affect the organization brand. If that doesn't light a fire under management, then there's not much you can do. They will keep asking you to do the work.
rgstaffing@bellsouth.netApril 20,2023 at 12:33PM UTC
Quit the job--you are not that invested in it and start looking for a better company and a better job. 5 interviews is so not necessary.
Kelly MeigsApril 21,2023 at 12:23PM UTC
Agree with the comments! It’s no fun to struggle and feel you aren’t making a difference. There is so much work out there and brands don’t allocate enough for staffing or the people just aren’t out there. In this job environment, nobody should stay at a job and be unhappy. LinkedIn is your best friend.
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 1:03PM UTC
I'm a designer. I quit a job not long ago because the company hired people who were marketing liaisons and gave them design projects mostly to make them feel creative and happy. I would have gladly mentored them, ( since they had no real skills, one couldn't even find her way around in Adobe Creative Suite,) but was told that they wanted to "see what they could come up with without help". We had a work slowdown and guess who was left with nothing to do? All this under a VP who would tell everyone what a brand guru she is. I suppose I must have been a vanity hire at the time they brought me in, ostensibly to validate her approach to the brand, which she changed twice in the two years I was there. They changed it yet again after I left and one of the co workers sent me a text showing me how she ripped off the style from a global automotive brand. Ah well, no longer my circus. I have come to the conclusion that people seem to care less about quality design of brand materials. I think it has been moving in that direction for a while, but it's really bad now. I foresee a rollback of general taste sensibilities that will affect all markets. It's a by-product of AI, crowdsourcing and other means people have to get "graphics" on the cheap. How to get some work on your own? Join your Chamber of Commerce and try to go to networking events. Networking is the best thing you can do. As I write this I am almost too busy for comfort, project-wise. Quite a contrast from how bored I was in my last job. Another thought for you is to look at agencies...they usually need someone of your skillset to administrate work.
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 1:28PM UTC
I would say that if there is ANY inkling in you to venture out on your own, find a way to pursue that. Maybe try to grind thru this to keep the paycheck but work that side hustle like whoa. I'm no where in your field/industry so I have nothing specific to contribute, but I believe that now is a great time to get out and share your unique gifts. There's a great podcast I've found helpful- "Don't keep your day job" with Cathy Heller. You may find some nuggets of inspiration there. Either way, do whatever you choose with confidence!
Stephanie LekowskiApril 21,2023 at 3:05PM UTC
I would try to find another position where they don't mislead you or fail to address any concerns you have in the interviews. You made every attempt to advise what you can and cannot do in 5 interviews and they disregarded it. Now your boss just expects you to execute, run with it, etc. This is silent firing, because I wouldn't put it past them to decide YOU don't know what you're doing and they need to let you go. People have VERY selective memories.
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 4:47PM UTC
I would suggest you find a designer on your own that might do work for free, perhaps a graduate student or other that wants to build their portfolio? Check the local colleges and if you find someone that could solve it. As an aside if its not what you want to do in terms of job content it's definitely time to cut your losses sooner vs later. Let them know that you chose this role because of the content not the money and under the details that they provided re budget etc. If they just don't get it they will when it takes 3 people to replace you... good luck
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 6:04PM UTC
Designers shouldn't be asked to work for free. That's the problem: the culture is starting to devalue the professional effort of designers in favor of cheap or free ways to get design. Design is a product, not a doodle. We really have to not let good practices slide.
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 6:40PM UTC
Graphic designers along with any other professionals (interns as well) should not be asked to work for free. This sentiment is part of the problem as people are starting to devalue and thus cheapen the efforts that designers and illustrators do.
AnonymousApril 21,2023 at 7:02PM UTC
I agree with the other posters here, please do not ask anyone to work for free, even as an intern or student. And with social media, the newest for free is for exposure. Why should everyone else be paid fairly but the designer not?
People respect free work less. It's damaging for diversity, only people privileged in some way can work and not earn an income. Don't ask someone to devalue other people, their work, and their hard-earned skills. It also sets a bad precedent for the OP, they could be expected to do this to complete all projects and it becomes a shady way of doing business.
Liz MilneApril 22,2023 at 12:53AM UTC
If you have industry contacts and experience, you probably don't really need Upwork - get in touch with old clients who liked the way you work and offer your services? Cuts out the middle man...
AnonymousApril 29,2023 at 12:23AM UTC
I can't tell you how much reading your post made me feel less alone. Because everything you listed - cheap company, no budget, always asking you to do free trials, not being able to outsource projects, so you're stuck being a "designer" on Canva, the list goes on. I am a marketing manager, but it was never told to me during an interview that I would have to do the jobs of 5 or 6 people. Nor was it listed on my job description. I am stressed, overworked, and completely miserable. I did get a raise, but I was also told that would be the last for a while. The only advice I have is to - find a job and leave this one immediately! A cheap company that doesn't care about your mental health and welfare will not care about how many hours you put in, or the fact that they're asking you to design a new logo for a new product. They will continue to do that to you because they think they are the ones saving an immense amount of money. I will be doing the same.