You know when you are actually considering going out with some unsavory dude in exchange for a free meal, that its time to find a jobby-job. Don’t get me wrong, I love my leisurely days of eating cold mexican for breakfast while weeping over the computer, looking at job sites that only have positions listed that you’ve already applied to (twice!). Now, I don’t mean to launch into this whole Debbie-Downer intro and then magically come up with a happy solution, cuz I don’t got one. What I can do, however, is offer like-minded freelance designers a list of places to look and things to do while trying to find that ideal job. Here goes:
1.) Online Job Sites- You’ve probably tried all these likely suspects, but hopefully, there’s one more here that you haven’t checked out- www.monster.com (boo- not much fash), www.stylecareers.com (more corporate stuff), www.wwd.com (garmentos), www.craigslist.com (more for interns)
2.) Try all the headhunting agencies- I’d list them all here, but honestly, so many pop up and then go out of business a little while later. One of the more reputable agencies that I like is Taylor-Hodsen (http://www.taylorhodson.com/). Google “Headhunters Fashion New York”
***Bad experiences include the agencies Fourth Floor Fashion and 24-7- I certainly won’t list their links here. I really think that their existence is to make you feel like a peon in the fashion food chain- by treating you like you are worth less, and telling you to call/email to follow up on jobs and never getting back to you. I have worked with many agents there and many of my collegues have complained about them. They usually take a huge cut of what you are working so hard for, and you end up working for less than you desire. I actually even once had an agent at 24-7 tell my current employer I was looking for a job!
3.) Soup up the ol’ resume. Visit the alumni job bank at your old college if its local, or head up to the second floor of the B-building at the Fashion Institute of Technology (http://www.fitnyc.edu/html/dynamic.html). Its mostly entry-level work that is listed there, but they do have free services with people that sit down with you to take a look at your resume and improve it. While at FIT, you’re also rubbing shoulders with proffessors, teachers, and industry professionals in the hallways, so I would suggest striking up a conversation- network a bit. For example, if you’re in the elevator with a teacher-looking type, you might say, “OMIGOSH! That is, like, SO Marni! Did you get it on the sample sale on 39th?”. No, its not necessary to use the Valley Girl accent, just a colorful suggestion…..
4.) Take up some alternative work. I’m talking like, dog-walking (http://petaholics.com/), babysitting, etc. These positions at least leave you with flexibility as well as some dignity while earning the green. But, as I’ve never been quite the lady, I have taken a lot of odd jobs that left me questioning whether I should start taking Lithium or not. I’m in therapy - its OK. But if you are of the colorful, adventurous lot like me, you might want to try the following-
——> Jello Shots! I once was a Jello Shot girl at a couple of midtown bars and earned at least $100 cash on an average night- my best friend, however, was totally more slutty than me and earned over $300-$400. Its OK that I call her a slut as that is now officially our pet nickname for one another. I’m also praying she doesn’t read this blog. Check out Craigslist.com.
——> Coat Check at Strip Club! At the ripe old age of 24, my genius Nobel-Prize-winning mind thought I could make bank and still keep on my panties by working at the Hustler Club. Instead, I got a lousy $12/hr, an new aversion to silicone, and permanent trauma from seeing Richard Dreyfuss triple-teamed by 3 strippers (I mean, Mr. Holland’s Opus? That guy is like my father!!!). I also got stuck in a booth selling Monopoly Money to the customers half the time- i.e. money they buy with a CC in the club
to use for lap dances. The name of this booth you ask? Why, its the Beaver Bucks Booth! Try saying that 3 times fast. Talk about dignified….
——> “Modeling” for Events- Be honest with yourself , Betty, and if you fancy yourself a hottie, or at least a “7″ you might want to try contacting some agencies to be a pretty girl that gets payed to mingle. A friend of mine runs this agency (http://www.hartmodel.com/), and recruits girls to do all sorts of events all over the city and in the boroughs, and the pay ain’t too bad. Holiday time is the busiest, and can be fun. Most often, the financial firms throw Christmas parties which are typically “sausage” fests, so they need to throw in some estrogen just to up the ante a bit. Sometimes, you are asked to do some light cocktail waitressing, passing around candy like a ol-timey cigarette girl (soooo embarrassing), or you just might be asked to talk to guys and mingle (easy! gets you to that free date and dinner thing I was talking about!). The downside is the most of the girls are barely outta high school and are college-aged and have the combined IQ of a bag of frozen peas. The dudes can be pretty skeazy, too. However, if you aren’t looking to make friends and can rebuff the gents with the swiftness of a Bungalow 8 bouncer, its golden.
Well, now that I have spent a good hour writing to you folks about how I go about it, I must get back to taking some of my own medicine! Your suggestions/comments are appreciated!
16/06/2008 at 10:58 am Permalink
How about working as a product tester in focus groups. They pay between $75 and $200 for an hour of work. There’s one in the Murray Hill Center called Easy Recruiting that’s pretty good.