Job Search Frustrations

INTERVIEWS
42

I’m in Los Angeles. But that’s just been my experience. I’m also a woman of color so i know I’ve been paid less compared to other Co workers. So maybe what’s alot to me isn’t the same to everyone. However, when i was a director of tech at a big e-commerce brand, I made 80k as salary. Typically working 60hrs a week.

Working at my current theater, i started at $30/hr then within 6 months they bumped me up to $35/hr. I am their wardrobe supervisor who also have built costumes from scratch, hired people & project managed under tight deadlines. We also do on the road work that gives me a day rate of $300 to just dress the talent & prep/fix issues… etc…

I just like that if I’m working 12hrs a day, I was paid for all 12 hours. They arent a union shop so I dont get overtime, but the overall mood is just better. I don’t have to clock in/clock out. I come & go as I please, I make my own schedule & I am not micromanaged.

The theatre job I applied to. Which I’m still waiting to hear back from pays $40/hr & is a union theater. This is just a wardrobe supervisor position so I wouldn’t have to make anything from scratch since they have a whole costume shop that does that. I literally only have to dress the talent & wash/mend the wardrobe. (The interview process is super long & they told me that, but so far they really like me, so here’s hoping!)

For me the thought of going back to salary positions & even clocking in & out is daunting. Likeeeee with live theater if you are 5mins late no one is lecturing you. They know you are coming & you will do your job. Period. The thought of working more than 40hrs & not getting paid for them is daunting. The thought that i can’t go on vacation when I want because althogh I had “unlimited flex time” or whatever, it was always frown upon to ask for a day off. In theatre since there’s a calendar (most of the time) I can plan my vacations around the shows.

But that’s just my experience. Once again, I’m not sure if this is really good pay since when I have talked with past co workers about pay in the corporate fashion industry, I noticed I was always drastically paid less even though we had the same or similar experience. But with theater experience and working at costume shops, I was always paid pretty well per hour. (Or so i think :thinking:)

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43

This kind of treatment is wholly demoralizing.

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44

I have been actively looking for a new job (it’s a crap show where I am currently).
My question is how do headhunters make a living? Overall, no initiative or follow up.
Any thoughts on how do find a job these days?

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45

Of course, we recommend applying to jobs on StyleCareers.com. :wink:

Using your personal network is a big deal, too.

46

Unfortunately, though I’m very experienced I have never received a call from any style career job I’ve applied to.

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47

I can assure you that thousands of job seekers get jobs from the ads on StyleCareers every year. Feel free to send me your resume and I’ll take a look to see if something is going on there.

48

Thank you. Will consider it. Take a poll, alot of people feel that way.

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49

I just had 2 back to back interviews.

The first was a second, and after telling me my salary was too high, he asked for me to tell him ‘the hot colors for next year’, on the spot, and then asked for ‘little project’.

The next interview was a first who already saw all of my womens experience, but called me in to discuss mens, and then expressed frustration that I had no mens in my portfolio. What’s sad is that he mentioned that he just interviews people regularly, because every few months he likes to “switch things up”, with his designers.

Ultimately, these 2 helped me to realize that I will wait for something I am excited about, versus these companies that drain your spirit away.
And neither company had any info on this site, which I found interesting.

1 Like