Realizing you made the right decision

Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 440

I realize that some of you who read this have not yet made the transition to full-time designer (or copywriter), but you dream about it day and night...to get out on your own and not have your work-life in the hands of a person or business that might turn on you in a second.

I stumbled across a blog today that has been in the news recently. It's the Mini-Microsoft site. For reasons you'd quickly understand, the owner of the blog is annonymous. He is a Microsoft employee. I can imagine if MS found out who he was, he'd be publicly flogged which would be followed by a traditional MS beer party.

Anyway...

Reading one of the articles (http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2006/03/internal-microsoft-compensation.html if you're interested) reminded me of one of the reason I left Microsoft. In a nutshell, you're not as in control of your career at MS as you think you are.

Overall, I loved working for Microsoft. I was always treated well by my managers. (10 in 4.5 years, though. Sigh.) And the company gave me a fair amount of freedom.

But it's a big company that operates with employees worldwide. Because of that, you often have to put processes in place that aren't going to be fair to everyone.

As the article discusses, the annual review process is a sore point for many. The problem, at least when I was there, was that there was only so many review scores at each level to give out, and if you didn't have a strong manager or a manager who was in good with his manager, you might be out of luck if he couldn't successfully fight for a good score for you. You might have done 4.0 work, but because there were only so many 4.0s to give out, you might only get 3.5. That affected your pay and stocks.

I once had a manager explain it to me this way, "Your review typically goes in a three year cycle. One year you'll get the score you deserve, one year you'll get a great score, and one year you'll get <cough>. Over the course of time, things should balance out."

Lovely.

He told me this after I just had started with the company. Since there wasn't enough time to really evaluate my performance, I got to start my cycle with the <cough> score. Ok...I was new and happy to have the job, so I let that one go.

When it came to what score you got, you wrote your review and gave yourself the score you thought you deserved, but needed to back it up with your accomplishments. Then, you hoped there were enough of that score to go around.

The year I left MS was a year that I wouldn't say I got <cough>, but I knew I deserved a better score. And I knew that lower score was partially because of other people in my group who hadn't performed well and that affected what I was able to accomplish.

What does this have to do with design (or copywriting)? The day I left MS was the day things outside of my control affected my compensation, and lots of other things like the time I got to spend with my family. It was the day team members who were "slackers" no longer affected what I made.

Everything is now completely in my hands and I wouldn't have it any other way. That's just one of the many benefits of pushing forward with whatever course you have if you're currently in a situation that feels out of your control.

So this is just me encouraging you to push on. Do something every day to help you reach whatever goal you've set.

Reading that blog and the article in particular that has been in the news (not the one I linked to above) made me realize how glad I am I went off on my own and how happy I am that I was actually brave enough to do it.

Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 227 Location: New Hamshire

Mike

Thanks for the post Smile

It's a great reminder of the reason I am in this program.

As a travel writing student, I'm not expecting to make a fortune, just enough to supplement my (early) retirement and pay for my travels. (Since I love to travel, that could add up to quite a bit though Wink

)

What I am expecting is to gain a lot more control over my life. I work in a program that depends on Federal funding to survive. My pay is low because it is a non-profit but the rewards of helping others succeed have been worth it. However, with current conditions in Washington, we are constantly in danger of losing our funding so I never know if I will have a job from year to year.

My goal is to replace my income by June 30th when our current funding ends - we haven't heard yet about next year Sad

Going by experience the past two years, it will not be in place in July and there is a good chance we won't hear anything definite until sometime in the fall (this year we heard in November for a program designed to start in September, yet we are still supposed to accomplish everything by the June 30th goal date!)

This program is my key to getting and keeping control of my life into my own hands! Thanks for the booster shot Smile

Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 34 Location: Houston, Texas

Mike, your words could very well be any Coporate America. Yesterday was my last day in that world. Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I know that sounds very clique, but I really believe it to be true. I have business waiting for me as I write this. I also have had the very good fortune of already having some business, one with a great copywriter on the AWAI forum. He's new, but he is going to make people sit up and listen...hang in there, Mike!

So any of you out there, especially in IT, better get Plan B in place. My Plan B is now my Plan A and I couldn't be happier! I was making over $75,000 a year before. I see no reason to top that, perhaps not in the first year, but very soon thereafter. Actually, I know that I will make a lot more, just because I can! Laughing

Jan

Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 440

Welcome to the freelance design club, Jan and get ready for one heck of a fun ride!

Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Atlanta, GA

Hi Jan, Mike, Sue -

It's great to read your posts and hear so much enthusiasm Smile

I just began the GDS course and am still a little nervous about the idea of going solo...this is something that is definitely a goal once I finish the course. I have no idea how to make it all happen, but I know to take it step by step and hearing testimonials like this really help keep me focused Wink

Thanks!

Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Atlanta, GA

JanLy wrote:

Mike, your words could very well be any Coporate America. Yesterday was my last day in that world. Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I know that sounds very clique, but I really believe it to be true. I have business waiting for me as I write this. I also have had the very good fortune of already having some business, one with a great copywriter on the AWAI forum. He's new, but he is going to make people sit up and listen...hang in there, Mike!

So any of you out there, especially in IT, better get Plan B in place. My Plan B is now my Plan A and I couldn't be happier! I was making over $75,000 a year before. I see no reason to top that, perhaps not in the first year, but very soon thereafter. Actually, I know that I will make a lot more, just because I can! Laughing

Jan

Hi JanLy,

When and how did you decide to make the leap? and how long since you've finished the course?

Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Houston, Texas

Jan,
How's it going? Would you be interested in starting a peer review group?