Context: BFA in Animation, interned at this small business/”mom+pop” print shop during my uni days, fast forward to now working PT 15/hr that specializes in “graphic design, printing, mailing and binding” (as per their website. ) Bulk of the projects here are commercial printing. They did have 3 FT designers but 2 of them were pregnant and I was called back to help during the senior designer who is on maternity leave and to prepare for the other designer who was planning to quit (both confirmed by the designer herself and the boss). The one designer who quit was paid 15/hr as FT and the other designer that's here with me is currently $18.50. Unsure if he was given a raise from the last 3 years he was here.
I was given a job from my project manager to design a logo and then to make business and postcards. Knowing the market value of graphic designers in the east coast and being an artist myself, I knew I would be undervaluing my skills taking on this job. There's always advocacy on “being paid your worth” which is very important in the art field which I whole-heartedly agree. That being said, I approached my PM who handed me the job and said something along the lines of “due to the market value of logo design, I cannot take this job at the rate I'm being paid.” I also “slipped” and added that I'm being paid 15/hr.
So the next day (which is today) my boss and I talked about what I told the PM and it went like this:
- told me she doesn't like discussing my wage with my peers (yes she said peers)
- told me its part of my job as a designer
- asked me what my rate would be and i said $150, but then she tried to be slick and say work on it on your own time and i said no, this gets done on company time on top of my hourly pay if you want me to do this
- i kept on reiterating that what we do here is print design, not graphic design
After I made my points I felt powerful, thinking I advocated for myself and I was right. But I started second-guessing after I went to my desk. I looked at their website again and it confirmed they add graphic design as one of their services, so I essentially made a fool of myself and knocked out all my other arguments. Even so, that doesn't excuse being paid such a low rate and expecting to be an all-in-one designer. Then the insistence of asking how long it would take because she was willing to pay the flat rate. Looking back at it, it was embarrassing.
As much as she was desperate to replace the designer who quit, I am too. I do not want to go back to retail. I was planning to use this job as a place holder until I can improve my portfolio and go into Animation. I didn't want bad blood and the way I rationalized it to myself: I'm not planning to stay here long term so let me swallow this pill.
I've only ever been in retail but have tried to stay informed of the “9-5 office setting workplace” and may or may not have handled this well. So I walked back in my boss' office and told her forget everything I said. I figured since it wasn't in writing plus they're a small business (more forgiving in a sense), the damage can't be that big.
I just wish I could be paid my worth.