HELP: Creative / Design Field. (Chicago, Lincoln: house, find a job, salary)

[xxARGYLExx]

Hello, I am currently a Sr. Graphic Designer in my late 20s who is considering the move to Chitown late of this year from the East Coast.

I have been doing my research and so far, I really think I can do it! COL is way more affordable than NYC (you get what your $'s worth) or Boston, and I love the local museums, architecture, among other things. I've been to Chicago quite a few times and I would say it now tops my list of cities to move to. (Down, Seattle & SanFran). I love winter.

I'm looking at the various threads on this forum and looking at Lakeview / Wrigleyville / Lincoln Park area as I really want to experience a somewhat urban lifestyle (I own a home in the suburbs right now and am more than ready to GET OUT). I will feel alright about getting rid of my car prior to the move. I live quite simply, I'd rather spend $ on good food and an occasional play than on clothes, so being a single woman, I think I'm on the right track. FYI I would not move anywhere without securing employment first.

NOW my concern is...as I am in the design field, I am expecting at least $45k-50k for a similar SGD or Art Director position. I have more than 5+ of solid work experience with a good portfolio to boost. I will also have my 2nd degree by the end of the year. I can speak two extra languages.

IS THIS REALISTIC? Do most established design firms provide relocation assistance? (At the same time I would not want to insist if it would deter them from hiring me). Can someone direct me to a list of agencies to look into?

Would it be hard to establish a social base? I am intending to join the local design orgs, foreign-language speakers meetups, maybe some other creative/crafty activities.

I have been preparing myself for this big-move-on-my-own, so I am excited and yet nervous also.

Thank you in advance, I'd really appreciate any input.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by xxARGYLExx

NOW my concern is...as I am in the design field, I am expecting at least $45k-50k for a similar SGD or Art Director position. I have more than 5+ of solid work experience with a good portfolio to boost. I will also have my 2nd degree by the end of the year. I can speak two extra languages.

Actually, that seems really low to me. My wife has been in this industry for years, and salaries are higher than that in Chicago. Check out salary.com if you are serious about this. Do you do web or just print? Salaries are higher for web designers--and I'm not talking about web developers, just the graphic designers who lay out the pages.

Originally Posted by xxARGYLExx

IS THIS REALISTIC? Do most established design firms provide relocation assistance? (At the same time I would not want to insist if it would deter them from hiring me). Can someone direct me to a list of agencies to look into?

I don't think anyone would pay for relocation.

Are you interested in working for more of a small funky design shop or a larger agency? Many of the advertising agencies in Chicago have large armies of graphic designers. Almost everyone has a large presence here. And some of the big boys like Leo Burnett and DDB have smaller "interactive" agencies attached to them (Burnett has Arc, DDB has Tribal, etc.)

Originally Posted by xxARGYLExx

Would it be hard to establish a social base? I am intending to join the local design orgs, foreign-language speakers meetups, maybe some other creative/crafty activities.

Nah. You'll meet a lot of people through work. Also, there are hundreds of freelance opportunities in Chicago. I'll ask my wife who the big freelance agencies are and post it here.

[Attrill]

I think you can definitely find a job in that salary range, more depending on what you do. If you are experienced in both print and web you will make more. Having a good web portfolio helps, and knowing some front end development (like CSS and Flash) helps even more.

Also, there are differences in what job titles signify at different places, and if Sr. Designer means you had a team of designers reporting to you, you could make a lot more (AKA Creative Director). If it means heading up projects and having a production designer or two at your disposal then $50-60K seems about right.

There are a lot of different types of design jobs in Chicago. There are loads of marketing and ad agencies jobs downtown, as well as loads of smaller design firms scattered throughout the city. There are also plenty of opportunities to work as an in house designer for publications, associations, financial institutions, etc... The hours you work can vary drastically based on the type of job it is. Some large agencies are known for having life-destroying schedules, but the pay is good and your social life will be taken care of for you (it will be the office). In house jobs tend to be more stable, with less hours, but the work can get repetitive and the social aspect may not be as strong.

One freelance agency I have had good luck with in the past, both working and hiring through them, is Artisan. I've also had good experiences with Paladin, Sun Consulting, and Aquent.

[xxARGYLExx]

Thank you so so much. These make me feel very hopeful and the future looks promising.

My only concern with funky / design shops is that...they might end up suddenly restructuring, or laying off based on seniority, and I end up moving to a strange city and suddenly losing a job. I'm scared of ending up being a bum, (albeit artsy-fartsy), or having to pack up and move back home. (First-time fears!)

It would be a dream to get into Leo Burnett, but I suppose I have quite a few months to really come up with the best presentation I can muster. I've dabbled in CSS and Flash with a couple of sites and animation DVDs, but not really delved as well as I should. My background was in publishing and now corporate in-house, but the goal is to get into an agency and climb the ladder from there.

Thanks again for your help (Attrill/Lookout Kid).

BTW a list would be great!

[Lookout Kid]

Like I said, I'm only married to someone in that line of work, but I'll try to post a list of decent agencies with Chicago offices based on my limited exposure to the industry. I'm sure there are dozens more, but these are places that friends and acquaintances have worked:

Leo Burnett
Arc (Leo Burnett Interactive Branch)
DDB
BBDO
Tribal (DDB Interactive Branch)
Razorfish
Euro RSCG
Digitas
Agency.com
Cramer Kreslin
J. Walter Thompson

[dlsuits11]

off the subject a little...what would be the salary range for someone with 2-3 years apparel design experience expect to make moving to chicago? what ive found so far, w/cost of living added in is around $41,000-$42,000/yr...is this accurate?