You Get What You Pay For...

Craigslist is a decent place to find jobs. Being unemployed, it's one of the places I frequent in my job searches. However, I'm noticing a disturbing trend of low-balling jobs for graphic & web designers.

The majority of these list the requirements for the job - usually "3-5 years experience; fluent in CS3; etc." - but demean the qualifications by offering a paltry sum of $10-$15 per hour for compensation. This is what you would pay an unskilled worker to move boxes in a warehouse, or a high-school student to make a Big Mac. This is not what you pay a professional who has spent years honing a very specific skill.

As a graphic artist, I'm outraged. This is demeaning not only to me but to designers (both print and web) and the industry as a whole. I understand the economy is down and things are tight, but offering trained and skilled creative individuals McJob wages is not the way to go. More often than not, you'll end up insulting and angering the very people you're trying to attract.

A better solution is to put "negotiable" for compensation. Granted, it's vague, but you'll find that designers will be more willing to work with your budget if you're open and respectful of their time. This isn't pompous or arrogant; it's simply a desire to be adequately and fairly compensated for our time.

Think about it. Would you expect Wolfgang Puck to prepare a meal for you for $10/hr? The guys from West Coast Choppers to build a custom bike for $10/hr? Beyoncé to sing at your wedding for $10/hr?

Professional designers are just that - professionals - and should be recognized as such. Stop low-balling compensation. Professional work deserves professional compensation.

Anything less is insulting.