Yeah Im still working as a Graphic Designer. From my experience job hopping is the only way to get higher salary. BUT, you only hop when you have worked at least a few years in the same company otherwise it will give your resume a bad look. You also need to prove your skills in order to get the salary you want, otherwise just talk and not enough skills doesn't get you further from where you are.

agreed. just work on the portfolio so that the company have confidence to hire you. for me, stay at least 2 years.

my experience:
1st company - 1 year
2nd company - 8 months (have some issues)
3rd company - 2 months (the 4th company called)
4th company - 2 years.. until now.

glad to share some of these with my fellow graphic designers!

Yep thats a good example.

ooo..thanks for the tips I guess newbie like me gotta stay here and learn all I can.

For me it must be my aura...bad luck in companies:.

1st company: 1 year worked with them then did my degree, when I came back, boss told company closed
2nd company: 1 year 6 months, company bankrupt
3rd company: 1 year bankrupt
4th company: 8 months contract
5th company: 1 year 6 months (marketing + designer + event) left cause of too long hours
6th company: 2 years... am a lecturer till this day

So you can imagine my resume for the 1st 3 jobs

whoah.. most of the companies bankrupted? haha. maybe it's a small company? and now ure a lecturer.. lucky u! i always wanted to teach ppl 3D. >.<

Even in big agencies if they lose one of their big contracts example: maxis, the whole creative team which works for the account will closed down, the Art Director, Graphic Designers, Visualisers, Account Exec... will have to find a new job.

Maxis still Leo Burnett, no?

that's y i dont dare to work in a big agencies again.. might as well work in an OK company doing something u like.. with a good pay..

Job Title:Graphic Designer
Job Description: All design work ( but it feels like DTP artist)
Years spent in company: 2 months
Company: haha can't tell or im dead
Industry: F&B
Tenure: Probation
Employment Level: Junior designer
Experience before joining: 2 years
Salary: RM2,000 but my creative director 3k come once every week and have idea about design and adobe tricks

I think most company in malaysian they see which your uni/college, pointer and then your experience.

I'm finally going into a rather well respected Creative/Advertising Agency and eventhough I'll be paid the same as my current company pays me, here's how I look at it. Similar pay but: Room to grow, experience, increments (yeah, I didn't think I was gonna get one where I am now), International Exposure to Advertising, I'm young so this better be the time when I slave like a dog so I have a more relaxed future.

I'm just worried as to what "Agency Life" is and why people tend to leave.

Salary wise, it scares me to see so many freshies being paid 1.5k. Is that the going rate? I was offered 1.8 when I started :/

Agency Life is the most happening place to work... Just don't think about a work life balance and everything should be ok.
I assume your salary is based on your portfolio that you presented to your employer. A well managed portfolio should get you a higher salary.

Yeah but they did ask me for a salary range and their excuse was "We'll pay you according to your years of experience." (Which in this case is 3 years)
So let's see. Gets my resume all shiny anyway

Job Title: Junior Web Designer
Job Description: All design work, website design, newsletter and social media event page
Years spent in company: 3 year+
Industry: in-house designer
Tenure: Permanent
Experience before joining: freshiiie
Salary: 1st year: RM 2300, 2nd year: RM 2700; 3rd year: RM 3200

just sharing some info here

This post has been edited by piggy017: Sep 3 2014, 09:44 AM

1st year already RM2.3k? luckyyyyy! 4 years back, i was getting RM1.6k..

My friend work as designer in SG, 3 years experience salary SGD5k.

goddamnnnnnn @_@

He told me SG value designer more than Malaysia and his salary is standard for their market. So.. can consider going south

standard is like that? ok. now im considering. hehehehehe

Don't consider, let's start packing