Moving

[surfingcroatan]

Hey guys whats up? Guess what? Another mainlander wanting to move to Oahu. I wont be moving for a while, but by the time I do, I'll be having a bachelor's degree in Advertising Design, and Ill have 7 years of experience. Anyone know how the job market is for graphic/advertising designers with a degree and experience? Also, what area usually has cheaper housing. I just need the bare minimum pretty much. Im just a young single dude following my dream. Besides, I could always get a bigger place when I can afford it. Im a simple guy, and I dont need much. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rocky Rockbottom]

[HMARK]

what area usually has cheaper housing

There is no such thing.

how the job market is for graphic/advertising designers with a degree and experience?

Unless you are willing to whore your talent out, the market is tight as cornholio's bung hole. (assuming he aint gay) Few firms will hire at a rate comparable to mainland wages. What is you portfolio like? Do you have experience with large clients? These 2 items alone will get a Foot in the door; if you dont have either, you are looking at the bottom of the ladder, and everyone and their cousins cousin cousin's aunty is above you. Local advertisers pay next to nothing, and the results show it.

Good luck.

[surfingcroatan]

Im a senior in high school right now, and I've already done stuff for my high school (including a football stadium banner), another high school, Virginia Beach Public Schools, other local companies, and a couple national companies. I am at the top of the "pyramid" of kids at my school who do graphic design (and there's a lot of them). I also plan on going to Virginia Comonwealth University (VCU), and that is one of the top schools in the states for graphic design. I also plan on working at a print shop throughout my college career, so Ill get experience and some extra money to save up.

[surfer9joe]

I might be able to hire you for an occasional freelance web design, or logo.

Finding a full time will be tough, but if you are good... it may be doable.

you might have to work as a waiter or a busser for a while...

[surfingcroatan]

Thanks for the job offer man. I dont mind doing a little extra work on the side, whatever it takes to follow my dream. Like I said though, I wont be moving for a while, well a long time. I still have 4 years of college to go through. As far a my talent right now, it's about average considering all other graphic designers. But I'm still learning, and greatly improving. Just over the past 6 months or so, Ive improved greatly.


Im just kind of curious, in Virginia Beach, there seems like there's a lot of hate. Hate against minorities, against surfers and skaters, hate against everyone who doesnt fit the evangellican neo-conservative white male. And this really bothers me. I really despise racism and discrimination. How is it there?

[Puerto_Rico_Surfer]

Love and aloha. Enjoy being the minority in a place you are not wanted. "Haole..."

Well its not really that bad but realize you will be coming to an already overcrowded island, with insane out of this world (realestate, cost of living, gas etc prices) mostly caused by there just being to many people that want to come to Hawaii which in turn causes severe hardship for the locals. Hawaiians are some of the most friendly and loving people of the earth but any group can only be pushed so far before they push back and push hard. And as for the surfing yeah its world class, though its a very limited resource with just not enough to go around so its dog eat in the lines up with a strict pecking order and let me assure you, you will be the bottom. Other than that- its a great place.

[red]

It's tough. That's for sure. In four years we all may have to leave depending what happens with those oil prices. Everything you see out here besides the mountains comes from on a shipping container. I imagine in the not too distant future a lot of those houses out in Ewa sitting empty.

But it's a lot of fun right now.

[surfingcroatan]

Pecking order doesnt bother me, Im more than used to it. Try surfing at the 1st Street Jetty in Virginia Beach during tourist season. Yeah. Extremely crowed, one of two spots in all of VB that doesnt have restrictions, right at the center for tourists, beginner surfers surfing for the first time, old lawyers riding planks who thing they're better than you 'cause they make more money, ohh, and dont forget very limmited number of ridable waves with usually having 5 people per crappy little wave thats knee high (non Hawaiian). All of that, wrapped into a 1 block area. And if you travel out that one block area, you gotta deal with 5-0. So left over slop to you, is probably golden to me.

How are the other islands as far as crowds and jobs go? Got any links that might help me out? Im not limiting myself just to Oahu. Big Island, Maui, Kuai, whatever.