Doing the job of 4 people

[Muses_nightmare]

I wasn't exactly sure where to put this so if it needs to be moved that's fine.

I'm a graphic designer for a home renovation supply company. When I first started this job, I actually really enjoyed it, but that's sort of worn off since. It would be fine if I was doing only what I was hired to do, but instead I'm doing that work plus the work of like 3 other positions. I'm doing all the communications work, writing blogs, social media stuff, anything that needs to be written I'm writing it, which would be fine, if I didn't have so much design work to do already, and if my boss hadn't told me that she was going to be hiring someone to take on that job. She hasn't hired anyone, and I don't think she will, she's claiming now that there isn't enough room for another person in the other showroom. Well okay then, I told her a lot of the communications stuff may get pushed to the wayside while we prepare for a trade show that's coming up.

Then I'm expected to be doing video editing, something that I have no training in whatsoever, a fact I informed them of when they were interviewing me. So I'm having to learn how to use the software to make promotional videos, on top of the design work I'm already doing. Awesome.

Then my boss, the head of MARKETING, asks me to create a marketing plan for 2012. I'm a graphic designer sure, I understand a bit about advertising, but I'm not really trained in the business side of marketing. It was never something on my resume, and hell they never even asked me about it in the interview, I would have been honest by saying that I didn't have marketing experience. Besides which this is supposed to be my bosses job, she makes the plan, we follow it. I do the design for the advertisements and get print quotes and all that stuff. Now I'm going to have to try and wrangle deals out of advertisers.

My bosses seem to enjoy not giving all the information to me and expecting me to mind read. I got talked to like I was stupid about product descriptions in our most recent flyer. Sorry but I wasn't given anything but what was on the website, which wasn't much, it isn't my fault if the information I have access to is wrong, it's yours. I don't mind making the descriptions sound nice, but I need all the correct information before I can do that.

They also certainly aren't paying me what all of this work is worth. Basically I get the impression that they're trying to squeeze as much as they can out of me for what they're paying me. My 3 month review is coming up and I hope that they see the work I'm putting in and compensate me accordingly, but I get the feeling that's hoping a bit too much. *sigh*

This definitely isn't a job I plan to stay at for more than a year or so, for the experience. They just don't seem willing to compensate their employees for the amount of work they do. If I didn't need the money and experience so badly, I'd probably leave now.

[CaptainJaneway]

I would look at this opportunity as a learning one. Try to get as much out of it as you can so when you go for another job you can add these new found skills to your resume. You probably could find a higher paying job with these new skill sets.

I would give it a least a year then start looking around for something better.

This is how i learned to do accounts payables. I did not go to school for it either.

Orignally when i started out, i was a temp worker. They made me perm about a year later. I was only at this company as a file clerk but then they started giving me more tasks that invovled attaching checks to invoices, then matching packing slips to invoices and then finally learning to enter invoices into their accounting system. About 2 years later i was laid off due to budget cuts.

So i went back to temping and lined up a permanent job doing accounts payables there with better pay to boot.

[Muses_nightmare]

Yeah that's pretty much what I'm doing, it's just a stress thing for me because I'm worried about getting in trouble for not knowing what the hell I'm doing. I get a bit panic attacky at times over that.

I think the company has gone through a few designers over this I think. I did tell them I'd stay on for at least a year so I'll see that through for sure.

[trailerparkmedic]

So, you're the art director, copywriter, media person and marketing manager, all in one?

I'm sure you know this, but just to emphasize how different marketing and advertising are: My husband has a degree in advertising, which is from the College of Communications at Big University. People with degrees in marketing have degrees from the Business School at Big University. Hell, if you're a graphic designer and not an art director, you'd have graduated from the College of Fine Arts, since you would be expected to focus on the pretty and not the business side.

Be careful that you don't put yourself in a "jack of all trades, master of none" position. And I'm not from Canada so I don't know what the laws are like, but why do you feel obligated to give a company your time and respect (by staying for a year) when they won't do the same for you? I'd be saying something like "So, I said I'd stay for a year but that's when I thought I'd only be doing design and you have made it clear that you have different expectations. I found another job where I can do focus on my design work, so see ya!"

[Muses_nightmare]

Well, my main problem is this is that it took me nearly a year to even find this job. I figure a year is going to give me the experience that I need. I am mostly still doing design work, and the communications stuff (which isn't really a problem for me as I'm also a writer), it's the marketing and such that I have problems with. I think some people get the impression that Marketing/Design/Advertising are all pretty much the same thing,

Art Direction is something I aspire to, but I don't think this qualifies as I'm the one coming up with the concepts and executing them, usually an Art Director delegates. I don't really have anyone to delegate to.

I'm just kinda stuck right now, there aren't a ton of jobs out there that don't require either more web knowledge than I have, or the ability to speak Chinese.

[TheSHAD0W]

Are your employers complaining because you aren't completing work, since they're loading you down with so many other tasks? If not, then they're aware of the load you're bearing. I recommend you do your best and start hinting at raising your salary. Be Zen about it; don't stress, just do your job the best you can.

[ArcticChicken]

Were I you, I'd start job hunting now. You don't want to be there in a year, all burned out on that job, and then have to stay there for another year while you look for a new one.

And, hell, in the mean time you might just find your dream job. Or at least one that pays better. And if you get a good offer, you could try telling them you got a better offer, would they like to match it?

[Muses_nightmare]

Yeah I've been looking, there aren't a ton of places hiring right now in my field. I'm trying to get some freelance work in, but even that is not all that easy to come by. It will also be difficult getting to interviews

My 3 month probationary period is coming up this month, so we'll see what happens there.

[Pixilated]

Good luck on your upcoming review!

I agree, though: keep looking for another job, no matter how discouraging it seems right now. Try not to let it turn into an "I gotta get outta here NOW!!!" thing, but don't give up completely.

And while I'm sure the last thing you need is another task, it might not be a bad idea to start keeping a log of what you're being asked to do, when you're working on each of these jobs and how long you spent on each one. If you get some flak about not completing tasks, you have a written log as backup to show that (a) you are seriously overloaded, and (b) you are doing your utmost to get the work done and are not, in fact, spending your days harvesting your crops or duelling other wizards and witches.

[Hanzoku]

I agree, take on the job as a learning one, and do your best to get the company to spring for any training/certificates you need to do the jobs they're asking you for.