Career advice please

skyfall2012

What is the potential career path of an Artist technician and what kind of pay-scale can you expect? versus a Web-master. (Two very different careers, but I know someone who is at a crossroads in his 30s, very good artist has been working as a web designer and potentially has a job offer for each of these jobs)

Which job has the better opportunities and pay-scale? Can someone point me in the right direction to find this information. Appreciate any information.

Artist technician job - in start up company with very good prospects ( has received good funding).

Web master job - in multi national company.

He loves the idea of Artist technician, but afraid it might be limited in its opportunities and security.

Web master job offers security, but not challenging creatively.

He has a young family, we are discussing it, but I don't know enough to know what is the best option for him to take. I want him to be happy, but we also need security. Need some sound advice. Thanks.

ChRoMe

skyfall2012 wrote: »

What is the potential career path of an Artist technician and what kind of pay-scale can you expect? versus a Web-master. (Two very different careers, but I know someone who is at a crossroads in his 30s, very good artist has been working as a web designer and potentially has a job offer for each of these jobs)

Which job has the better opportunities and pay-scale? Can someone point me in the right direction to find this information. Appreciate any information.

Artist technician job - in start up company with very good prospects ( has received good funding).

Web master job - in multi national company.

He loves the idea of Artist technician, but afraid it might be limited in its opportunities and security.

Web master job offers security, but not challenging creatively.

He has a young family, we are discussing it, but I don't know enough to know what is the best option for him to take. I want him to be happy, but we also need security. Need some sound advice. Thanks.

Care to expand on what an "Artist technician" is?!

I have no idea!

skyfall2012

ChRoMe wrote: »

Care to expand on what an "Artist technician" is?!

I have no idea!

Well, my husband is trained in digital arts, can use photoshop, flash etc. has just recently up-skilled and learned java programming - has the Associate exam and will be doing the developer exam in January.

Anyhow, he has been approached by a company because of his Artistic skills and his technical knowledge. They want him to test software they are developing from the point of view of an Artist, as it is being developed for Artists to use. They entitled the role he would have as Artist technician. But, I am not sure what it would entail aside from what I have just described. He is meeting this guy soon, what questions should he ask him?

He has been using the last couple of years to up-skill, in business and programming. Originally, we thought that the Games industry would be our target, as it was a growing industry, he enjoys gaming, and we thought his Artistic skills could be utilised. But not many Game Artist jobs in Ireland, he is a 2D artist and has dabbled in 3D, but not confident in 3D, but would learn if the prospects were there.

Then we realised that development was perhaps the best target, as the software industry is not in recession and there are many jobs on offer in Ireland and learning a programming language would compliment his current skill set.

A recruiter put him in touch with the web master job which we were very happy about until, this job offer came his way and now we have choice, but we don't want to make a mistake and end up back at square one.

ChRoMe

skyfall2012 wrote: »

Well, my husband is trained in digital arts, can use photoshop, flash etc. has just recently up-skilled and learned java programming - has the Associate exam and will be doing the developer exam in January.

Anyhow, he has been approached by a company because of his Artistic skills and his technical knowledge. They want him to test software they are developing from the point of view of an Artist, as it is being developed for Artists to use. They entitled the role he would have as Artist technician. But, I am not sure what it would entail aside from what I have just described. He is meeting this guy soon, what questions should he ask him?

He has been using the last couple of years to up-skill, in business and programming. Originally, we thought that the Games industry would be our target, as it was a growing industry, he enjoys gaming, and we thought his Artistic skills could be utilised. But not many Game Artist jobs in Ireland, he is a 2D artist and has dabbled in 3D, but not confident in 3D, but would learn if the prospects were there.

Then we realised that development was perhaps the best target, as the software industry is not in recession and there are many jobs on offer in Ireland and learning a programming language would compliment his current skill set.

A recruiter put him in touch with the web master job which we were very happy about until, this job offer came his way and now we have choice, but we don't want to make a mistake and end up back at square one.

1. Stay the hell away from the games industry

2. Yes java development for earning power and job stability is best.

3. The job he is meeting the guy about sounds like a quality assurance position, which while not a bad job, will be lower than developer.

skyfall2012

ChRoMe wrote: »

1. Stay the hell away from the games industry

2. Yes java development for earning power and job stability is best.

3. The job he is meeting the guy about sounds like a quality assurance position, which while not a bad job, will be lower than developer.

I appreciate your response and I would like to thank you.

But I am curious as to why you are so adamant about staying away from games industry?

ChRoMe

skyfall2012 wrote: »

I appreciate your response and I would like to thank you.

But I am curious as to why you are so adamant about staying away from games industry?

Its an industry that offers no job security, unpaid overtime and is generally abusive to its workers. There are a lot of bright eyed young men who go in with the mind set of "wow I'm making games" and they get worked into the ground for very little money.

skyfall2012

ChRoMe wrote: »

1. Stay the hell away from the games industry

2. Yes java development for earning power and job stability is best.

3. The job he is meeting the guy about sounds like a quality assurance position, which while not a bad job, will be lower than developer.

Do you think taking the Web master job would be advisable it looks like a good career in itself with good pay scale and opportunities or is development still a better direction to go?

There is also the possibility of an in house intern ship (not FAS intern ship) with an Irish communications company in January if he passes the interview stage, perhaps this is the safest and most direct route to a development job and job security? They have already expressed an interest in him, they are waiting for him to finish his exams.

ChRoMe

skyfall2012 wrote: »

Do you think taking the Web master job would be advisable it looks like a good career in itself with good pay scale and opportunities or is development still a better direction to go?

There is also the possibility of an in house intern ship (not FAS intern ship) with an Irish communications company in January if he passes the interview stage, perhaps this is the safest and most direct route to a development job and job security? They have already expressed an interest in him, they are waiting for him to finish his exams.

Yeah the web development job (web master is considered an out dated term these days) would be his best bet in my view.