Turned down a job cause they wanted me to work on a PC...

voiceofra · May 8, 2008

Whoa bad move. But you've already gotten that idea, I hope.
For 17 years I worked the tech industry - from phone support to being the "IT Guy". Out of those 17 years, only 2 were Mac-dedicated support.
As was said previously, you go where the money is.
It really is a Windows world, at least as far as the big businesses are concerned.

Ghostshadow · May 8, 2008

Yeah..

Tell them to call me, I'll do it. Freelancing only pays for so long, finding clients gets hard sometimes. I would have taken the position too. Just think, if you started there.. maybe you'd be able to take your macbook / pro in.

I know when I was working at this one company, I was the repair tech and web master + gfx designer, etc. They weren't too keen on me bringing in my own machine (laptop) right away, but after I worked there for a little while, they gained trust and they realized I was a good employee, I wasn't out to steal their work. So I was allowed to bring my own lappy in. It worked out much better because I felt more comfortable working on my own machine.

Companies don't like to jump the gun right away, it's risky business buying a machine for someone when they don't know if they will like your work or your skills. They don't know how you manage your work time, you could be very productive or you could be slow as a slug, they want productivity, rewards are earned. If their whole facility is PC, and one mac, they will loose money if the 1 mac user decided they didn't like the job, or if the company canned the person.

I think if you stick with it for a month or something, they may lighten up and allow you to bring your mac laptop in.

Benjamindaines · May 8, 2008

Should have not asked and just brought in your Mac.

eric · May 8, 2008

goobimama said:
Hmm... Maybe I shouldn't have posted anything on this forum and baked cookies instead. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm out.

sometimes you drink the milk, sometimes the milk drinks you

(i believe that was rugrats paraphrasing big lebowski

).

you post opinion and request others' opnions on a forum populated by lots and lots of people who aren't you. it is imperitive that you understand that others' opinions will vary from your own.

then, take a breath, and realize that it's a discussion about an idea and an action, not about you as a whole person.

goobimama · May 8, 2008

Okay let me explain myself. If you have time to read all this that is.

I'm a philosophy graduate who has self learnt all my design skills (if any). Most of my work involves doing book layouts, newsletters, stuff like that. I do dabble in websites but not much. I don't like the idea that one requires money to survive in this world and am trying to carve out a life for myself which requires minimal amounts of money (these macs do get in the way of things though). Which is why I work not more than 3 hours a day. And so far its going just fine.

Now I get this call offering me a job as a designer at the paperhouse. I didn't really want it, but then I thought what the hey, I'll check it out. The timings were after all quite perfect (2 pm to 12 am) for my sleep standards. But I guess I went there with a negative mindset after all. So after all that when the final kicker came in about having to use PCs, I just crumbled.

Why give up my comfortable easy going life for some hectic life just for the sake of some extras on my resume (if I do make one). I'm fine as it is. Getting more jobs that I can take so I don't have to go looking for business. Not saying I'm an awesome designer. Maybe just that the others around here are not so good. So far I bought my own iMac and iPhone, coupla gadgets and fund my day to day living just fine.

So there. That's my explanation. Thank you for showing your concern, its nice to know that people care.

@Eric: Must say you've put that very nicely. Didn't quite see it that way. Although, if you look at the bright side, I got tons of hits on my blog cause of this heated thread

iRye · May 8, 2008

Goobimama,

I for one don't think it was the right decision, but I don't think it was the wrong decision. If there was a job easily available where I'd use a Mac, of course I'd pick it! It's your life, if you think you did the right thing, you did it for yourself. It was your choise, and you're free to make them. Hey, I may have done the same thing. But for people to call you dumb, I think is silly. If all you were working with was a wordprocessor, I wouldn't think it's the right decision, but it's your life. I might have accepted the job, but I would have looked elswhere, but kept it on the table.

My apologies for the spelling, spellcheck is very valuable when half of your hand is in bandages from your dog biting you ><

mojonandha · May 8, 2008

No employer is gonna budge to whatever you say when you are not even working for them. That too in India where they have 100's if not thousands who want your job. In the Interview if I ask weather I can use my privacy screen or not, of course that is gonna cause a bad impression but after you start working, who cares if you use the privacy screen or not as long you get your work done.

From what you say it seems you do designing so if you could show them that your design's made from your Mac is better and/or consumes less time, they are not going to fire you or force you to use the PC. They would actually want to give work with more weight on it or ask you to design for a bigger client or watever. So the point is you dont sound like you really did what you have said that you have done because grown up and normal people dont do such things. They THINK and take their time to make a decision like this.

Just so everyone knows Times of India(Times group's turnover is over USD 500 Million) is one of the better news companies in India and they have a strong hold on web presence too. Actually they are one of the compnies other than rediff which brought Indian news to the web. As an Indian i would be honored to work with this company if only i get a chance.

Its amazing to see and hear TRUE Mac Fanboyism. I just made that word up.

Ghostshadow · May 8, 2008

goobimama said:
Okay let me explain myself. If you have time to read all this that is.

I'm a philosophy graduate who has self learnt all my design skills (if any). Most of my work involves doing book layouts, newsletters, stuff like that. I do dabble in websites but not much. I don't like the idea that one requires money to survive in this world and am trying to carve out a life for myself which requires minimal amounts of money (these macs do get in the way of things though). Which is why I work not more than 3 hours a day. And so far its going just fine.

Now I get this call offering me a job as a designer at the paperhouse. I didn't really want it, but then I thought what the hey, I'll check it out. The timings were after all quite perfect (2 pm to 12 am) for my sleep standards. But I guess I went there with a negative mindset after all. So after all that when the final kicker came in about having to use PCs, I just crumbled.

Why give up my comfortable easy going life for some hectic life just for the sake of some extras on my resume (if I do make one). I'm fine as it is. Getting more jobs that I can take so I don't have to go looking for business. Not saying I'm an awesome designer. Maybe just that the others around here are not so good. So far I bought my own iMac and iPhone, coupla gadgets and fund my day to day living just fine.

So there. That's my explanation. Thank you for showing your concern, its nice to know that people care.

@Eric: Must say you've put that very nicely. Didn't quite see it that way. Although, if you look at the bright side, I got tons of hits on my blog cause of this heated thread

I like your philosophy about money, I'm the same way. I think it's absurd we have to PAY to live, we didn't used to, now everything is money to everyone. To me, money doesn't have a value, it's just paper. People go crazy over it, I don't get it, it's just an object. Just like trading something, I'm trading one object for another.

I'm glad money doesn't go to your head. I think too many people let that happen, money becomes their main concern in life.

EGGO · May 8, 2008

mojonandha said:
From what you say it seems you do designing so if you could show them that your design's made from your Mac is better and/or consumes less time, they are not going to fire you or force you to use the PC. They would actually want to give work with more weight on it or ask you to design for a bigger client or watever. So the point is you dont sound like you really did what you have said that you have done because grown up and normal people dont do such things. They THINK and take their time to make a decision like this.

Its amazing to see and hear TRUE Mac Fanboyism. I just made that word up.

If he wanted to show them for a designer position, he should have easily done it when they asked for his portfolio.

Audio.Trench · May 9, 2008

No offence, but when people do thism it really ticks me off. I try really hard at what I do, and I cannot even get a chance to get a job like this.. Then people who do get the offer throw it away for such a stupid reason..

I'm sorry, but man.. What were you thinking? (Or not thinking?)

From personal experience.. Yes, working in Photoshop/Illustrator on my Mac feels better, but like it was said, money is money. And working in those apps on Windows gets you the same results. Heck, I even used my high-end PC for my work until I got my PowerBook.

morgothaod · May 9, 2008

You really showed them!! LOL

Aptmunich · May 9, 2008

Well, as long as you're happy with your decision, then it's the best decision for you personally.

the8thark · May 9, 2008

Well I'm going to say this:

On one hand I think you did the right decision. Because you have to be happy in what you do. Having a job you hate and despise going to every day well to me that's the worst. And yeah money isn't everything. As long as you have what you need and you're happy, what else is there to want really?

But that worst job could be a stepping stone or survival job. Used as experience for the job you want.

Still good luck with the freelancing. And hope that can lead to the job you want.

jsgreen · May 9, 2008

While I agree it was probably a foolish decision, I kind of admire it too - life is short, and if you spend a lot of time on a computer it might as well be as enjoyable as possible.

schweb · May 9, 2008

the8thark said:
Because you have to be happy in what you do. Having a job you hate and despise going to every day well to me that's the worst.

IMHO, if you're going to hate or despise a job because of the type of computer they make you use, you have bigger things to worry about.

goobimama · May 9, 2008

^^ Thing is. I love what I do. I just hate working for someone. This time I thought I'd give it a shot. But ultimately gave it up cause of the PC

So it is "concept of working for someone" + "Working on a PC" = Hate the job
"Working for someone" + "working on a mac" = bearable.
"Working for myself on a mac" = Nirvana!

JohnTheMacGeek · May 9, 2008

My grandfather told me once you should never burn a bridge you may have to cross. Sounds like that bridge may be on fire now.

EGGO · May 9, 2008

goobimama said:
^^ Thing is. I love what I do. I just hate working for someone. This time I thought I'd give it a shot. But ultimately gave it up cause of the PC

So it is "concept of working for someone" + "Working on a PC" = Hate the job
"Working for someone" + "working on a mac" = bearable.
"Working for myself on a mac" = Nirvana!

What person wouldn't dream of working for themselves? Here's the problem. You're 23 (as am I) and to be quite honest, your creative skills are probably just not up to par with the competition. You may not have what it takes to be a creative director. These experiences will get you there because it's not ABOUT what machine you're working on. It's about the concepts you'll be birthing and knowing what to do and what doesn't work. You'll gain a better philosophy for your designs in time, you almost always do.

It's not that your way of thinking is "My way or the highway" that's being put in question, it's your inability to recognize an opportunity spoiled by a mere MACHINE which we wouldn't know if you'd stay with it. You claim that you'd be working for someone but if you have any idea how the design industry works, and this is me assuming it's a design job, you're creating things in your own vision (with the help of your client's guidelines). I mean, come on, you freelance, right? You KNOW how hard/indecisive/difficult the clients can be. Directors, though, know better than you, almost all of the time, and understand what the client wants as well.

Defend it with your lifestyle all you want, you declined a job that would've done nothing but give you more than just money over a machine, and even though I'm the same age as you, you sound like you have a lot to learn and growing up to do.

skaheadpunk · May 9, 2008

goobimama said:
Okay let me explain myself. If you have time to read all this that is.

I'm a philosophy graduate who has self learnt all my design skills (if any). Most of my work involves doing book layouts, newsletters, stuff like that. I do dabble in websites but not much. I don't like the idea that one requires money to survive in this world and am trying to carve out a life for myself which requires minimal amounts of money (these macs do get in the way of things though). Which is why I work not more than 3 hours a day. And so far its going just fine.

Now I get this call offering me a job as a designer at the paperhouse. I didn't really want it, but then I thought what the hey, I'll check it out. The timings were after all quite perfect (2 pm to 12 am) for my sleep standards. But I guess I went there with a negative mindset after all. So after all that when the final kicker came in about having to use PCs, I just crumbled.

Why give up my comfortable easy going life for some hectic life just for the sake of some extras on my resume (if I do make one). I'm fine as it is. Getting more jobs that I can take so I don't have to go looking for business. Not saying I'm an awesome designer. Maybe just that the others around here are not so good. So far I bought my own iMac and iPhone, coupla gadgets and fund my day to day living just fine.

So there. That's my explanation. Thank you for showing your concern, its nice to know that people care.

@Eric: Must say you've put that very nicely. Didn't quite see it that way. Although, if you look at the bright side, I got tons of hits on my blog cause of this heated thread

Really? I mean really?

See, I have a different philosophy on life. I accept that I live in an environment in which I require money to get where I want, do the things I want, and enrich my life in various ways (not that there aren't other things that enrich my life, but you know what I mean). I don't like it, but at the end of the day that's how stuff is, and I'm going to get on with it as best I can.

I work a crappy job to get this money to buy these things, and to pay my rent, etc etc. Cos I like living indoors. If I were offered a good job, something that would look good on my CV and help me progress up the ladder (so to speak), I'd jump.

So what you did to me seems insane and bizarre. On one hand I'm jealous that you can apparently afford to live like this. On the other hand I'm glad that I don't share your view or I would have starved by now.

It's a computer.

What the heck is wrong with you?

mac0s9user · May 9, 2008

Another priceless schweb edit

4 points!

I would have taken the job as well. Event though I know nothing about what you do. Plus my opinion has the same value as a frozen corn dog to some