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Topic: Aquent Agency
| Author | Message |
| ConfidentDesigner | Posted – 10/25/2007 11:36:22 PM | show profile Can anyone weigh in on this agency for creatives?My exp. with them has been marginal, at best. I am a highly qualified art director with a ton of exp. and recently my "agent" there sent me on this interview that initially she told me was for design and a "little production". When I got to the interview, I discovered it was for strictly line item corrections on their already designed and laid out annual report. I found out later, via email, it paid a whopping $29/hour which wasn't told to me before I went on the interview, even tho I asked. THEN the agent proceeded to get snippy with me because I told her that I had a very important deadline to meet for another high-paying client that held priority and that I was declining this gig.( I called via cell as soon as I was out of the interview.) Get this: She yelled at me for not telling her about the deadline even tho I was lead to believe the project that she eroneously described was supposed to go into next week so I thought I wasn't going to have to spend 8 hours a day at this place! In reality, it was requiring 8 hours + per day. I yelled right back telling her that I had no idea that this is what the interview was for and that she lied to me about what the position entailed. And on top of everything else, it would cost about $40/day just to park! (this is in Denver) Would appreciate any feedback anyone has had with this agency. So far, I'm NOT impressed! |
| Suet | Posted – 10/26/2007 12:30:20 PM | show profile In my experience they have been completely professional. It sounds like you dealt with a bum agent. Pay-wise ... they're getting about a third of the $$$, so that would naturally deflate what they pay you. |
| pob | Posted – 10/26/2007 4:43:03 PM | show profile I've found them as smarmy and profit-driven as the next one. Have you ever met an agent who was more than marginally informed about the work required about for the assignment, or who wasn't snippy if you challenge them or ask questions? They do have some higher-paying clients, but to get that work you have to be really good (not saying you aren't) and in demand (like if they have a client who gets you once and then keeps requesting you specifically). As for money, you'd have to start out your relationship with them saying "I won't accept any assignments that pay under $xx per hour" and then see if they have assignments that fit the bill that they're willing to send you out on. Working through an agency always sucks, no matter how you slice it. Good luck, and sorry. |
| ConfidentDesigner | Posted – 10/26/2007 5:12:53 PM | show profile Well, I am good but thoguht I'd give them a try anyway. I don't think they're for pros like me. I think they're more for people who cannot find freelance work on their own or who are just starting ouit. Lesson learned here, I guess. |
| Letterbox | Posted – 10/27/2007 8:35:03 PM | show profile When I was doing design, I had one great agent at Aquent who ended up moving to one of the New York offices. She was a genuine advocate for designers. All my experiences thereafter were terrible. They seem to staff a lot of failed and/or frustrated artists who are unable to make it on their own. And now they're bitter about working at an uncreative 9 to 5 job that forces them to deal with people that they think are less talented than they are. My friends experienced the same thing when they wanted to get some fill work during slow periods. The agents will actually tell them what they should have done differently on samples shown during portfolio reviews. Of course, that's because the agent thought the samples were mock ups instead of real work done for huge national campaigns through major ad agencies. |
| ConfidentDesigner | Posted – 10/28/2007 12:16:47 PM | show profile You mentioned "when I was doing design". Just curious...what are you doing now? I'm looking for a possible new career track and am wondering if there's life beyond design. The agent I had didn't do that sort of thing. She was just very snippy to me when I turned down a $25/hour line-item change temp position where I would have had to pay $40/day to park, etc. They didn't need someone like me. They needed someone who knows how to type and do corrections. I did notice after I first posted that Aquent took out a HUGE ad in the local newspaper for themselves. I am wondering if they're having trouble getting paying clients around here because the clients have discovered that they can find their own freelancers. Another part I find disturbing is that they're like nazis when it comes to anything on your resume or website that hints your contact information. I have another agent here in town with another service that doesn't care about that. She had me sign contracts to prevent me working with clients she's found for me for a year. That makes more sense. The way A'nt does it seems sneaky and distrustful. |
| sue ellen mischke | Posted – 10/28/2007 12:26:45 PM | show profile I've had excellent experience with Artisan and the Creative Group for full-time jobs. |
| Letterbox | Posted – 10/28/2007 1:41:53 PM | show profile They definitely don't want potential clients bypassing them and contacting clients direct. I can understand that since it would be easy to do if everybody listed full contact info on their website. I can see why they would be having problems these days. I think the Internet makes it a bit too easy for companies to find qualified designers. Just go to Altpick or one of the other paid portfolio services and you'll find plenty of great designers in one place. Aquent claims they vet out unqualified candidates because they do Quark and Indesign testing and careful portfolio reviews. That probably works fine for what the majority of Aquent fills, which is boring production work. They do get really upset when you turn down jobs, and they'll shuffle you to the bottom of the deck on future assignment choices--unless there's nobody else. |
| ConfidentDesigner | Posted – 10/28/2007 1:44:46 PM | show profile That's fine if all they're going to get me is $25/hour production work. Not worth my while! So, Letterbox, what are you doing for work post-designer? |
| Letterbox | Posted – 10/28/2007 2:14:57 PM | show profile I'm a writer now. Not the most intuitive career path for somebody that started in the arts. And it pays a lot less. I enjoy it more, though. |
