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What is tech consulting hike ? For staf 3 senior
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An assumption, but my thoughts are you’re in a lull. Dealing with the politics. Poor process. It’s no longer about the work and the craft. I’ve been there.
You need to change things up and do a project you’re proud of, and people will tell you it’s good and you’ll remember why you liked it before. Sometimes that’s a move or a change in client at the same place, sometimes it’s working to a new boss or a new partner. But that’s not a sign of failure it’s change.
It’s amazing what your immediate situation does for your drive, that’s the project, the colleagues, whatever else is going on (kids, pets, cultural climate, time of year). It also puts the job in perspective and that’s no bad thing.
My reco if you’re open to it is to ask yourself a couple Q’s are you happy where you are? And Are you having fun? If you’re not having fun… what made it fun before? (ignore the temptation to say when I didn’t have responsibilities or have to run the project etc) how can you provide those opportunities to your teams? If not for them, for yourself.
It might not be easy but it can be fun.
I’m a very experienced CD and I’m not interested in making something that I’m not having fun doing. I will still make some of those things so long as I have the chance to make the fun things.
Hard to answer unless you share why you don’t like your ACD role… too much responsibility? Not enough hands on? Don’t like managing? i know plenty of CD and up people who regret the position because they aren’t cut out to be managers and they’d rather just be doing the work 100%.
A former colleague of mine used to say “Tug Bot Captain looks better and better the further along I get in my advertising career.”
Getting into the more senior roles and moving up, at least when I started, was just what you were supposed to do and want. They are completely different roles though. There was a huge learning curve when I started moving up. I knew somebody that left for a ‘lower’ position, but that was the work they really wanted to do.
Some people are driven by power, prestige and money. Others, especially in this field, relish the thrill of creativity. Upper-level positions are more about making the creative positions better and have very little creativity in their daily routines. I miss the hands-on, brain-engaged actual production work. I made my choice to advance because I felt I could help younger creatives continue my efforts to produce quality, meaningful content that would continue long after I have left the scene. I think of it like a young man who sacrifices his personal ambitions, freedom and selfish pursuits to start a family and raise a new generation with the same values and ethics that he has. In a way, it is the non-religious equivalent of "eternal life."
I think it happens to the most of us - I feel like it's normal to have periods of low drive and feeling like there's not much to be excited about, But I think part of our job (any role) is to crave out enthusiasm for the work we do so that we can be doing our 100% while we're at it. If you've been feeling like this for a while, maybe you should reasses what you want to be doing, what brings you joy and take slow decisions from there... but if you're just going through a phase, I can assure you you can get out of it. Sometimes a simple book to a movie can change it for you!
Yeah I know what you mean. Becoming CD didn't give me as much fulfillment as I thought either. It might be an imbalance or just a natural part of growth, where the challenge of reaching a goal becomes less exciting. A lot of people feel that way after hitting a big milestone. Have you considered exploring new challenges or roles to reignite that drive? Sometimes it's just not the right fit
It’s ok to not be a creative director. A lot of things about being a CD suck.
I don’t disagree with that.