Error compensation

[motormount]

A common feeling in this business. I got out just in time.

And may you live happily ever after...

I don't know what could be worse,stay where am i or finding a new job as prepress operator,supervisor etc

-There is always the possibility to have no job at all,but i prefer not to think about...   :grin: -

[Farabomb]

Yes, having no job is far worse than a crappy job.

I really won't be looking for anything in the print industry. While you still have a job you should look to develop another skillset just in case. Web development sucks (just ask around here) but it can be a way to expand on your existing skillset. Just don't let the boss know about it or you will be doing that as well as prepress at the same pay rate.

I'm in the process of trying to figure out what I should develop for the future. Print is dead (except packaging) and whatever is left will be cut throat and no money in it.

[gnubler]

Yes, having no job is far worse than a crappy job.

Not necessarily. Eventually, you will find another job or be forced to make your own.

The mental health factor is huge and it took me 15 years to realize printing was slowly driving me mad. I encourage everyone to learn a new skill/trade now while you still can.

[Slappy]

Print is dead (except packaging) and whatever is left will be cut throat and no money in it.

I don't entirely buy into that mantra any more, being in a shop that's pretty damned busy, expanding & investing heavily in new equipment. Not sure if that translates into a good place to stick around, but the "print is dead" thing just isn't true. ymmv

[Joe]

Agreed. I thought the same until the last year or so. Some of the pubs that dumped print for web only are finding the grass isn't always greener over the septic tank and are moving back to print.

[t-pat]

I'm pretty happy to be out of straight commercial print. Still get to deal with botched files, brain dead csrs, last minute fire drills, etc, but the environment in mailing is another level of "it MUST be correct". Shit gets looked at a whole lot more carefully before leaving the building. God help you if your mistakes get by   though because everything goes in the mail and there are no refunds on postage.

[gnubler]

Agreed. I thought the same until the last year or so. Some of the pubs that dumped print for web only are finding the grass isn't always greener over the septic tank and are moving back to print.

It's good to hear, but so much damage has been done. How many thousands of shops have folded and are now gone forever? Eventually all that'll be left are some huge corporate print houses like where david works, with a few lame Alphagraphics places in town where ladies can get their wedding invitations printed. Everything in between is gone, or will be soon.

[Joe]

I think midsize printers can survive if they are smart. The big boys don't want most of the kind of stuff we do here so there will continue to be a place for them.

[motormount]

I don't entirely buy into that mantra any more, being in a shop that's pretty damned busy, expanding & investing heavily in new equipment. Not sure if that translates into a good place to stick around, but the "print is dead" thing just isn't true. ymmv

Printing isn't dead and won't be,needs for printing materials will most probably rise,but plants with good working knowledge,automation and well established workflows can be no much for the majority of printshops,leaving only crumbles of the pie for the rest of them to fight for.

So,right,''print is dead'' isn't true,but employment in printing will only getting worse.

And if you're offered less than your already cutoff wage to accept a job with triple the responsibilities and you're giving it a thought just for the shake to stay employed in the near future...doesn't sound healthy either...

I don't know how was it ''back then'',i'm only six years in a print shop,all else were in service bureau's -atelier's we called them-,a totally different story,but ''right now'' doesn't sound very promising...

[motormount]

I think midsize printers can survive if they are smart. The big boys don't want most of the kind of stuff we do here so there will continue to be a place for them.

'most of the stuff we do'' is complementary to the stuff the big boys have drained the market off.

So if -lets say- ten midsized shops,are not printing flyers,small run magazines,newspapers,trifolds etc,and left only with ''the stuff they do''-special folders,diecuts and the like,after a while i would say that no more than three of them will survive,and with less employees than before.

I don't know how this works in the states-larger market,more room and niche sub markets to appeal probably-,but in small markets like ours you can feel the pressure in your back,employee or small/mid sized owner-

[Possum]

I hear you there. I work at a tiny place. Our biggest customers either went belly up or sent their printing to another country. Most of the annual work we did for the schools is now put online. Frankly, I don't know how or why we stay open, but the job market here for any jobs is dismal, and I can't relocate.

Gotta say, though, cutting corners on things like proofing just costs in the long run in reprints. If the boss would add up the cost of reprinting that one job over and over, he'd have plenty for a plotter or large proofer.

[Slappy]

I think midsize printers can survive if they are smart. The big boys don't want most of the kind of stuff we do here so there will continue to be a place for them.

Right, we're a 29" shop and I don't think they'll ever entertain moving up to a larger format - why bother? The speed & efficiency of the presses we have (and are upgrading) can compete up to a pretty decent sized job run, and anything larger just gets farmed out to a half-web or starving 40" shop. The Middle has started to make money again, given the right structure. I didn't say "ALL Print Will Thrive!" because it just won't, that'd be asinine.

[Farabomb]

I guess I should say that WE are dead. Printing will never fully go away but when you have no sales staff and the boss seems to be not interested in getting new clients then that's why I have the outlook that I do.

[Joe]

I guess I should say that WE are dead. Printing will never fully go away but when you have no sales staff and the boss seems to be not interested in getting new clients then that's why I have the outlook that I do.

That is why I said, "I think midsize printers can survive if they are smart."

We eliminated hard proofs 3 years ago and it is all done with soft proofing since that time. We haven't had any more re-runs. Probably less actually as the customer has to view every single page and approve it. And if they approve it they buy it. Of course there are exceptions to that rule depending on the customer but by and large the system works well. What we have saved in the cost of printers, maintenance on them, ink and paper has more than paid for Prinergy/Insite.

[jimking]

Agreed. I thought the same until the last year or so. Some of the pubs that dumped print for web only are finding the grass isn't always greener over the septic tank and are moving back to print.

I can see that happening. Heck, the costs are crazy for some of these websites. One company I'm familier with said its going to cost them close to a half a million bucks for some tired ass site. A half a billion dollars for that silly healthcare site?