Hello,
I’m at a point in my career where I occassionally get contacted by a recruiter for some Technical Art Director position and tbh I am not sure how I feel about this yet.
I can continue like now as an individual contributor but I can’t say I feel that I am growing much as an IC at my current position - nor can I imagine much career development in that direction (but who knows right?). Naturally, the other option is a lateral move into management. Something like a role as an Associate Technical Art Director under someone more experienced would be ideal I think but those job ads are not exactly that common. I’m good at talking with people and explaining problems to less technical users - and I have some mentoring experience. Nothing like what a Lead TA would do though and I lack any kind of production management -stuff so I am not sure I would “cut it” so to speak.
So I would like to ask all of you who have transitioned (from being an IC) into a Technical Art Director -role. What was your experience like? What were the challenges and difficulties? Did you have previous management experience? (Lead TA or something else). How did your tasks and your work change? Are you working more or less now? How did your salary and career develop after such a move? Do you feel that you have more impact on things now?
(Feel free to answer any, some or all of the above questions)