OV9

DeskJockey wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2026 8:21 am First pay from new job just landed in my account. Would be lying if I said that didn't feel like a weight off my back.

Posting quickly in here as a way to vent

My social media ad revenue has absolutely gone in the bin over the last few months. Earnings literally on their knees, think I got about £400 in December, whereas back in the summer it was about £2k. Partly that's down to my content not performing as well, I've not had much virality recently. Also TikTok have a strange way of rewarding creators whereby they have 'additional rewards', which can treble your ad revenue. However, nobody knows how you get them, it's just 'high quality content'. I lost them in September and only got them back on a couple of individual videos. Combined with the fact people are slowly walking away from short-form videos it's tough out there right now.

On the flip side, brands deals are paying more than ever, when they appear, that is. A single brand deal for 2-3 videos pays enough to live on for a month, which is kinda mental. That's the main reason to keep churning out the content, even when ad revenue doesn't pay, is because those brand deals will.

Having said that, the economics of short-form video content really don't stack up unless you're in the top echelons of creators. At my level, it's really hit and miss whether it's financially viable or not. Hence why I'm pushing to do more YouTube content this year, that's easily the most stable platform for creators. TikTok is like a casino

DeskJockey wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 2:59 pm It has been quite a long and tough slog so far, and it has had an impact on my mental health which I've not experienced before.

But, today I've accepted an offer for a role that I'm very excited about. Initially it is a one year contract, however there has been several mentions of them wanting to make it permanent. Not counting my chickens yet, but it is a start.

Like all but one job I've had it came about through interacting with actual humans, not through the 50+ applications, endlessly fighting the automated processes and canned responses, but a chance encounter at an industry networking event.

Eight interviews from fairly junior to two C-levels convinced them I was right for the role.

Bring on the first day!

To round this one off, I signed my new contract switching me to a perm employee on Tuesday. I'm enjoying (most of) the job, working with a good team, and get to be involved in all manner of interesting things that help add variety to the working day.

We can (don't jinx it) start looking at houses again!

Yay

Great news

Congrats DJ!

Nice one

Fab progress

Thanks all.

Absolutely brilliant

I'm guessing your fear is like most parents, its keeping the home life so the kids don't know anything is going wrong that produces the most stress.

Onwards and upwards.

Dave!

We've been very open with them about the stress unemployment brings, but also clear that we're fortunate enough that we can survive on one of our salaries if we have to. Won't be much fun, but we can manage.

Luckily it never came to having to cut too much, so they didn't really notice, except that I was around to do all the daytime school stuff.