Do you actually want to work at a cafe, or cut grass? Then why are you applying for that job? photo: reuben-mcfeeters-678378-unsplash

Starting your Career while in University.

Personal experience

While studying I was fortunate enough to have started working in the industry with the great design teams at BlackBerry, Umbra, Jacknife and a few other places before moving to Europe to continue working and further my education. Each new workplace helped to radically change my perspective helping me to realize there is no one way to be creative or to approach getting a new job.

Every team had their own way of doing things, processes, and skillset — which also had me feeling like I was an imposter starting from zero each time I would start somewhere new.

I really recommend watching Kevin Cannon’s explanation of this in his talk on the inner workings of design — if you haven’t already.

Why I didn’t wait for a degree

My first profession in my first semester class really helped to kick it off
(Paraphrasing a bit)

…You all suck…
If you don’t want to hustle this probably isn’t the best career move for you… If you can’t get into work now 4 years won’t likely change much.

Even if you think you’re ‘best here’ there are a lot of other University’s with people thinking the same. Do better.

^^ imagine this is a hard Korean accent.

Starting out

I reached out to my immediate networks and offered to support them or anyone they knew that they thought would need help — even if just on their personal projects. I got to know the upper year working students doing their thesis projects, this helped to know where they were applying, and what I should start learning. Then I would go to events, University talks (not just my own), looking at blogs for new studios starting out, and put word out I was looking to help support projects.

“ …Could I speak with you or someone in your company, I am new to the world of design and have… ( Experience which would benefit the company/person I was writing)…however I am not sure if this is the correct career path for me. I would love for the opportunity to buy you a quick coffee and speak should you have 15 minutes in the coming weeks.”

I sent out a number of these emails eventually hearing back from a producer, who started the chain of connections, which eventually landed me 15 minutes with a head of a studio, which quickly became a 45-minute conversation.

This face to face helped to connect me to a completely different company and eventually to someone else for an interview a few months later.

Keep all emails very short and basic, they don’t need a long narrative. Be direct, respectful, and let them know why you are writing and what you feel you could bring to support their team.

There is a bunch in this email which makes me cringe, for instance, I spelled the company name wrong, however, it was short, direct, and helped start the conversation.

Prior to an interview or writing an exchange to be sure you have read all you can about the company/or person you would be meeting. Use your time with them to learn something else than what you could have read on your own. I have made this mistake and it does not look go on you.

University tips

• Work at the school, it helps to learn from those around you.
• Meet students in higher semesters, students about to or doing their thesis, and be respectful of their time — they are busy and will respect this. I got to know some of the students like this and as it happened an older student recognized my name when I later applied to another job a year later. It helps me to get an interview.
• Listen to what problems others overcame, learn to avoid what mistake others have made.
• Go to your classes and ASK as many educated questions from your professors as possible. First you will learn more, and second, the chances are if you work hard your professor will notice. It is a small world and people talk. I know this is a part of the reason I was given a shot at one agency in particular.
• Ask for advice — though if you can provide value to who you are writing you are more likely to get a response.

After that unpaid week and tracking down a cell phone number, I got a pretty good offer to work there. It changed my career. Work smart, put in the effort, and affect you have a lot to learn. The effort WILL come back to you — eventually.

• Show initiative. If I would have gone through the normal channels to apply for a job I would be competing with people with Master degrees, and far thicker portfolios. After you graduate the bar is already set of ‘what you should know’, I found applying beforehand gave you some more leniency.
• Take (calculated) risks! I once asked an employer after I left the company why they hired me. He said I was driven and took risks, and he would take a chance on me. That chance lead to over two years of billable work.
  The risk: I made a pitch deck based on a recent experience and previous classwork and pretended I was running a medical startup. I presented on stage at a small tech conference pitch training, my future clients unknown to me saw me babble and crash and burn on stage.
• Seriously read the prescribed reading, blogs, and keep up to date- it will come up eventually. Doing the reading and following the what is happening in the industry helped me bring something to the conversation.
• TUTORIALS. I used to make the job everything I knew came from Youtube — which at the time was in a way true. Listening to upper year students and looking at job posts I found out what I needed to learn, then did the free tutorials on Youtube to learn what I felt I needed to know.
  Check out this list of recommended books.

Negative things which hindered improvement

1. Stay humble — if you are really learning you will know just how little you know. I was a bit cocky after my first product come on the market while still in school. Though that got pretty quickly knocked out of me with each place I worked.
2. Only compare to how you were last week, not others — I still face this challenge sometimes, however, if you are better than you were last week, you will be surprised with how far you have come in a year. Those you stop to compare are left behind — some smart person I cannot remember at the moment said that at some point I am sure.
3. Remember to take real breaks — We have this idea we need to be kicking it 100% all the time. Even an engine needs downtime. Some of my personal best work has come right after taking a breather not thinking of design and regrouping with things outside of my day to day life.

In closing,

• Be respectful and see where you can be helpful to a team, find a way to bring value to their team.
• Be a self-starter on a team and follow up with a BRIEF update. If they have to always tell you what to do it is just faster for them to do it themselves. The people above you are BUSY. Help help help and eventually you will see it pay off.
• NEVER expect something in return. It will come back to you eventually but end without expectations. Work to be better than you were yesterday and work to not compare yourself to others.
• Network, and remember the world is a small place. Start positive ripples one day they will come back. The initiative is appreciated.
• Stay humble and help those around you. You are only as good as the people you bring up with you.
• Take initiative and have the drive to move forward, you will do better than last week. Then just hold the momentum.

I had wonderful people give me advice and help me move my career forward — I am forever grateful and hope I can do the same.

____This is the end of the article____________

To keep myself writing I have started an Occasional newsletter where I write lessons learned on client projects, updates on what I am doing, and share bits of life. If you are interested please sign up through my site here.

Connect, follow, share and all that other fun stuff we do.

I am happy to answer any questions or messages and appreciate any comments you may have. cheers.