Career Aspirations
My name is Russell Andlauer and I am a student at Utah Valley University studying Interaction & Design. I love all things tech but I also love disconnecting from devices to enjoy the world around me. I have my Associates in Applied Science degree in Digital Communication Technology and I am pursing my Bachelors degree in Web Design & Development: Interaction and Design Emphasis with a minor in Computer Science.
Educational Goals
I intend to use my time at Utah Valley University as effectively as possible. The Digital Media department is top-notch, and it contains many professors that have invaluable industry experience. However, there is only so much you can learn in college, regardless of the institution’s quality level. Currently, I supplement my coursework by listening to podcasts on the commute to school and keeping up on the latest news from both journalistic sources and by following designers and programmers on social media. I hope to get an internship next Summer. Also, while I am in school I plan to do some freelancing as time permits. This will help me build a larger body of work without requiring an internship first.
Entry-Level Career Goals
It seems like many college graduates struggle to find a job after college, so I have no problem working at a discounted rate to get my foot in the door. At a certain point, I will ask for a salary if one isn’t offered. I believe you have to have humility to be a desirable worker and you have to start somewhere. I plan on working as a Junior UX Designer for a few years to gain some experience towards becoming a Senior UX Designer. I plan on working in the industry for around a decade before attempting to start my own design studio.
Long-Term Career Goals
I have come to realize that I am too much of a control freak to not start my own business. I’ve always had it in mind since my teenage years that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. If you had asked me then it would be an aviation business — but that is a tough industry to make money in. I would like to start a small design studio with only a few employees initially. I’d try to hire friends that were the top performers at companies I worked with. If I had trouble hiring people I would freelance initially until enough capital was raised. If I found that running my own business wasn’t for me I think I would enjoy being an art-director as a long-term goal.
While there is no way to fully plan out your career, my hope is that I can maintain a career in digital product development and make an impact within and outside the industry by way of delivering successful products to clients. I always want to make sure I make my family a priority over my career and that I can make time to speak publicly about design and do side-projects for non-profit organizations. I believe in giving back to the community through volunteer work.
In my later years, I might go back to school to get a Master’s degree so that I can teach full-time. Lastly, I want to have enjoyed my time in the industry before happily retiring with financial security (hence the biplane picture — my dream airplane). So that’s what I hope for my career in a nutshell — hopefully it will all work out.
