A Graphic Designers Transition
How does my transition story start… well it started with me getting over my fear. My fear to leave what was comfortable and learn something that was so hard to figure out. As a print Graphic Designer, I made enough money to barely survive but not enough to soar.
I worked for a non-profit church organization. And it was fun, when I first started, I was excited about working for the “Lord”. But I quickly learned that like with all organizations, there is a business end of every company. No matter how cool they look. It’s like when I put makeup on in the morning, If I go without my makeup people ask “What’s wrong, are you sick?!” Sometimes the barn needs painting! The facade that an organization puts on before the world is the face they want you to see, not the zits and warts (no I don’t have warts).
Back to my story I had worked at this organization for a cumulative of 15 years, (I was fired after 5 years and was hired back and worked another 10, can you say glutton for punishment?). I did enjoy working with my co-workers, I have numerous funny stories of the goings on in the Art Dept. But it was the same thing day in and day out. I was good at Graphic Design, I could recall our previous projects with a minimum of clues and I knew where everything was in the department. I was promoted to manager and that was where I got comfortable.
I remember in 1998 I was at church listening to a guest speaker from Australia, and she said to me, “Tonja, you are going to do well, but you must remember to up-skill”. There it was, my first warning to keep with the times… but did I listen… of course not!
As the years went by, and I moved up to management, I became disenchanted with the job, and became too comfortable, I got stuck. I did not up-skill, and when I had enough of the organization, I had no where to go. No job that would pay a livable salary in Southern California, ($55,000 and over). Furthermore, I was not sure I wanted to stay in Graphic Design though it was all I knew, but I thought, ‘Surely with my 18 years of Design experience I will get another job, then I can pursue another career’, boy was I wrong. So, I quit my job… I hadn’t prepared… (preparation is the big key in transition). I wasn’t ready to leave but I couldn’t stand to stay a minute longer. Though I was tired of the Graphic Design industry, not so much the art but dealing with people who have no clue. You know, the ones that will print out an animated gif on a piece of paper and then get angry with you because they can’t figure out why it doesn’t move. So instead of going to learn Web Design or Computer Coding Languages, I went into insurance sales.
I did good at putting in the long hours of learning the material, I could tell you why it was necessary for you to get life insurance, increase your automobile limits, get an umbrella policy if you own a home, or which supplemental Accident or Critical Illness policy you should have, I was creative with figuring out why you needed it! But I COULDN’T CLOSE!! Now mind you, I do believe that with a little patience on my side and a mentor to help me nail down the closing aspect of things, I could have done it. But honestly, I don’t like the hustle, I get tired of it. I like talking to people, I just hate that you are only as good as your last sale.
So after 2 years of doing sales I decided to go back to Graphic Design, but the same problem that I had before still existed. Most of the posted jobs receive over 100 applicants, that range from super qualified to newbie and only pay $15 an hour. Basically, enough money to live spectacularly out of your car. So I decided to do coding and front end/back end web development bootcamp.
Now back to the fear aspect of my transition. Coding is hard especially if you have never done it, its a super intimidating daunting task. I had to venture over to the left side of my brain and build a bridge. For those not familiar with this analogy, right brain = creative tasks, left brain = non-creative tasks.
Some careers are “fake it till you make it”. Not so with computer programming languages. You either know them or you don’t. You have to get used to thinking differently. I know that some of you think it’s easy, it’s not when you come from “Art” world. But like jumping into an ice cold swimming pool, when it comes to change you gotta just do it.
So here are my suggestions to those of you who are starting something new. Get prepared, make a plan to change your skill set. Don’t put it off! DO IT NOW! Before I started learning code, I had no idea where to start. Here’s the answer to that one, just find a direction, walk that way and start trying things out. It’s going to feel like walking across the 405 blindfolded, but that’s ok… a good idea will hit you, and that’s the point. For wanna be coders like myself you have javascript, ruby, python, HTML CSS, etc. Just pick one. Find a place that will teach you, search on line check out the reviews and get started. When you are ready to make that jump, your parachute will open nicely and you will land on your feet. Not on your A@@!
