It is exactly 365 days since that stressful time of handing in all of my work for my final project at University. A while ago, I read Jake’s account of his time in New York and of David Airey’s unique experience out in New York back in 2001. I’ve learned a lot from the stories and advice from other graduates, so as it is coming up to that time of year again, I thought I’d pass on my experiences.
Everyone had been telling us at University that this is where the hard-work starts. I had so many fears that I’d end up working in a 'restaurant' for the rest of my life (not that I have anything against working in a restaurant, I admire the people who do, I just didn’t want to continue working 12 hour shifts with demanding customers and even more demanding managers, for the rest of time and getting paid minimum wage for the privilege!) At about this time last year, I would have to say my general feeling was terrified! In saying that, I was also really excited. Excited at the prospect of doing what I love doing all day, every day, I’d been studying so hard up until this point and all of a sudden it was starting to seem worth it.
Our little stand at D&AD new blood, which was put up in about 10 minutes flat due to it having travelled over 140 miles to get to Shoreditch in horrible traffic! (My work is in the center!)
My university went along to the D&AD new blood exhibition after our degree show in Newport. D&AD New Blood was a great experience, at the height of summer, it was like a greenhouse at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch. There were talks from agencies like Navy Blue and Design Bridge, telling us of their experiences of graduating and what the ‘real graphic design/advertising world’ is like. I would recommend that every graduate goes along to D&AD New blood, even if you’re not exhibiting your work. Take along your business cards, talk to people and book tickets for as many talks and presentations that you can, I promise you, it will be beneficial.
10 Penneth, which was a great help for me when I was leaving uni and at D&AD, by Craig Oldham. It's also really funny and a great colour! Photo also borrowed from Craig's website.
I then went along to futurising (2010's website), run by the University of the Arts, London, a few days after D&AD. At this event, which was mainly talks, I went to an interview with Michael Wolff, which was truly inspirational and a talk with Adrian Shaughnessy and a couple of others about the future of print and publishing.
For the next few weeks, I updated my portfolio as it had been a bit thrown together for D&AD. I updated my CV and started applying for placements. I found that writing covering letters was the hardest thing. It’s hard to express all of your passion, drive and enthusiasm in one short letter. I was getting very few replies and even fewer successful replies. I now know that every graduate in the UK was doing the same so companies were getting inundated with so many talented graduates applying for their one job or placement and I shouldn’t have taken it so personally but I did. If I were to do this all again, I would probably start looking for placements a lot earlier but hindsight is such a beautiful thing!
I didn’t give up but I started working part time at a nursery, which was an ‘experience!’ I also started making greeting cards to keep the creatives juices flowing and sold them for a few pennies. My luck started to change when I had two interviews on the same day, one was for a company that I absolutely would have loved to work for and the other was for a job that I hadn’t actually applied for, I’d applied for a different company who had passed on my application, a strange situation to be in. At the end of these interviews I could tell that I wasn’t right for either of the jobs and likewise I didn’t get the job.
Token Isle of Wight holiday photo of the needles. Excuse the wonky horizon but it was very windy and just about to rain so this was taken in a rush!
After a little break to the Isle of Wight and a few relaxing days, I continued applying for jobs and placements. At this time, I also got in contact with a couple of my contacts from D&AD and had the chance of showing them my portfolio and they gave me some advice on how to go forward. This turned out to be an absolutely priceless experience, it was also good to see what people were doing in the ‘real world’.
What happened next is all a bit of a blur to me because it all happened so quickly that I can’t remember how it happened, why it happened or in what order. But, I’d previously found a recruitment company and listed my CV on their website, they helped me so much to direct me into two interviews for placements. The first of which I got so close I could almost touch it. It was great to get so close because it was then that I realised that my work wasn’t terrible, and that I would get that much needed placement and experience sooner or later. I then had a second interview, with a different company, this one felt right, it was the one I was most excited about because it was exactly what I wanted to do but consequently the interview that I was most nervous about. To be honest with you, I don't remember the interview that well but I remember feeling that it had gone well.
A few days later, after a lot of pacing by the phone, waiting, biting my nails and waiting some more. I got a call from the recruitment company on the Thursday 6th saying that I start my placement on the Monday 10th October for at least 3 months. I’m still there now.
If I were to do it again, I would:
- Be a lot braver and speak to a lot more people at the D&AD exhibition,
- Try to get design placements a bit earlier, and before everyone else,
- Follow up the jobs that I applied for.
Hindsight aside, I felt that at the time I was doing everything that I possibly could to get my work 'out there' and apply for as many jobs as possible. But What would you have done differently? If you've already been there done that, what DID you do differently?
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