What difficulties did you face at the beginning of your career?
I think one of the biggest things that I and other designers have difficulty with when they’re young is patience. I wanted an amazing career, excellent clients, and all of the awards as fast as I could have them. This made me more driven, but lead to frustration and anxiety when things weren’t totally perfect.
What should a young designer do in order not to get hired by anybody?
Seem egotistical / overly confident. Confidence in your abilities is important, but be aware that you still have a lot of room to grow and that if you seem like someone that has a big ego and a lot of attitude, you’ll likely have a hard time getting hired.
Are there any things you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?
Always make sure you personally connect with a client at the start of a job, and don’t only communicate through email. When everyone working together feels like they know one another, projects go much more smoothly.
Are there any rules or habits that help you do your job more efficiently?
Having a tightly organized calendar is a key to my productivity. I also find that if I can keep my inbox under control, I have a lot less anxiety while I’m working. Recently, I’ve started using to-do or reminder lists more often so that I can keep my inbox clear. Instead of leaving an email in there to remind me to do something, I add that item onto a task list.
Would you recommend some books that young designers might find useful?
Inside Paragraphs by Cyrus Highsmith is a great type starter!
Jessica answered the questions on May 5, 2014.
The answers were published on May 13, 2014.
The answers were published on May 13, 2014.