On the first day of uni, my lecturer announced to the class that we have officially launched our careers. Naive and still half asleep from the 8:30 class start, I considered his daunting words to mean ‘This is it, you’re in control now. Where are you going to end up?’. I always thought that I’d struggle to “get my foot in the door” of the competitive design industry after uni, especially when surrounded by such talented creatives in class, but fast forward only 18 months to second year and I’ve somehow found myself shaking the hands of my (now) employers after a successful internship.
Not to my surprise, interning at LOFT was more than just photocopying and taking coffee orders, as I quickly learnt that they are a team who truly value and celebrate each other’s hard work. On my first day, I came in with enough confidence to hide the imposter syndrome I was feeling inside, but it didn’t take me long to remember that I am, in fact, prepared for this. So from fresher uni student, to intern, to Junior Creative, here are some of the key things I’ve learnt along the way:
Get chatty
If you frequently talk about your passions with enough pride and confidence, then I can almost guarantee you that someone will know someone who could help you boost your career. Your boyfriend’s uncle’s wife’s brother-in-law might just co-own a digital marketing agency…. Who knew?
Come prepared
Have all your information ready to go. When looking for an internship, you are approaching a company and kindly asking for their time, therefore don’t leave anything unspoken for them to figure out themselves. This not only includes logistical information (especially if the internship is facilitated through uni) but documents (portfolio, cover letter ect) and key selling points about yourself too. Understand what you’re good at, how you could benefit them as well as what you’re willing to improve.
Still a student
Think you know everything after uni? Think again. Sure, you know enough to get yourself set up in a good career, but only about 10% of your industry skills come from formal education. The vast majority (70%) is learnt from hands-on experience and practice, while the remaining 20% comes from collaboration and observation of others. (Learn more about the 70:20:10 model here) In the industry, you’ll find people with successful, longstanding careers that align with your own goals - Pick. Their. Brains! - this is where you will gain the most insight to propel you forward. I hate to break it to you, but you will always be a student of life.
Hit them hard and soft
Hard skills are great but will only take you so far - you could be the most talented creative in the world, but if you always eat lunch on your own, only ever work with your headphones on and never come to Thursday night drinks, your professional relationships, and ultimately your career growth, is going to plateau. Soft skills like communication, adaptability, reliability and critical thinking are just as vital.
Tangible progress doesn’t happen overnight. There are going to be times where you fail, struggle to deliver and feel out of your depth, but this is a normal and necessary part of your professional journey. Remember to relax, reach out to others, and give yourself the same grace and patience that they’re giving you. You’ve got this!