Colours of Career Development

A Search for Bliss

By Marion Sadavoy

What two undergrads have to say as they embark on their creative careers

I interviewed two undergraduates, Olivia and Philip, to gain perspective on their futures. They shared their thoughts, concerns, strategies, and dreams as two university students seeking personal bliss while pursuing careers as creatives.

Olivia describes herself as a passionate student of graphic design, advertising, and illustration. She has a clear goal and path to becoming an art director and is currently earning her bachelor’s degree at Curtin University in Australia.

Philip is an aspiring Experience designer and a natural storyteller. He has written immersive plays and is drawn to avant-garde theater that engages all the senses. Philip wants to inspire others and transform the way they experience their world through his interactive art. He attends university in England.

Bright Futures

Olivia and Philip, taking personal satisfaction into account, what do you want out of your career?

OLIVIA I want to have a long career filled with projects I can be proud of. I want to make an impact even if that just means making someone smile with my designs. Ideally, I’d like to get paid well, but ultimately having a career that brings me bliss is the most important thing.

PHILIP I wish to create experiences that impart bliss upon others so that they may make transformative changes in their lives that lead toward personal liberation.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

O: In five years, I see myself working as an art director at a creative agency where I enjoy both the people on my team and the projects we produce.

P: In five years, I see myself running my own studio, taking on unique projects, and, most importantly, being completely location agnostic.

Do you have a mentor and how did you find this person?

O: This past year I was lucky enough to join ArtBound

Initiative—a program which provided me with coaching from industry professionals. The coaching I received allowed me to think about my goals and how to achieve them. It was very inspiring to talk to different creatives not only domestically but internationally and see how they got to where they are today. I also intend to find other mentors who are currently in the industry as part of my future development.

P: No. I know of likely candidates but there are few, and they are hard to reach. I have a lead on one.

What type of work environment do you thrive in?

O: I’ve found that I thrive in an environment that allows me to ideate in a group and gain feedback. This helps me get my creativity flowing, at which point I like to be alone to implement the feedback or develop other concepts myself.

P: I thrive in a lab-like collaborative, disciplinary environment, where risk-taking is encouraged and negative feedback actively sought out. A space where failure is creativity’s greatest friend. Some of the environments that provide me inspiration include The Chelsea Hotel, The Manhattan Project, Cabaret Voltaire, and MIT Media Lab.

What salary are you aiming for? How did you come up with that number?

O: Looking up the average salaries of junior graphic designers and junior art directors—the median salary is $50,000AUD. Ideally, as I work my way up in the industry, I’ll be aiming for $100,000AUD. I would like to be at a place where I don’t live to work, I work to live. Meaning that I can go out and enjoy myself and do work that I am passionate about as opposed to having to take a job that I don’t enjoy just to stay on my feet.

P: Actually, I’m not looking for a salary; I want projectbased work. Ideally, I will keep living expenses low as I anticipate high expenses from travel and paying collaborators. At this point my income is difficult to quantify.

How realistic do you think your expectations are? Are there any major hurdles?

O: I feel that my expectations are pretty realistic. Given that I am just starting out in the industry, I realize that I will be starting at the bottom and am very willing to gain experience and knowledge to move up. Finding a company that fits and is the right environment might not be immediate, but every opportunity allows growth and learning.

P: I do not believe in expectations; I prefer ideas. I am not committed to these ideas; they serve more as a compass than a roadmap. These ideas are directions rather than postcards. As for hurdles, there are many including my underdeveloped technical skills, the ability to get people to trust my vision, the skill to specify what I want to build, knowing the order in which to go about things, and the ability to sell my vision.

Have you looked at your competition to see how you compare?

O: Every week at my university we have three-hour feedback sessions, in which everyone in the class shares their project and receives feedback from their peers and the tutors. Initially, this was quite scary and disheartening due to the inevitable comparisons made about our work. However, this is what pushed me to work harder and improve my work and skills each week. It also allowed me to figure out my differences and strengths from the competition, which will be helpful to know when looking for work.

P: I don’t really think there is competition. There are others who are working toward a similar vision. This is reassuring. It is validating. I am in awe of many of these individuals and groups. They give me certainty that we may build together.

Does your portfolio reflect your specific goals or is it a random collection of work? Have you had it reviewed by an industry professional?

O: I am majoring in graphic design and minoring in illustration and advertising. These three skills complement each other and I am able to showcase them in my portfolio. The unique addition of illustration and advertising is what sets me apart from my competition. Industry professional mentors have reviewed my portfolio and helped me make it modern and industry ready. Their guidance was incredibly helpful; they were able to tell me exactly how to improve my portfolio. This was a relief, as good examples of professional-level portfolios were difficult to find on my own.

P: My portfolio is a random collection of work. I have not the resources at my disposal to create something of the kind I wish to create. It contains seeds of this, but it is unfocused. I am sad about this. But alas, I must make do.

What are you willing to be flexible about asyou move into this new career?

O: My ultimate goal is to love the work I’m doing and, because of this, I’m willing to be flexible with my pay. As a junior designer I will also be very flexible with the type of creative job I obtain after graduation. I have my goals and will work hard to achieve them, but I am open to the unexpected opportunities that might arise along the way.

P: I’m most willing to be flexible with timing and direction. I can envision a fluid career that marries fine art and entertainment with startups and corporate clients globally.

How far are you willing to push yourself to achieve your goals? What plan do you have at this time to help you realize them?

O: Once I put my mind to something, I am always going to complete it to the best of my ability. That being said, I have prioritized my work over other things such as my health over the past few years. It is very important to note that sacrifices are necessary sometimes to achieve your dreams; however, there’s no point if you aren’t physically or mentally well to enjoy it.

One of the best and scariest things I have done to reach my goals was apply to an internship program. It requires me to move across the country for a few months. I haven’t started yet, but I believe it will be one of the most impactful experiences in my life and help my career immensely.

P: Not far enough. I have no real plan, just intuition.