Today I welcomed a new co-op student to our BrandHealth studio. She arrived on time and I gave her a tour around the office to introduce her to everyone. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in her head. So many new people, in a completely new environment, eager to learn, excited and nervous to put her skills to work... It made me think about what I was like at my first design job out of college.
I remember being extremely grateful and wanting to learn as much as I could to be the absolute best. I wanted to be creative but I also wanted to learn everything about the business of advertising and design. I wanted to prove to my new employer that they had made the right decision in choosing me. After all, I had no experience, I probably showed potential but I knew their decision in choosing me over an experienced designer meant a time and money investment to develop me into a fully-functional designer.
If you really want to know what I was like. Behold...
I loved my design studies, I had just graduated and I had just gotten a job in my field at a great company. Pinch me, right? But, I knew loving this business of design meant more than telling people that I loved graphic design. Loving this industry meant living it. I lived and breath typography, advertising, colour (ohhh I loved colour) and, design. I read magazines, attended award shows, hung out with other creative people, went to art galleries, wore black. I would deconstruct, reconstruct, design and redesign and then I would go back for more. I truly loved it and had a passion for it.
I never did what was asked of me. I did more. If I was asked for three concepts I would give them ten. If I was being briefed I would ask questions. I would constantly push what I was being asked to do... In a good way. If I didn’t have any assignments I would make myself useful and did research or upgraded my skills. I just didn’t want to be complacent. I as I write this I’m starting to wonder if everyone hated me? I’m not going to apologize. I had a goal, a plan and I was going to make it happen.
I would study the company’s clients and their brands. There weren’t a lot of online stuff back then (I’m dating myself) but I would read all of their printed materials, catalogues, annual reports, everything I was designing. Yes, I would actually read the content of my layouts... Eventually “the web” came along, and I would read all the clients' websites, Google all of their brands, so I knew what I was working with. I would find out what the company and their brands stood for. I did not wait for anyone to provide these things to me.
I stayed late when I had to and worked through holidays. If I had something that needed to get done, I stayed. I did whatever it took to get the job done and done well. I loved what I did remember? (see above) Completing a job on time and correctly was satisfying for me. I had pride in what I did and hard work never scared me. I was... and still am, dedicated.
I had a good attitude and I wasn’t afraid to ask questions. Relevant questions. Probing questions. Intelligent questions. At least I thought so. I wasn’t asking questions for the sake of asking. And, I learned quite quickly that it didn’t matter what I said but how I said it. There are always proper ways to approach people and proper ways to to say and deal with issues. It’s just common courtesy.
Four or five employers later...I’m pretty much still like this. And, I'm not perfect, I've made my share of mistakes but I learned from them. Too ambitious? Well, then all of BrandHealth’s creatives are too ambitious. It’s why we are BH-ers, I guess. It’s what makes us tick. And, I have no doubt our new co-op student will impress. I already see some of these qualities in her.
Happy to have you aboard Deanna! I hope I didn't scare you. You’re gonna love it here.
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