New Job, New Expectations, and New Experiences

As some of you may know I am now employed as a Graphic Designer for Eastern Michigan University for their advertisement, websites, and social media.  My job involves creating, designing, printing, cutting, delivering, laminating and matting amongst other things for Eastern Michigan Universities Residence Life, Dining Services, Website, Facebook, Twitter, as well as any events happening on the campus.  Its all a lot of work and new to me, but I am learning a lot at a very fast pace.

I have my own desk, my own dual-monitors, and the power to pick my own work schedule to accommodate my needs and more.  The perks seem endless and range from a free Meal Plan so I can eat every day (including summers and weekends!) and free prints every month in our awesome printing lab for my personal work, to the massive amount of work experience on a professional level in a professional setting that will empower my portfolio and resume.

Now I know all this sounds nice, but it didn't come to me easily.  I had to learn typography, graphic design and illustration aspects I didn't have any knowledge of before this summer, work my ass off all summer making a portfolio with Illustrator (which I had never used before), I had to go through an extensive interview unlike anything I had experienced, and I had to make some connections and network myself around campus to get my foot in the door.  I feel pretty lucky in all honestly to have this job, but I guess I made my own luck.

I just started working here but the assignments are already rolling in rapidly.  I will be sure to update a portfolio once I have a new body of work ready and continue to post progress with my job and new experiences as a graphic designer.  I honestly never really saw my self being a graphic designer, but if this is where the money is at it might need to be where I continue to focus my time.

As well as working professionally as an artist for a multimillion dollar corporation(I just like the sound of that and I cant get enough of it), I have been active on campus designing things for different student organizations that provide a heartbeat to the life and spirit of campus life.  I am the creator of the current official Inter-Fraternity Council logo on campus, and have designed a lot of shirts and flyers for other orgs. Its such a cool feeling walking around campus and seeing stuff and being like "oh I made that, and that, and that one too". Its insane. I love walking around seeing people I dont even know in shirts I designed.  I plan on continually being involved both socially and artistically in student affairs and will also keep documenting my progress on work I make on the side.  Drawing was my first passion, but graphic design has recently been extremely rewarding to me so I really need to continue to pursue this direction.

At my interview they asked me why I wanted this job, and I just told them I wanted to leave my mark here at EMU.  They told me afterwords that was all they really needed to hear after seeing my portfolio. So to any highschoolers questioning their likeliness to find employment as a young artist, just know that its possible if you bust your ass and go for it.