Career Moves

Career Moves

What I Learned After Constantly Revamping My Resume

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Mostly after high school comes the task of putting yourself under a serious light by gathering your professional life and putting it on paper. It’s kinda stressful in the beginning when it feels like you don’t have much to share, but let me tell you, it continues to be stressful. I can’t tell you how many iterations of my resume I’ve had. Starting off in a word document, overdoing it in illustrator, trying to tone down but having to increase the font size to make it seem like a full page of experience, and then being told that it’s too busy and bright. Just like, ups and downs and revisions and color and no colors and minimal colors and adding more and subtracting unnecessary info, etc. I’ve been through all the changes, and I guess writing it down in list form is something I want to do to share what I’ve experimented with and what I’ve learned.

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Career Moves

Rain Gear Set Round 2

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Last year, I posted about rain gear I design for some small shops. After the stores punched numbers and calculated customer reports, they approached us for new rain designs because the rain collection had positive selling.

It was reassuring and exciting to hear, but it was slightly nerve-wracking to come up with designs even better than the first round. Just as last year, we had to create new rain boots, rain jackets, and umbrellas – all matching to each other.

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Career Moves

New Beginnings

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Last year, I was on an illustration binge, seeking out indie zines to contribute artwork too. I support small and local, and I’m also try to get some work published even if I’m not getting paid. It’s a thing you have to sacrifice when you’re trying to build a client list. It’s especially easier when you have a full time job with an income, which is why I don’t mind doing art pro bono.

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Career Moves

Sunglasses Promo Cards

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Every so often I get hit with the “freelance bug”. Like, I think “man I need some more income, let me take a stab at freelancing”. And every time I try to become more and more prepared. Seeing what other professionals do gives me motivation and inspiration to keep trying, especially when it comes to necessary “promotional tools” to better my “brand”. It’s hard out there to stand out but I believe it’s possible.

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Career Moves

Be Your Own Goddess

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I know I haven’t had much of an internet presence lately. I’ve been laying low taking on personal projects or attempting some new illustrations to submit to indie magazines.

One magazine I recently submitted to ended up passing on my art because they received way too many submissions and I didn’t make the final cut. I want to be slightly bitter, but they made such an effort to write me the nicest email apologizing and how to not give up. It’s always disappointing to get rejected after working hard on a project for a specific client, but it was an open submission call, so I can’t be upset. These things happen a lot I’m sure. I’m lucky to have gotten back an email at all. A large portion of the time, if clients consider not using our art, you won’t hear back. It’s happened before. I’ve been ghosted and it’s an awful feeling.

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Career Moves

Weekday Warrior

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Weekday Warrior Illustration

This year, I’ve been trying to expand outside of my 9-6 job and do some freelance work/side project fun. One thing that is a “practice what you preach” for me involves sending out emails to people and/or companies and inquire about any sort of freelance or submissions. At the end of the day, what do you have to lose? It never hurts asking even if these people and companies aren’t looking for extra or outside help.

So I came across a “help wanted” Insta post for a pin company and I thought, “hey, yolo”. After some back and forth and some test designs, it ended up being a bust which is a bummer, but these things happen. Companies knows their aesthetic and what their customer wants. I guess I was right at the border but couldn’t fully cross over the line to what they were looking for.

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Career Moves

Rain Gear Set

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I’ve been quite a busy bee and I’m happy I finally get to share projects I’ve been working on. I don’t talk about my 9-5 life too much. I like to keep work thoughts at work and I stop thinking about work as soon as I leave the building.

But, when exciting things happen then I’m cool to talk about it. I work for a small shoe company. We make affordable footwear, mostly in kid sizes appealing to lower income families and parents who need something cheap since they watch their children grow out of their shoes in the blink of an eye. For now, I’m the only designer which has plenty of tough and busy moments, but is also rewarding when I see some of our products in stores.

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Career Moves Current Events

Craft Fairs

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Here are a couple of things I bought from some local craft fairs I went to this weekend. ↑ Almond Rose body butter and a pretty beaded bracelet from this “psychic fair” I attended.
Honestly though, I’m not here to talk about what I bought.

In theory, craft fairs are an amazing concept. You have a chance to sell your products while promoting yourself and the things you make. You get the exposure and a way to connect with your customers. All in all, it seems like such a good deal.
But, can we talk about how awkward they are?

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