Here at Winning Edge Resumes, we get a lot of enquiries from clients regarding information and where they should go to research different roles and or industries when considering a career change.
There are plenty of sites on the web that can give you a lot of general information around a ‘job role’. However, we come across many talented and skilled individuals on a daily basis and wanted to share their thoughts on their job roles, challenges…the real stuff basically that career changers really want to know about.
So, we got in contact with one of our clients and asked if we could do a 5 minute feature on her and the life of a ‘Graphic Designer’.
Position
Belinda Baker: Graphic Design Extraordinaire
Senior Graphic Designer
What did you study?
Diploma of Graphic Design and Multimedia, Commercial Arts Training College (CATC)
What would you say are the top 3 skills to make it in this field?
- – A keen interest in learning and applying yourself to stay up to date with the constant changing trends and skills required within the industry.
- – The ability to take criticism, interpret it and then use it to better your design and final product.
- – Enthusiasm, creativity and dedication to create exciting, fresh and new work on a constant basis.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Get to work, check emails for new jobs or handle any outstanding enquiries. I manage one other remote designer so I then designate what jobs to handover and brief the other designer on. Work on any current or new jobs I am handling which generally include email campaign concept creation or building final product into HTML emails. I am the main point of contact for all design related work so I liase with all clients from concept, creation to final sending of the email campaign.
What do you like the most about your job?
That it is different everyday and that I deal with new clients and thus branding and design styles for every job.
What do you find the most challenging?
Sometimes deadlines can be very tight in the industry but especially in my field of email marketing. That can be hard to work with sometimes while always focusing on delivering the highest quality and solution driven product for the client.
What are the ‘things to watch’ for 2014?
In the online arena, the biggest and by far most talked about topic we will deal with for 2014 will be ‘mobile responsive’. This applies to us in learning and coming to terms with creating emails that are mobile friendly due to the domination of smartphones in our everyday lives.
What’s been your greatest achievement to date?
I’ve been in my role for nearly 10 years. To be part of what was originally a very small start up company to becoming one of the most prominent email marketing companies nationally is something I’m proud of.
What are on the cards for you for 2014 onwards?
Each year I just constantly focus on learning as much as I can in my chosen field. I set myself a mini goal to focus on one aspect of design more so that I can become more skilled. Last year it was web design and CSS this year I am guessing it’s going to be mobile email.
If you could do one thing different what would it be?
I wish I studied earlier so that maybe when I travelled in my early twenties I could have gotten some design work experience while living and working in London.
If there is one thing you could tell someone starting out or looking at getting into Graphic Design, what would it be?
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not exactly where you want to be right now. Focus on your craft and bettering yourself each day. Learn as much as you can and listen to whatever advice you can get. Keep working hard and eventually you’ll get where you want to go.
Where can we find Graphic Design work?
That’s a hard question and one that requires you to keep an open mind. You need to be constantly on the lookout if you are on the job search but also to consider avenues that may not be typical. Word of mouth, social networking and self promotion are always good ways to get noticed.
Yes at www.bakerhousedesigns.com/Do you have an online portfolio?
WER wants to thank Belinda for her participation.