IDD 480 - Movin' On...

“I’m movin’ on…” (Rascal Flatts). Granted they are signing about moving on after a breakup…and Roz Goldfarb discusses the moving on subject in chapter 15 in Careers By Design. So, schools almost over (Amen)… and its almost time to leave…and some people leave jobs and change jobs and leave…everyone is always on the move, and for different reasons.

And that number one reason as to why people leave…. “It’s time (177).” Everything that goes up must come down and all good things must come to an end. Sure some things that end may seem like they weren’t “good” but I’m sure everything has some glimmer of good (there’s that Pollyanna in me).

Sometimes people just need a change. Change is good. Sometimes, especially in the design world, a “sense that firms may not have kept pace with the times (177)” is the reason giving for leaving. In that case, it would be of value for the employee to move up and change jobs so that they can be challenged if that is something they look for in a job.

Donald Trump made “You’re Fired” a household term. Heck I think he even trademarked it as well as making a board game with that phrase. Sure people are fired, but Roz says hardly anyone uses that term. Typically people are just laid off.

There are so many variables that come into play between jobs. Before leaving a company it is best to make sure portfolio samples from projects are collected, references are obtained, interviews are given, and oh yeah…you give your boss notice that you will be leaving. Once all of those have taken place, moving on…or up can happen.

IDD 480 - The Hiring Process dun dun dunnn

Roz Goldfarb touches on a subject I have never really, for the most part been involved in: the employee/employer relationship as well as the hiring process. Since I’ve basically been working since I could talk at my family’s ice cream shop , I’ve never been involved in anything else. My only boss has been my dad. After only reading the first four pages of the chapter I knew that the “real world” of hiring and having a “real” boss is something I need to know about. Goldfarb explains all the inter-workings of the different processes and relationships, which occur during different times.

A little later in the chapter, Goldfarb points out the different points which employers request in many job descriptions. As I read these points: talent, business savvy, intelligence, commitment, motivation, appearance and flexibility, to name a few…I tend to feel less nervous than that I read a few pages back regarding the employer’s viewpoint. Marc Gobe writes, “Young designers today must have the latest technical skills, they absolutely must be completely Web savvy with all the latest knowledge to make them appealing to any design company. They also need to think broadly, to have well-developed conceptual skills. It is not sufficient to simply apply a logo on stationary or a care package…( 145)” See….that quote right there kind of scares me, not going to lie. Then again going to college scared the bejesus out of me, and so far I have survived…quite well too.

So I read a few more pages and see in bold type, THE INTERVIEW on page 152. Well, I got a call today that I need to set up a phone interview for an internship I applied to (keep your fingers crossed). Its not the interview itself that freaks me out, it’s the phone part. I don’t talk on the phone with someone I don’t know, or barely know. I don’t call for pizza. I get nervous, speak too fast and mumble all at the same time. Order something from QVC , (yes, I’m 22 and “watch” it) I go online and order. I-just-don’t-do-the-phone (comfortably). I guess that now that I have done a phone interview before in my life, and I have (shocking, I know) ordered food via the phone. It won’t be that big of a deal knowing Goldfarb’s spin on the interview process.

IDD 480 - Next stop: The Real World....

In chapter eleven of Careers by Design, Roz Goldfarb discusses the dreaded words: finding a job. Dun dun dun. College is at “last call” and its time to find a job in the real world. “Although few people enjoy a job search, the guidelines in this book will point the way not only to a goal but also to a process in which the collateral benefits are educational, informative, and enriching (109).”

So occasionally now, I will visitMonster.com or another similar site to search for different job openings. I look, yes but I don’t really dig deep and search. I just like to ponder a little bit.

A first impression is a lasting impression whether it is in a social setting or a professional/business setting. When you present yourself to a person you don’t know, you send them different vibes about who you are. With that said, you have to know who you are and what you want out of certain situations. The questions posed on page 111 are:

-What am I best at?
-Is what I’m best at what I think I want to do?
-Am I sure about what kind of work I want to do?
-Where do I want to do it?
-Who do I want to do it for?
-What kind of position do I eventually want to hold, or do I want to own my own firm?

Well…based on those questions I have no idea who I am or what I want to be when I grow up. But since that is not really a good answer for either a social or business setting, I’m sure I can answer some of the questions posed. Number 4: Where do I want to do it? One word answer: Disney. Doing what? I don’t care. And number 6: what kind of position…well see, I went on a Behind the Scenes tour this past Thanksgiving and they have a board, literal bulletin board which has the Partners in Excellence award. Granted I’d like to also marryPrince William….but hey, who knows what will happen.

Roz also brings up the possibility of rejection. Yeah, its happened, and yeah it stinks. I was pretty upset the first few days after finding out I didn’t get into the WDW college program, but I got over it. And if I had gone, I wouldn’t have had the summer I had. Things happen when you least expect them to and I just try to remember, “All the pieces fall into place eventually. Until then, just laugh at the confusion, live in the moment, and know that everything happens for a reason.”