Andy Lost the Plot!

Having an understanding of how a studio works and operates will not only help you get a job, but also keep it. This story is true. The story of a young Designer called “Andy”. Andy was in his final year above me at Design School. A model student, funny, charismatic and very talented. All of us in second year aspired to be like him in our final year.

He graduated in the top of his class and his portfolio at the graduation exhibition was very well received. He was so popular with the students and staff he would visit often in the early part of my final year. It was on one of these occasions that the burst into the third year room yelling at the top of his voice “I have a job!!!, I start Monday!!”. Again we all looked at him in envy. We stood around him, listening to every word, asking him how, where and why. Andy even explained how innovative his letter to his new employer was. In the newspaper the advertisement had a little globe with a text-wrapped question, asking “Can you do this?” Andy had re-created the advertisement and replaced the text-wrapped question with “Yes I can!”

Now Andy was clever here, he did something that caught the employer’s attention. Andy’s smile was from ear to ear. After he left we all thought well that makes sense, he was so great, his portfolio shone. This should be a happy ending, it’s not. Weeks went on and we all got on with 3rd year and heard nothing. I thought, he has forgotten us in his new success and well so he should!

One morning I arrived to see Andy loitering around again. It seemed unusual why a graduate would keep returning to his old classroom to hang out, I bounded up to Andy hoping that he was there to conduct some sort of recruitment drive for his new studio. I said “Andy it has been a few weeks, hows that awesome job” He turned to me looked into my eyes and said four words that I’ll never forget. “I LOST THE PLOT”

“You what?” I said.

Andy repeated himself. He went on to explain that he got there on time, parked in the right place, wore the right clothes and even brought lunch money. But nothing had prepared him for what was to follow – Working in a studio. Andy explained that it was busy; all the designers were heads down. The Apple Mac was an older model with older software. Nobody was there to show him what to do and then someone gave him a brief and said “off you go, show me some results in a few hours”. ANDY LOST THE PLOT. At 11.25am Andy stood up, grabbed his bag and walked out on his own accord. Gone.

Andy knew how to design and how to use the latest and greatest software; he even had some great self-promotional ideas, but didn’t know the first thing about what to expect in a studio.

Maybe if Andy had spent more time with a suitable mentor than hanging out with inexperienced students that looked up to him, this story may have been different. I believe Andy wasn’t ‘Being a Designer’ he was just a being good student. Great on paper but as you saw, it didn’t help him outside his art course. I also think Andy like coming back to see his old school all the time because he knew what he was doing there. He was comfortable and in control. I’m hoping by now you are starting to think about taking yourself to the next level and getting in touch with that mentor.

Now I’m not saying your current or past art course is a complete waste of time. No, you need both. The highly skill technical advice and training from expert trainers that institutions provide and the real life advice from real living and working designers.