Marketing Yourself
One of the events held during Spring Forward for Communication students at Appalachian State University highlighted ways to market yourself. Though I am a Communication major, my other degree is focused in graphic design and that is the industry I work in. I think the information discussed can be generally applicable to almost everyone, but I really wanted to find a way to connect a big point that resonated with me to my industry in order to make it more relevant. A lot of people seem to struggle with answering questions about what makes them special or stand out from the crowd (I know I definitely do). This topic prompted me to think about my answer as I plan for upcoming job interviews. While your typical answers might include "I'm really good at managing my time" or "I have great communication skills", those are also the answers that every other applicant probably has listed on their resume as well. So what makes me stand out as a graphic designer? So far what I have determined is that I really enjoy playing a supporting role. That doesn't mean I'm not ambitious, but I really enjoy helping other people succeed. I believe that to be a really great quality. I think going into my career field you find a lot of people wanting to be in the spotlight. Every designer's answer for what they want to accomplish or what makes them special is that they want to create the next Nike logo. Don't get me wrong, that's an awesome thing to strive for, but when you're applying for a job that involves working with a team of other creatives I think it can send a bad signal that your ego might get in the way of you collaborating well with others. I like to market myself by letting other people know that I genuinely get a lot of enjoyment out of being a team player and doing the tasks that makes other people's jobs easier. I am both comfortable taking the lead and working behind the curtain, and I think those are qualities that are important to find in a person that will be working closely with others. I think they are also qualities that make a great leader in the first place. Being a leader doesn't mean you're always soaking up the limelight. I believe that good leaders know how to give direction and play supporting roles to their peers.