the work experience dilemma
a Q&A session at the york ‘cultural evolution’ symposium this week brought up the issue of creative businesses taking on work placements.
a young creative asked how he could get some real world experience and a business owner replied that it was common to work 8am-11pm as it is and would really struggle to take on placements. that tends to be the common excuse. but i disagree and i think small creative businesses who think like this are losing out.
i think it helps for both parties to understand the ‘arrangement’ of placements. i confess we’ve never actually explained our expectations to any placement assuming they ‘get it’ already, but here’s how i think it pans out…
it’s all about giving and receiving. the business is giving valuable time and space to the placement, in return the placement is duty bound to give good work and attitude to the business. if you’re not going to, why on earth are you there? to be honest, you’re either capable of giving good work (ie you have talent) or you’re not. if you’re not it’s best you recognise that quickly and pursue another career as it’s going to be tough out there – and ideally before you waste time on placements. attitude is something you can learn though, and you need to learn until it becomes second nature.
getting the attitude balance right is important. you need to be enthusiastic and eager to learn, but also able to plough ahead under you own steam. ask lots of questions to get started on the piece of work you’re given, then get your head down to work for a few hours while they can get on with earning a living. then ask for advice on what you’ve done so far. repeat this pattern. you’ll be appreciated if you’re making a genuine effort and looking to achieve something and not just filling time.
good attitude + good work = something usable on live jobs. at which point any creative business owner worth their salt will work you till you either run screaming from the studio or shout out in joy that this is what you want to spend the rest of your life doing.
as a business owner you suss pretty soon on who’s got it and who hasn’t. those who haven’t get given time-consuming projects to keep them busy and from interrupting the real work, those who have it get to experience real work for real clients. the good placements we’ve had have seen their work come to life in the real world [and that's such a buzz] and sometimes been invited back as a paid freelancer when we’re really busy. if you’re building a small collective of creatives you know you can trust to deliver the goods when you need them, that’s surely a good thing. and for someone thinking of starting a freelance career or their own studio that’s also a valuable first step for them.
maybe there’s a need for vetting potential placements to avoid time-wasters – a good relationship with the local college/uni might help there so they are only sending you the top notch students, but lets have less of this ‘we’re too busy for placements’ nonsense – if you’re that busy you need placements.
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As a graduate designer i have asked many studios for work experience and have been rejected, but the studios iv’e really wanted to work for have said yes. This goes beyond graphic design, i think a real connection with the work and purpose of the work is the real meat and bones. For instance i was interested in a new music movement coming out of Croydon London, a design firm called GiveUpArt are at the centre of this, just expressing an interest and passion for the area of work lead to a placement, they wouldn’t of had it any other way. Some design firms have morels and are focused on a purpose which can be said for electric angel and GiveUpArt, its all about that common connection whilst learning that thing called graphic design. If both these things are present respect and a good working relationship follow, it naturaly follows.