Last night was the Shift live meet and greet event - Shift Northeast
We had live talks from product designers, typographers and other industry professionals who talked to us about their backgrounds, work and how they got into the industry. I found it very informative and inspiring to hear how they found and then grew into their roles as designers.
I find that getting to talk to professionals in a relaxed environment can really help to learn how to get started in the industry.
While not necessarily involved in the exact area i am aiming to be involved in, talking Allan Smith, a print consultant at Trust was particularly helpful. When he left his original workplace to start Trust he found it very difficult to get clients and spent the first 6 months of his freelance career trying to find work. His dedication to his goal kept him going through this time and he was rewarded for it. As i ideally aim to work freelance this was especially inspiring for me. He will also be one of the mentors at Shift which i believe will be very helpful for graduate students to see just how important dedication can be.
While it may seem easy to give up when things get difficult, you can often be rewarded by sticking to your guns.
Before the event i was very worried about whether i had a future in design and whether a freelance career was really for me. All of these worries have gone now i have had the chance to talk it through with people who have been in a similar position and managed to succeed in such a performance driven profession.
The event was held at Think Tank in Hoults Yard Newcastle which was a very cool venue (although really cold) and having such a small venue really forced people to get involved and have a chat. All of the mentors were happy to answer any questions no matter how spurious, which helped everyone open up.
Live music and a bar were provided and, as usual for a shift event, it was a very enjoyable evening. If anyone in the North East reads this i would definately suggest you attend at least one Shift Live event if you are interested in design as a career.
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