"Becoming a designer is not just a matter of honing your practical skills, there’s a new language to get familiar with. This series of articles explores some of the most important words used in studios, websites and universities around the world. It lets you know why these terms are so significant and gives you tips on how to use them to your advantage.”
Aysar Ghassan continues our new series on Design Keywords with the second of two articles on ‘Storytelling’.
The last article explored why storytelling is so important in helping both consumers and clients value the experiences designers create for them. With more insights from Anton Webb & Rishi Sodha from 2Creatives, this article lets you know why telling effective stories about yourself can help to get you employed in the ultra-competitive world of design.
If being a student isn’t stressful enough, there’s the job hunt to contend with. Dick Powell, co-founder of Seymourpowell says:
“Sadly, these days, it is harder than ever for graduates to find work; the jobs don't come to them - many don't realise that their graduation is the start of a lengthy, often soul destroying process that is as much work as work itself”. [1]
To find that elusive first job, you may have to enter into a “competition for credentials” [2]. Credentials can include extra qualifications (e.g. doing a CAD course), a network of contacts as well as desirable personal qualities.
The quest for contacts might involve some clever juggling on your part. Industry professionals might not appreciate a constant stream of emails from unknown individuals. And tutors often don’t like students disrupting internship programmes by steaming ahead and keeping them out of the loop. But don’t graduate without a list of contacts. When job-hunting, Dick Powell [3] advises,
“Offer anything, do anything, call in every contact you have, get on LinkedIn and let it take you everywhere…”
Desirable personal qualities are just as important as contacts. Be careful, for example, when tempted to engage in online rants:
Digital walls have ears. Don’t ruin your chances of getting that dream job!
“You should always be wary of posting job-threatening content on the Internet. It’s hard to erase something once it gets out there. But now that there’s a company that specialises in capturing this and putting it into a file, it may be even harder to undo the damage wrought by an unwise tweet…” [4]
When it comes to building credentials, would-be professionals are “telling a story about themselves” [5]. Professionals can build credentials through the way they dress, [6], the tone of voice they use, their gestures, facial expressions and their posture [7].
Strut your stuff to build credentials
Picking the right photo for your CV or LinkedIn profile helps you amass the right credentials. Recruitment expert Alison Doyle [8] says:
“Make sure that your photo depicts you in a manner appropriate for your field […] Choose solid dark colors like blue or black. Avoid white; it can make you appear washed out. Avoid wearing a strapless dress or top; if you are showing your shoulders in the picture, a strapless top will make you appear naked (and definitely unprofessional)!”
Designers’ sketching style [9] and their portfolio [10] also tell stories about them. Have you noticed that product designers and fashion designers tend to draw people in very in different ways? Car designers’ portfolios tend to contain lots of grey-scale renderings created in programmes like Photoshop. What stories might a folder full of visualisations created with old-fashioned techniques like pastel and gouache tell about a designer?
Design credentials are so important that they apply beyond examples of work to the spaces this work is done in. Take a look at these design studios:
Design spaces have identities too
Note the muted colours of walls, floor and ceiling and the use of strong accents (including a cleverly positioned orange!) Is all this just coincidence…?
Building on the previous article, let’s now look at how Anton Webb & Rishi Sodha from the multidisciplinary design agency 2Creatives use storytelling to create good relationships with clients.
The directors of 2Creatives: Rishi Sodha, Christopher Rawnsley and Anton Webb
Dress is an important part of storytelling and Anton & Rishi believe in dressing according to their audience:
“If you’re working with a corporate client, then the casual dress typical of designers is going to jar quite badly with them and they’re going to wonder ‘can we trust these people?’ Conversely, dress too formally with other clients, and you’re likely to scare them’”
The team at 2Creatives make use of stories inherent in dress codes when building a relationship with clients:
“It’s about being flexible and making sure that no matter who your client is, they feel comfortable working with you. Dressing the same way as them often makes everyone feel equal in meetings rather than being hindered by a ‘client vs creative team’ divide.”
And small details can make all the difference:
“Colour really works on subconscious level. When in formal meetings, we take care to wear items that are colour-coded to our clients’ brand values.”
Conversely, when it comes to picking colours, a lack of focus can mean that a designer can start off on the wrong footing with clients:
“Say their brand logo is blue and you wear a red tie…something as small as that can really antagonise clients and negatively affect how they respond to you.”
Clients assume they will be walking into a ‘creative space’ when visiting 2Creatives. Anton & Rishi describe how they make their studio feel like a creative place:
2Creatives’ Studio
“It’s open plan, we don’t have cubicles. Our studio has lots of post-it-notes on the walls with ideas and scribbles. We have playful posters and curious design items on the shelves…people relate to these. They’re not corporate. Clients pick these things up and talk about them.”
And in case you were wondering, a designer’s choice of computer seems to go a long way in helping to achieve this feeling:
“We use Apple Macs. It’s a cliché for a reason…they help create a clean environment.”
Details help make a design space designerly
Just as stories help create a relationship between 2Creatives and their clients, narratives also aid Anton & Rishi pick out potential employees. The availability of digital equipment means that graduates’ portfolios are now slicker than ever before:
“It’s now easy for graduates to really polish their work, so it’s often difficult to tell between them.”
So Anton & Rishi use other methods to differentiate between applicants. Individuals tell stories about themselves when they get in touch. Contact details for 2Creatives are freely available online, but most applicants don’t appear to take the time to really look at them:
“We hate generic emails. It’s so simple, but only 5% of CVs or emails are addressed to us as individuals. Nothing is more likely to make us switch-off than ‘to whom it may concern…’”
And going the extra mile can mean that an applicant can stand out for the right reasons. Prior to being interviewed, one applicant emailed the team to ask:
“Whether we liked our tea with cake or biscuits? She then brought us in what we liked. It showed initiative and the ability to follow through on an idea.”
Do you prefer cake or biscuits with yours?
Getting your first job doesn’t mean you’re exempt from having to tell the right stories about yourself. For 2Creatives, the fact that someone fits in to their culture is more important than an individual’s skills:
“We can forgive professional mistakes, but we can’t forgive other types of mistakes, for example, selfishness or rudeness. One bad apple can destroy the morale of a company…”
And when it comes to forming an opinion of employees, small stories make a big impact:
“We’re always impressed when someone asks if ‘anyone needs a hand’ before they go home. It may be as simple as making someone a cup of tea, but it really helps to shape our opinion of them and, in future, people will always be more willing to return the favour.”
Designers tell stories about themselves whenever they are meeting clients, preparing a physical portfolio or uploading their work on websites such as this one. Meticulously study the sector you are hoping to enter and find out as much as you can about the companies you wish to approach. Stand back and really look at your story. In the ultra-competitive world of design, figuring out how your stories may be of value to clients is time well spent.
The next article in this series explores a term which has strong links with both experience and storytelling. This keyword is ‘participation’.
Read Storytelling Part 1 and see the whole series of Design Keywords.
Aysar Ghassan teaches Automotive and Transport Design at Coventry University. He writes on 21st Century Design Philosophy and Design Education in international journals and conferences.
REFERENCES
[1] Dezeen (2013) Graduates should “work for nothing” says D&AD chairman. Dezeen.com
[2] Brown, P., Hesketh, A. and Williams, S. (2002). Employability in a Knowledge-Driven Economy. Working Paper Series, 38 Page 20
[3] Dezeen (2013) Graduates should “work for nothing” says D&AD chairman. Dezeen.com
[4] Hill, K. (2011) Social Media Background Check Company Ensures That Job-Threatening Facebook Photos Are Part Of Your Application. Forbes.com
[5] Miller, N., and Morgan, D. (1993) Called to Account: The CV as an Autobiographical Practice. Sociology, Volume 27, Issue 1. Page 133.
[6] Pratt, M. G. and Rafaeli, A. (1997) Organizational dress as a symbol of multilayered social identities. Academy of Management Journal, Volume 40, Issue 4. Pages, 862–898.
[7] Ashforth, B. E., and Humphrey, R. H. (1993). Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity. Academy of Management Review, Volume 18, Issue 1. Pages, 88–115.
[8] Doyle, A. (2013) How to Take and Choose a Professional Photo for LinkedIn - Tips for Picking a Perfect LinkedIn Profile Photo About.com
[9] Tovey, M., Porter, S. and Newman, R. (2003) Sketching, concept development and automotive design. Design Studies, Volume 24, Issue 2. Pages 135–153.
[10] Best, J. (2009). Guest Post: A portfolio doesn't speak for itself. Coroflot.com
Aysar Ghassan continues our new series on Design Keywords with the second of two articles on ‘Storytelling’.
The last article explored why storytelling is so important in helping both consumers and clients value the experiences designers create for them. With more insights from Anton Webb & Rishi Sodha from 2Creatives, this article lets you know why telling effective stories about yourself can help to get you employed in the ultra-competitive world of design.
If being a student isn’t stressful enough, there’s the job hunt to contend with. Dick Powell, co-founder of Seymourpowell says:
“Sadly, these days, it is harder than ever for graduates to find work; the jobs don't come to them - many don't realise that their graduation is the start of a lengthy, often soul destroying process that is as much work as work itself”. [1]
To find that elusive first job, you may have to enter into a “competition for credentials” [2]. Credentials can include extra qualifications (e.g. doing a CAD course), a network of contacts as well as desirable personal qualities.
The quest for contacts might involve some clever juggling on your part. Industry professionals might not appreciate a constant stream of emails from unknown individuals. And tutors often don’t like students disrupting internship programmes by steaming ahead and keeping them out of the loop. But don’t graduate without a list of contacts. When job-hunting, Dick Powell [3] advises,
“Offer anything, do anything, call in every contact you have, get on LinkedIn and let it take you everywhere…”
Desirable personal qualities are just as important as contacts. Be careful, for example, when tempted to engage in online rants:
Digital walls have ears. Don’t ruin your chances of getting that dream job!“You should always be wary of posting job-threatening content on the Internet. It’s hard to erase something once it gets out there. But now that there’s a company that specialises in capturing this and putting it into a file, it may be even harder to undo the damage wrought by an unwise tweet…” [4]
When it comes to building credentials, would-be professionals are “telling a story about themselves” [5]. Professionals can build credentials through the way they dress, [6], the tone of voice they use, their gestures, facial expressions and their posture [7].
Strut your stuff to build credentialsPicking the right photo for your CV or LinkedIn profile helps you amass the right credentials. Recruitment expert Alison Doyle [8] says:
“Make sure that your photo depicts you in a manner appropriate for your field […] Choose solid dark colors like blue or black. Avoid white; it can make you appear washed out. Avoid wearing a strapless dress or top; if you are showing your shoulders in the picture, a strapless top will make you appear naked (and definitely unprofessional)!”
Designers’ sketching style [9] and their portfolio [10] also tell stories about them. Have you noticed that product designers and fashion designers tend to draw people in very in different ways? Car designers’ portfolios tend to contain lots of grey-scale renderings created in programmes like Photoshop. What stories might a folder full of visualisations created with old-fashioned techniques like pastel and gouache tell about a designer?
Design credentials are so important that they apply beyond examples of work to the spaces this work is done in. Take a look at these design studios:
Design spaces have identities tooNote the muted colours of walls, floor and ceiling and the use of strong accents (including a cleverly positioned orange!) Is all this just coincidence…?
Building on the previous article, let’s now look at how Anton Webb & Rishi Sodha from the multidisciplinary design agency 2Creatives use storytelling to create good relationships with clients.
The directors of 2Creatives: Rishi Sodha, Christopher Rawnsley and Anton WebbDress is an important part of storytelling and Anton & Rishi believe in dressing according to their audience:
“If you’re working with a corporate client, then the casual dress typical of designers is going to jar quite badly with them and they’re going to wonder ‘can we trust these people?’ Conversely, dress too formally with other clients, and you’re likely to scare them’”
The team at 2Creatives make use of stories inherent in dress codes when building a relationship with clients:
“It’s about being flexible and making sure that no matter who your client is, they feel comfortable working with you. Dressing the same way as them often makes everyone feel equal in meetings rather than being hindered by a ‘client vs creative team’ divide.”
And small details can make all the difference:
“Colour really works on subconscious level. When in formal meetings, we take care to wear items that are colour-coded to our clients’ brand values.”
Conversely, when it comes to picking colours, a lack of focus can mean that a designer can start off on the wrong footing with clients:
“Say their brand logo is blue and you wear a red tie…something as small as that can really antagonise clients and negatively affect how they respond to you.”
Clients assume they will be walking into a ‘creative space’ when visiting 2Creatives. Anton & Rishi describe how they make their studio feel like a creative place:
2Creatives’ Studio“It’s open plan, we don’t have cubicles. Our studio has lots of post-it-notes on the walls with ideas and scribbles. We have playful posters and curious design items on the shelves…people relate to these. They’re not corporate. Clients pick these things up and talk about them.”
And in case you were wondering, a designer’s choice of computer seems to go a long way in helping to achieve this feeling:
“We use Apple Macs. It’s a cliché for a reason…they help create a clean environment.”
Details help make a design space designerlyJust as stories help create a relationship between 2Creatives and their clients, narratives also aid Anton & Rishi pick out potential employees. The availability of digital equipment means that graduates’ portfolios are now slicker than ever before:
“It’s now easy for graduates to really polish their work, so it’s often difficult to tell between them.”
So Anton & Rishi use other methods to differentiate between applicants. Individuals tell stories about themselves when they get in touch. Contact details for 2Creatives are freely available online, but most applicants don’t appear to take the time to really look at them:
“We hate generic emails. It’s so simple, but only 5% of CVs or emails are addressed to us as individuals. Nothing is more likely to make us switch-off than ‘to whom it may concern…’”
And going the extra mile can mean that an applicant can stand out for the right reasons. Prior to being interviewed, one applicant emailed the team to ask:
“Whether we liked our tea with cake or biscuits? She then brought us in what we liked. It showed initiative and the ability to follow through on an idea.”
Do you prefer cake or biscuits with yours?Getting your first job doesn’t mean you’re exempt from having to tell the right stories about yourself. For 2Creatives, the fact that someone fits in to their culture is more important than an individual’s skills:
“We can forgive professional mistakes, but we can’t forgive other types of mistakes, for example, selfishness or rudeness. One bad apple can destroy the morale of a company…”
And when it comes to forming an opinion of employees, small stories make a big impact:
“We’re always impressed when someone asks if ‘anyone needs a hand’ before they go home. It may be as simple as making someone a cup of tea, but it really helps to shape our opinion of them and, in future, people will always be more willing to return the favour.”
Designers tell stories about themselves whenever they are meeting clients, preparing a physical portfolio or uploading their work on websites such as this one. Meticulously study the sector you are hoping to enter and find out as much as you can about the companies you wish to approach. Stand back and really look at your story. In the ultra-competitive world of design, figuring out how your stories may be of value to clients is time well spent.
The next article in this series explores a term which has strong links with both experience and storytelling. This keyword is ‘participation’.
Read Storytelling Part 1 and see the whole series of Design Keywords.
Aysar Ghassan teaches Automotive and Transport Design at Coventry University. He writes on 21st Century Design Philosophy and Design Education in international journals and conferences.
REFERENCES
[1] Dezeen (2013) Graduates should “work for nothing” says D&AD chairman. Dezeen.com
[2] Brown, P., Hesketh, A. and Williams, S. (2002). Employability in a Knowledge-Driven Economy. Working Paper Series, 38 Page 20
[3] Dezeen (2013) Graduates should “work for nothing” says D&AD chairman. Dezeen.com
[4] Hill, K. (2011) Social Media Background Check Company Ensures That Job-Threatening Facebook Photos Are Part Of Your Application. Forbes.com
[5] Miller, N., and Morgan, D. (1993) Called to Account: The CV as an Autobiographical Practice. Sociology, Volume 27, Issue 1. Page 133.
[6] Pratt, M. G. and Rafaeli, A. (1997) Organizational dress as a symbol of multilayered social identities. Academy of Management Journal, Volume 40, Issue 4. Pages, 862–898.
[7] Ashforth, B. E., and Humphrey, R. H. (1993). Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity. Academy of Management Review, Volume 18, Issue 1. Pages, 88–115.
[8] Doyle, A. (2013) How to Take and Choose a Professional Photo for LinkedIn - Tips for Picking a Perfect LinkedIn Profile Photo About.com
[9] Tovey, M., Porter, S. and Newman, R. (2003) Sketching, concept development and automotive design. Design Studies, Volume 24, Issue 2. Pages 135–153.
[10] Best, J. (2009). Guest Post: A portfolio doesn't speak for itself. Coroflot.com