Women within the creative industry

The following blog post outlines gender disparity within the creative industry, with an interview being gained by Eve Warren as to how she reacts to the creative gender gap.

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Gender disparity is obviously a key issue within graphic design with less than 11% of the world creative directors being female.

In relation to this, and the 40:60 (female to male) gender difference within the creative industry, it is essential to outline my role as a female graphic designer. In conjunction to this, I interviewed Eve Warren, a female designer, who graduated from Leeds College of Art four years ago.





Interview with Eve Warren via email



- Have you ever felt that being a women has limited your job opportunities within the creative industry? If so, how?

No never. I don't think it's a very healthy mindset to think your gender will effect your chances of gaining an opportunity in the creative industry. It's also wrong for an employer to employ and curate creative teams based on gender, race and ethnicity. I completely understand that as a women it can be a really daunting experience to walk into a studio full of men for an interview but in my experience all studios I've interacted with have all been keen to close their gender gap. I've always felt welcome and during my time at Fieldwork we were a very evenly split studio in terms of gender. Rather alarmingly though I've never worked in a studio where there have been people of colour. I do however work with someone who is deaf which is a first for me as I've rarely come across any designers with serious disabilities.




How do you feel design in the north compares to design in the south?

To answer your question though I think freelancing in London, Manchester and Leeds has given me a great insight to how the North compares with the South. There's no doubt about it London pretty much has it all. There's a lot of heritage down here and for a long time London led the way in design on a global scale. However the North has some amazing stuff going on and it really bugs me that for a long time London has been a talent sucker but this is changing and I'm quite passionate to be part of that change.



-What made you stay up north?

When I first graduated I remember being quite petrified / obsessively concerned about what was going to happen at the end of my third year as my parents lived in rural Lincolnshire and I didn't see going home as an option. I also wasn't in any financial position to take sabbatical and go travelling for a few months or move to London. My boyfriend Martin is one half of Hungry Sandwich Club and was offered the free incubator space at Duke Studios, also at the time we signed for a flat with some left over grant money. It was all very frightening but the fact that we were able to sign for a affordable flat and work for free in a coworking space was amazing. This would never happen in London.



-How do you feel the transition between university and industry has been? and is there anything you regret not doing in uni?

In hindsight I had a very smooth transition from university but only because I was organised. I think it's important to keep up some momentum and attempt to get a placement straight away. I won a placement at Manchester based design studio Fieldwork and worked there for a couple of months before interning at Golden. I really enjoyed my summer at Fieldwork and was fortunate that they wanted me back which eventually led to them offering me a full time position.

Most often graduates have no client or project management experience therefore you enter the industry at the bottom of the hierarchy. You go from being in total control of a university project to learning how to follow someone else's lead and vision. The transition can be quite difficult at times as many art degrees don't teach their students how to be commercially minded. This isn't a bad thing as there is always room for great ideas, it's just learning how to sell and execute them.

I think I regret not delving deeper into design theory...there's a lot of books I should have read. I also regret not pushing the idea of doing an exchange of some sort. It would have been great to study abroad.

What has this interview taught me?

• Not to be afraid of fully male working environements
• Once graduating, its probably more liable living up north due to living costs 
• Most studios want to balance gender disparity
• Try to get a placement straight after university
• Read up about being commercially minded  

Mock interview with Tim Dee

This blog outlines a mock interview completed with Tim Dee, showcasing professional engagement.
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As I was previously worried about what a graphic design interview would be like, I contacted multiple design studios asking if I could complete a mock interview with them, from this Tim Dee responded.

Examples of Tim's work

The interview took place at Duke Studios

I felt somewhat apprehensive about the interview, as I generally had no idea what to expect, although Tim was very friendly, this making for a more relaxing atmosphere. Although I did not make a note of all the questions asked (due to the interview environment), I have listed some in which I remembered below.

What brands do you most admire and how do they influence your work?

How do you incorporate feedback into your designs? 

Walk me through your portfolio. Which pieces are you most proud of, and why?

How do you stay abreast of the latest design trends?

As I had previously researched some questions, the majority did not come as a surprise to myself, although some did. For example I had not thought about the last question. I tried to answer this the best I could, although I felt myself stuttering at this stage. 

Feedback from Tim

• Tim suggested that at times I talked too fast, this making myself difficult to understand 
• Tim also suggested that I should ask questions about the company at the end, as its important to seem interested, and it allows you to gain an insight into the work schedule of your future employer
• In terms of content he suggested that I responded to the questions extremely well and formulated my responses strongly 
• He also suggested that I should ponder the question before its asked, this might make me speak slower. 

Where would I like to work?

Since first year I've made a massive list of places i'd like to work, some of these have been outlined below.

Lord Whitney-Leeds

CREATIVE DIRECTION, SET DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION

Alphabet-Leeds/Manchester 

GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO

Robot Food-Leeds/Manchester

PACKAGING CONSULTANTS/DESIGNERS

Love-Manchester

BRANDING/GRAPHIC DESIGN/ADVERTISING 

Echo Branding

BRANDING

Why these companies?

• Bold and bright 
• broth digital and print 
• big brands-good for future jobs 
• Location (the north)
• Range of skills 

Second 1-2-1 Careers advice session

In this blog post a second 1-2-1 careers meeting is outlined. Showcasing how far I have come since the last meeting. Job opportunities, as well as cv, are discussed. 

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In conjunction to my previous careers session, around 6 months ago, I decided to book an appointment for another as I believe my creative path has altered.

This session largely focused upon creating an effective CV, in which will gain me jobs in a range of sectors. Multiple CV variations were developed at this stage with a masterpage also being presented, allowing myself to create specific job variations. A cover letter was also completed at this stage to allow for a professional looking CV.

I was also given links to the following job applications in which I will complete:



Prospects
The UK's most widely used student and graduate job website

Milkround
The official graduate careers website. Offers jobs, postgraduate courses, work experience and careers advice


Target Jobs
Vacancies, internships, great advice and top tips on employers to help you get hired


UCAS Career Finder
A searchable database of work and training opportunities

National Careers Service
Profiles on 800 different types of job, from gardener to graphic designer. You can also read about what the work would be like, the average salary you could expect and what the career prospects are

UAL Creative Opportunities
University of the Arts London website, full of really good info, advice and case studies, & job vacancies


Creative Choices UK
Information, advice, guidance, case studies, networking opportunities etc


Hiive
Job vacancies, competitions, courses, networking, showcase and advice for all creatives

Graduates Yorkshire
Find out more about employment in Yorkshire in this sector-by-sector guide. Read top tips on CVs, covering letters, interviews and lots more

Career Track Tuesday:LinkedIn

Workshop entailed:

• Setting up a LinkedIn 
• Connecting with valuable people 

Areas of consideration: 

• don't put that you're a student-its uproffesional
• good way to connect with people for jobs 
• connect with the person before getting an interview 
• put previous employers on/live work/freelance work
• university education not A Levels
• add volunteer work 
• connect with peers/ tutors
• connect with people completing talks
• only expect invitations from people of your displine 
• post work via behance etc 
• professional image     

Career Track Tuesday:Teaching

In the following blog, a teaching workshop will be outlined, with conclusions being drawn as to whether a teaching career would be right for me. 

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Career Track Tuesday:Teaching with Andy Brownless

As I was unsure upon my future career path, and was worried about employability I decided to attend the career track Tuesday event for teaching.


Andy Brownless, a tutor at Leeds Trinity ran a presentation surrounding the benefits of teaching.

So why become a teacher? Andy suggested that there were large benifits of being a teacher including: free weekends/half terms/ summer holidays, they finish at 3, the pensions and the pay.



Task: Attitudes of a good teacher

Do I maintain these skills??... yes.

My options...

As I would want to teach design, either secondary or HE education would be the best for myself. I have also previously undergone work experience with younger children which I did not enjoy.

I didn't realise how much work you had to complete to become a teacher and this put me off. I am already 21 and after completing all this, I believe that I would be earning less than my peers. I also discovered that I would have to complete unpaid work placements meaning I would have to return home, and therefore this was not an option. 

Career Track Tuesday:Professional Awareness

In the following blog, a professional awareness talk will be highlighted. Showcasing workshops completed relating to online presence, and interview tactics.

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Professional Awareness-14th November

The professional awareness session was completed by Becky Cape, who establishes young peoples skills for employment. The presentation and workshop focused upon how to present yourself as a professional, and factors that employers like to see/dislike to see. 

People judge you in the first 10 seconds, be friendly, smile, look presentable. 

Skills you need no talent for:

-Being on time 

-Work Ethic 

-Effort 

-Positive Body Language 

-Energy 

-Positive Attitude 

-Passion 

-Being Approachable

Should do:

-Show you are committed to your chosen career 

-Carry out research into your chosen career, and discuss this with the employer

-Enthusiastic about there work

-Desmonstrate technical skills 

-Employ strong career goals-where do I want to go-what do I want to do? 

Employers pet peeves 

-Dont be late!! make sure you are early 

-Communicate well 

-Be self aware, dont promote negative body language 

-Dont have an attitude

-They will search for you on social media 

Things I need to do from this :

• alter my social media settings 
• make sure my time management is impeccable 
• do research into a company before applying
• show enthusiasm 

Workshop-

During the session, a mock interview was competed with myself volunteering. This put me on the spot as I did not previously study any questions. Although nervous, this task made me realise that interview preparation is key, as it is embarrassing when you are unsure upon how to respond. 

Ladies Wine Design VS Glug

This blog post outlines a Ladies Wine Design VS Glug event. Information expressed includes that of female creatives work and key elements in which were gained. 

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Hosted at Duke studios on the 22nd Of March 2018

The event entailed leading creative women taking to the stage, sharing inspiration, career advice and life hacks. Focusing on a female panel, the event was like none other in which I have previously attended, and contrasted the usual male centred panel often outlined at design events. It was also incredible to see that a surprisingly large proportion of men attended the event, as I previously thought that the audience would be all female. By not excluding men from the event, it allows the next generation of male designers to grasp concepts and ideas expressed by female designers and the hardships in which they balance with work: work place sexism, childcare etc.

The programme:

Malin Perrson

Marlin focused upon the lifes 'oh shits', highlights that not everything has to be 'perfect, suggesting that sometimes things go wrong, and thats okay, its just life. She later went onto suggest that just because we are creatives doesn't mean that were not in business. This related to me personally, as my placement at spiral left me thinking that full time creativity would mean a full time creative block, but if I were to complete business elements, then my time designing would be sacred. 

Cari KirbyCari Kirby discussed design as a mother, and the struggles of a work life balance. As statistics show that women over 40 are less likely to have a senior role in design (due to caregiving leave), it is essential that women are in a strong job before this period, in order to ensure there name is well known and strongly represented before they take any leave (if they choose to do so).

Olivia Dowling 

Olivia based her talk on Luck, suggesting that we make our own luck in life. She highlighted that if you don't get yourself out there as a designer and self promote, no one will accidentally discover you, its not a film, its real life. Her message was simple, the harder you work the more 'Luck' you get. 

Ellen Lin

Ellen Ling outlined her roles as a copywriter, and suggested that you should get feedback from everyone, even if they're not creative. She suggested that the negative comments are just, if not more  helpful than the positive, as they allow you to alter your idea, in turn providing an astonishing final outcome.  

Key advice taken away from the event 
1 – Don’t be interesting, be interested.
2 – Be more like Han and... do more things Solo.
3 – Don’t grow a wishbone where your backbone should be.
4 – You learn nothing when you’re trying to be everything.
5 – Gossip about yourself.
6 – Don’t settle for meh.

7-  Having children and working is really really hard but worth it 

8-  Luck isn't a thing 

9-  Listen to everyone

10-Learn how to laugh during a presentation 

Liv Siddle Talk

This blog post showcases professional engagement with Liv Siddle, offering opinions as to creative careers after university. 

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In cohesion towards my interest in editorial design and its practice, Liv's talk was highly influential. Gaining a greater insight into how Liv left University in order to pursue a written design career at 'it's nice that' was highly insightful as it promotes that once leaving university you do not necessarily have to go through the traditional route of 'designing'. This allowing Liv to be part of the creative industry without actually creating stuff.

After leaving 'it's nice that', she got a job at Rough Trade, designing a monthly magazine, with a turn over of only two weeks. This was largely where my interest lied, as I thought that this kind of job would be something in which would interest my future career.

She discussed how she gained all the content herself and began to make a grid system in which the information may slot, making the turn over much more efficient. She also suggested that if you run out of budget then you should simply do it yourself.

As I had not previously heard of Rough Trade, research was undertaken in order to have a visual representation.

Girl gang leeds-Girl Talk

This blog outlines a Girl Gang talk in which helped to inform the content of an extended practice brief, showcasing professional input into my work. 

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In further support of female creatives I attended Girl Talk, a creative network run by Girl Gang Leeds. An informal meet up, the event occurred at Hyde Park Book Club and consisted of general chats with creative women. Unlike Ladies Wine and Design there was individuals from a range of creative disciplines including music and dance.

The event allowed myself to get some real-life content for a female creative extended practice brief I have taken on, therefore providing a range of research for my briefs. I was also able to widely discuss my work with others, getting feedback from a professional perspective.

Financing myself in Leeds

This blog post attempts to outline how I plan on financing myself after university. 
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After deciding that I would have better opportunities in a city, financial costs were outlined in order to ensure it is a viable plan.

Although I will be applying for design jobs in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool (and London depending upon financial costs) I will initially be based in Leeds, as I have a pre-existing knowledge of the city and the design studios within it.

Once all univeristy modules are finished on the 14th of May I will be applying for both design jobs (if not done previously) and an 'ordinary' job to sustain my living costs. These other jobs will most likely include retail/bar work as these are the areas in which I have most previous experience.

If I am unable to secure a design job straight after univeristy, I will complete a retail job until available opportunities arise. As well as this I will undergo freelance work on the side and may also complete placements/internships. In order to ensure this is all viable, I completed a small cost plan.







National min wage: £7.38

700/7=25

To finance all my bills/living expenses I would only have to work 25 hours a week, leaving myself a day a week to complete placements/freelance work. 

For example, 

Mon-Thursday (retail) Friday(placement)

I could also complete added freelance work upon the weekend in order to build my portfolio.