Strategies for Overcoming Designer’s Block

By: Sarah McKinney

Every graphic designer, no matter how experienced, has encountered the frustrating phenomenon known as designer’s block or creative burnout.  Designer’s block can manifest in various forms – from an absence of fresh ideas to an overwhelming feeling of creative standstill. It often creeps in the presence of impending deadlines, adding an extra layer of stress. For graphic design students, navigating the challenges of academia, while simultaneously overcoming designer’s block is a crucial skill to develop it’s essential to recognize that this is a common hurdle in the creative process, and you’re not alone in facing it. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore effective strategies to reignite your creative spark and keep the design juices flowing:

1. Embrace the Power of Breaks:

When faced with a creative roadblock, sometimes the best solution is to step away from the project. Take a break, go for a walk, or engage in an unrelated activity. This shift in focus allows your mind to reset and opens the door to new ideas. Consider incorporating the time-blocking technique –  This method involves dividing your workday into distinct blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific task or set of related activities. For graphic designers, this could mean assigning specific blocks for ideation, design execution, client communication, and even breaks.

Resource: Effective Time Management Tips and Strategies for Graphic Designers

2. Seek Inspiration Beyond the Screen:

In the digital age, it’s easy to fall into the trap of seeking inspiration solely from online platforms. Break free from this cycle by exploring the physical world. Visit art galleries, attend design-related events, or simply take a stroll through nature. Inspiration often appears when you least expect it, the textures, colors, and patterns you encounter can serve as a wellspring of inspiration.

3. Engage in Collaborative Creativity:

Collaboration can be a powerful remedy to a designer’s block. Connect with fellow design students, share your challenges, and brainstorm ideas. Hearing different perspectives can spark new thoughts and approaches. Also, consider collaborating with students from other professions to gain fresh insights that can infuse your designs with unique perspectives.

5. Establish a Design Ritual:

Establishing a design ritual is an effective practice to develop a conducive environment for creativity. For instance, curate a specific playlist that resonates with your design sensibilities – music that energizes, inspires, and helps you focus. 

Designating a specific workspace is another crucial element of your ritual. This could be a dedicated corner of your room, a coffee shop with the right ambiance, or a co-working space. A consistent physical environment helps create a mental association between that space and your creative work, making it easier for your mind to transition into a focused and imaginative state.

One part of a ritual that I frequently use to kickstart my creative process is doodling. Taking a few moments to doodle freely on a notepad or sketchpad can be a liberating exercise. These raw drawings often evolve into original ideas or serve as a visual brainstorming session, allowing your creativity to flow.

Another part of my personal ritual that has proven valuable is the act of writing down all thoughts and ideas. This process not only helps in organizing thoughts but also serves as a visual archive of ideas that you can look back on in the future. By putting pen to paper, you can explore connections between concepts, refine your thinking, and generate new ideas in the process

6. Explore Design Communities:

Engage with online design communities to connect with like-minded individuals. Platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and design-focused forums provide spaces to showcase your work, receive feedback, and become inspired by discovering the work of others. Participating in these communities can reignite your passion for design and expose you to new trends and techniques.

Resources: 

Behance  

Dribbble 

Awwwards 

Savee 

Branding style guides 

Conclusion:

Overcoming designer’s block is an ongoing journey, and each designer discovers what works best for them. By incorporating these strategies into your creative process, you’ll not only conquer moments of stagnation but also develop resilience and a deeper understanding of your creative self.  Designer’s block is a temporary setback, and with the right mindset and tools, you’ll find your way back to a world brimming with design possibilities.

Battling Imposter Syndrome

By Erin Aquilino

As I approach graduation in December, there is an overwhelming anxiety that as I enter the workforce, I will not be qualified. Despite five and a half years of education and working towards a BFA in Communication Design, there is a part of me that feels like somehow I cheated my way to this point, like I am a fraud. 

While the logical part of my brain knows that I worked hard to get to this point, through personal challenges and setbacks, a global pandemic, and the run-of-the-mill struggles that every college student faces, I can’t help but feel like I subconsciously scammed my way through college. As a graphic designer, I can’t help but feel like I’ve never come up with an original idea. Have I been mistaking infringement for inspiration all of this time? 

Turns out that what I am feeling is not unusual, in fact “up to 70% of people have experienced symptoms of imposter syndrome” (Albanese), the feeling of workplace fraudulency and being unqualified (Giglio), despite actually having worked hard and being equipped for a job. I find that it takes 50 successes to build my confidence in myself as a designer, but only one failure to tear it all down again. With every failure, despite all of the things I’ve done successfully, I can’t help but think “Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing. Maybe I’m not as qualified as I thought I was.” So how do we overcome these feelings of self-doubt? How do we learn to tell ourselves that it’s not just luck that got us here, but dedication, hard work, and talent? 

Here are some ways ground yourself when the imposter syndrome is screaming that you’re #fake: 

  1. Make a list of your accomplishments. 

Whether it is a mental list or physically writing them down, focus on your achievements, no matter how big or small. From graduating college to turning in that one assignment that you thought for sure you were going to fail but actually ended up getting a decent grade on. 

  1. Reassuring yourself that you didn’t get to where you are now purely based on luck.

It sounds simple but it’s helpful. Sometimes we get these negative thoughts because we are failing to look at the bigger picture. It wasn’t luck that got you into college and it wasn’t luck that got you through college either, just like it won’t be luck that gets you a job in your industry. Give yourself the credit you deserve. 

  1. Really think about your failures. 

I know this sounds depressing but hear me out. Why did you fail? What can you do differently next time? Stop thinking about short-comings as failures but as lessons. Apply what you learned when you do that thing again. And don’t be scared to do that thing again because you weren’t successful the first time.

  1. Ask for help.

Being qualified does not mean you have to know everything and asking for help does not make you less good at what you do, in fact it makes you better. Knowing when to ask questions because you can’t accomplish something by figuring it out on your own is a strength, not a weakness.  

  1. Stop comparing yourself to others. 

This is easier said than done and it takes practice. I’ve found that the root of a lot of my self-doubt comes from comparing myself to the people around me. I frequently find myself thinking things like “All my friends graduated in 4 years, why did it take me 5 and a half? Probably because I’m dumb.” Wrong. My timeline was just different. Someone might have more experience or different qualifications than you but that does not diminish your own experience and qualifications. 

Battling imposter syndrome is hard and emotional but it’s not impossible. It’s not going to happen overnight but little by little you’ll wake up feeling like you are where you’re supposed to be. Be patient and gentle with yourself, you’ve achieved amazing things to get yourself where you are now. 

Sources 

Albanese, S. (2019, January 31). Facing impostor syndrome as a new grad. Eyes On Eyecare. https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/facing-impostor-syndrome-new-grad/ 

Giglio, M. (2022, April 15). Imposter syndrome for newly graduated students. UConn Center for Career Development. https://career.uconn.edu/blog/2022/04/18/imposter-syndrome-for-newly-graduated-students/

De-Influencing: Why it’s important for PR pros

We all know the world of influencers and the ascendancy they have on society, especially with the help of social media apps like TikTok and Instagram where content is spread at a rapidly fast rate. Unfortunately, that comes with content creators getting paid big bucks to advertise a product that may be no good. 

Remember the whole Olaplex scandal? When the brand’s products were being advertised all over the media through ads and influencers, just to be proven that their products are harmful, as they cause hair loss, blisters and other conditions that must be treated medically? Without de-influencing, people may have never known about the harmful effects of these very popular products.

De-influencing is an emerging trend, where influencers discourage their followers from buying certain products. Basically, the opposite of influencer marketing. 

This trend may occur through a number of reasons, like if the product is harmful, overpriced, or simply not worth the money. People who de-influence may also do so if they are naturally unhappy or unsatisfied with the product as a whole and feel as though other people do not need it.

De-Influencing is becoming more and more relevant, and it falls consistently within the line of work for PR professionals.

PR pros must recognize this trend, as they need to ensure that the products and services they pitch hold true value to their audience, along with identifying when there is a potential problem so they can avoid it and leave no room for error or crises.

Navigating this new world of de-influencing may take some trial and error for those working in the public relations or marketing field. Here are a few tips PR pros and marketers can take in order to operate this trend:

  • Work with companies that consistently and naturally align with your morals, ethics and values and pitch products that you truly believe are good and worth it.
  • Listen to feedback from influencers and take what they say into deep consideration.
  • Know what your audience wants and is interested in; keep these in mind at all times.
  • Create efficient tactics and procedures for crisis communication and reputation management.
  • When creating a paid advertisement with an influencer, ensure that they are not overly trying to sell the product, as it may come off as “fake” and receive backlash.

An individual can easily create a 30-second video talking poorly on a brand and their product(s). I’ve seen a handful of videos on my TikTok feed of people convincing the public to not buy something due to a number of reasons, such as the product being a waste of money, harmful, unnecessary, etc. Consequently, these actions can quickly cause harm to the reputation of the brands that are at stake. It is very important that PR pros and those working under influencer marketing/relations are efficient in their reputation and crisis management. They must act fast in handling the situation while using smart and efficient tactics to regain their audiences’ trust, such as releasing timely and genuine apologies regarding the situation, along with their form of action.

In a sense, de-influencing is a positive trend. People are warning the public on certain products that are not worth purchasing. PR pros must use it to their advantage while listening to their audience and feedback and act accordingly. 

AAST Case Study

The minor in Asian American Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the cultures, histories, experiences, concerns and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. It focuses on the American experience of persons from Asian countries of the Pacific Rim and the Pacific Islands while maintaining relationships with the Asian American community and broader society. TGC worked to increase minors while building the visibility of the program. 

What we did:

  1. Our team collaborated to be successful in bringing awareness to this minor. From creating social media pages to working with The Orion to earn a  feature story, we drafted core messaging and collateral for AAST. We used Canva, InDesign, Photoshop, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Zoom to execute all our projects. 

Deliverables

  1. The AAST team grew the minor’s branding through logo creation, tabling materials, media relations and website copy.

Check out our site for examples.

Butte Case Study

Butte College’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility was in need of social media updates and new content to raise awareness of the impactful work they do. Our goal was to centralize around the main resources that are provided on Butte’s campus. The client’s goals were highlighted through social media posts and articles drafted for their U in Butte newsletter. 

Projects Worked On

  • Building and enhancing their social media presence
  • Creating merchandise such as stickers and buttons
  • Developing a new logo
  • Writing six stories for their digital and print U in Butte newsletter
  • Creating a design for the new print newsletter 
  • Updating web content

Our energy was centralized to enhance BC IDEAA’s visibility by promoting their goals of diversity, inclusion and equity. One of the ways we achieved this was to provide a solid social media presence. We began with a solid social media strategy that incorporated important events and  historical holidays to educate our audiences. Social media management is key to staying in touch with target audiences. We created a content calendar that provided the exact graphics and captions for any given post date. 

Creating a website strategy was equally important as it serves as the gateway to learn more about DEI for the Butte College community. The strategy included redesigning the logo and writing newsletter stories that educate readers about poignant topics including intersectionality and the significance of the multicultural centers on Butte’s campus.The newsletter stories fall into three categories designed to make students feel included on campus: raising awareness, encouraging acceptance and inviting action. 

Format/Deliverables 

  • Newsletter stories
  • Print and online newsletter design
  • Photography
  • Stickers, buttons and logo design

Networking is your greatest asset

Networking is your greatest asset

By: Daisy Costilla-Jaimes

Connecting with others and creating chains of networks will be your best asset in the public relations workforce. Creating a database of networks amongst individuals allows you to be involved in new opportunities and allows you to make professional friendships, collaborations, and meet new people not only in your community but also within the professional world locally or globally. 

Sometimes networking with your community will open new opportunities in your career development you wouldn’t think possible. Networking is truly the most important component when becoming a successful public relations professional and progressing in the public relations industry because it allows you to connect with your client’s needs to satisfy their goals and your objectives. 

I am an Assistant Account Executive working with my team to serve our client, the Multicultural Gender Studies Program. Our job is to inform prospective students and their families of the resources and opportunities available on Chico State’s campus. It is an important objective of my client to highlight the diverse minors, programs, and available opportunities for minorities on campus. As an Assistant Account Executive, I am responsible for curating content for the African-American studies minor. Networking with the community has been a key component in establishing connections that are valuable and essential to my client’s objectives.

For instance, I networked with the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center (CCLC) which is an environment dedicated to minority students where they are able to connect with one another, develop leadership skills, share cultural values, build relationships within the community and create cultural awareness and social change. Through the CCLC I was able to network with the Black Student Union’s (BSU) president, Khalid Hurst, BSU members and members of the National Society of Black Engineers. I was able to be more informed about African-American studies’ resources on campus using networking and how they help minorities such as African Americans represent themselves at Chico State. 

Another way to expand your network is through social media such as Instagram, LinkedIn and X, formally known as Twitter. Being involved in social media and creating an engaging platform allows the ability to share information, partake in professional development conversations and create awareness of yourself and your abilities in the public relations field. Through networking with other professionals, you can have a deeper understanding of the industry and have access to resources that are at your fingertips. 

By expanding my network within the community, I was able to gain more understanding regarding my client’s needs, objectives, and goals. I not only gained more comprehension of my client’s needs, but I also made professional connections, gained knowledge that will help me better the community, and obtained awareness of the diverse programs that support minorities. 

Networking with your community, various organizations, programs, and individuals allows you to expand your web of connections. By expanding your network of people it will allow you to be informed, educated, and knowledgeable of the resources and growth opportunities available to you. Enlarging one’s network will allow public relations students to prepare themselves for the real world and achieve their career aspirations by enabling students’ understanding of how to succeed in the public relations industry.

AI is Affecting Graphic Designers 

By: Kate Ellis-Logsdon

With Artificial Intelligence taking over the world recently, many are questioning how it will affect their jobs in the years to come, especially in the digital world. Graphic designers have dealt with changes for centuries from the printing press invented by Gutenberg in the 1400s, to Bauhaus in the 1900s, and finally to the digital era of the invention of Adobe Photoshop in 1990. Being able to adapt to these changes is vital to the design world and the development of graphic design as a whole as well. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping and revolutionizing the industry by providing designers with tools never seen before, changing the way they think, create, and work.
Adobe being one of the largest companies out there for creating design tools recently came out with Adobe Firefly in March 2023. Adobe Firefly is a generative AI program that lets you generate images from just a text description, or remove or add objects in photos with just a prompt. This text to image tool can create posters, flyers, graphics, illustrations, and product mockups. This largely changes the industry as before, designers needed to reach further into the creative process and create these things by themselves. This also takes away the need for hiring designers as businesses alone can create and produce products without the need for talent from a designer. Another text-to-image platform that is recently available is Midjourney. Midjourney is a platform on Discord that generates images that can range in detail from a simple, or intricate prompt. Midjourney creates copyright-free images that can be used in any project, or public domain opening up availability for creativity with prompts but also for inspiration with projects and ideas to start the creative process.
A huge concern in the design industry due to the development of AI is that the more these tools become available to the public and refined further, they start to take over tasks that were done by designers. Image editing, content creation, and layout creation are just a start of where AI is now so imagining where it could go further is concerning. AI also can create an overreliance on these easily accessible templates, layouts, and logo designs. This can hinder designers’ creative process and create a similar look amongst designs, removing the individuality of the designer and their work. AI may be contributing to a loss of unique designs in the next couple of years with more and more mass-produced AI content being released and being published.
While AI has many negative aspects causing concerns to arise, tons of potential and tools that may be helpful to designers are evolving from AI. Many designers are excited about the revolutionary platforms being produced and view it as a way to save time with projects, creating more time for thought and strategy about how to go about a design issue. Conclusively, it is all up to the designer how they choose to use AI while thinking about the ethical concerns that may arise and the quality of work with generated content

What I learned as an AE in TGC

By: Rubi Ha-Hernandez

It’s my first semester in TGC and I am stoked to be working with such a talented team for our amazing clients. 

To my surprise I was assigned to be an Account Executive for my first semester working with Nicole Johansson for the Honeybee Discovery Center. My team is composed of wonderful and strong writers and creatives. Here are a few out of the many things I have learned in TGC.   

Leadership Skills 

Working with my team has helped me improve my leadership skills. Working with our client, we have to collaborate and communicate as a team to make sure our client’s needs are met. Leadership skills have been crucial for effectively managing, motivating my team and making sure everyone is aligned on a common goal. My team makes it easy for me to guide them through our work because of their enthusiasm in working with our client. Their positive energy fuels each other’s creative torch. 

Quick turnarounds and keeping up with PR trends means our team has to be able to adapt. PR is a dynamic field where unexpected challenges or changes arise.

Being in the leadership position, skills like adaptability and resilience help my team navigate these challenges.”

The event the Honeybee Discovery Center is hosting this November has been an example of adaptability. This event sprouted from a casino night idea then evolved into a fundraising opportunity drawing thanks to our dear friend, the IRS. This meant all content prepped for the event had to be changed in language to follow IRS regulations. In order to garner attention and reactions, our team has been creating more opportunities of exposure through local advertisements and media visibility to increase ticket sales. 

Communication

Coming into TGC as an Account Executive means that the connection between you and the client is crucial. Communication is part of being an effective leader in order to deliver clear and concise information. Before our work began I had a conversation with our client. There were clear and concise expectations from Nicole based on her previous experiences. It was my responsibility to assure her our team would deliver on communication and adaptability. It is also my responsibility to relay that with our team as well. A good flow of information helps the entire process sail smoothly towards success. 

Connect with Your Team

I believe one of the most important leadership skills to have is relationship building. Building and maintaining relationships with my team and our client fosters brand growth. Demonstrating interpersonal skills, empathy, and the ability to connect with my team is the reason why we have been successful. Our client has given us the opportunity to create a team bond over the love of bees and nature. Taking a work trip to their learning center feels more like a fun outing rather than a task. Of course, we take our work seriously. Refreshing our brains with fun ideas was a bonus!

Who doesn’t want to have their hard work noticed? Complimenting your team members gives them a boost. In difficult or stressful assignments, it’s the validation we need even if we do have to edit our work. Being in a career that always has to be on top of trends, it is easy to get stuck in a rut. I always try to compliment my team members for their hard work whether or not there is constructive criticism. Bouncing ideas off one another can elevate the quality of work our client is able to have. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

We’re all in this together. As a Wildcat, that line stays heavy in my mind whenever I think about reaching out to my team for advice. I have always struggled with asking for help. In my mind, as a leader I should be able to make decisions and problem solve for my team. However, that is not how TGC works. Our leadership team consists of three amazing seasoned TGC staff and our extraordinary advisor who are always willing to help. Asking for help is not a weakness but rather a strength. It promotes collaboration and sets a positive example for the rest of the team by demonstrating that it is okay to ask for input or expertise from others. The outcome often leads to a better solution or result than originally offered. I have relied on our leadership team on multiple occasions for advice or revisions. Not only do I have a better product for our clients, I have created that relationship with my peers and mentors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, chances are someone else is also struggling with the same thing you are. 

In just one semester, my role as an Account Executive at TGC has provided me with a valuable glimpse into the world of PR. Initially, I was nervous, but thanks to the unwavering support and positivity of the staff, my apprehension turned into genuine enjoyment. 

Being part of TGC has not only allowed me to witness first hand what a career in PR entails, but has also placed me in a leadership position, preparing me for the realities of the PR industry. I embrace every opportunity to learn and grow with the goal of applying these experiences and knowledge to my future career as a PR professional. 

Managing Mental Health When Working With Social Media

Managing mental health

By: Carrington Power

“Socials can be a joy- with the right team, fair compensation and an adequate amount of support,” – Miciah Garcia, digital media coordinator at Chico State

It’s no secret that social media has negatively impacted the mental health of many users. Bullying, sleep disruption and unrealistic expectations about appearance are a few aspects of social media that are prevalent and can drain someone’s mental health. Deleting the apps entirely or limiting time spent on the phone can be solutions. However, people working in public relations and other fields that require social media are not always able to do this.

A 2022 study conducted by Opinium and the Public Relations and Communications Association shows that 90% of PR professionals struggle with their mental health.

This can be the result of an overwhelming workload, feeling unfulfilled in a current position or mentally-taxing work.

Chico State’s Digital Media Coordinator, Miciah Garcia, described her experience working as a social media manager for a California racial justice non-profit during the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement. 

“It took a mental toll, shaping messaging for socials after George Floyd’s murder, and for following instances of violence and injustice,” Garcia said.

Garcia went on to say that there were a lot of positives occurring on social media during that time, such as an increase in education regarding racial injustice and a highlight in important messages and voices. Despite the heavy subject matter, she focused on the positives of her work and kept a brighter outlook.

Another aspect of mental health struggles in public relations is keeping a healthy work-life balance. Andrew Staples, Chico State’s public relations manager, makes a to-do list for each workday and reviews it at the end of his day. Although there is always more work to finish, there is a feeling of accomplishment when examining the work that you have completed.

“Public relations and strategic communications is not a 9-5 job. There will be times when you are working after hours pursuing a good story or dealing with a bad one,” Staples said, “However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t practice good work-life balance habits.”

Staples also mentions that it can be helpful to set a boundary for when you stop checking work emails and messages. 

“…When I worked in the Bay Area in the tech industry, I made a rule not to check my email after 9 p.m.,” Staples said, “That way, I wouldn’t see something come in late and get spun up and not be able to sleep at night.”

Both Garcia and Staples have some advice for students pursuing or about to go into the public relations and communications fields.

“I’d urge any social media professional to try to keep things in perspective,” Staples said, “Understand the negative comments on social media are going to be from people who are passionate and don’t necessarily mean the messaging of a particular post didn’t meet your goals.”

 Garcia emphasizes that working as a content creator online can be a positive experience if you work with a good team and are fairly compensated. However, when work begins to seep into your personal life, it’s essential to put limits on what you are and are not willing to do.

“…Give yourself boundaries that protect your mental health, like no phone/computer time throughout your week,” Garcia said, “And on your vacation days/mental health days, I encourage you to completely unplug from work.”

While working in PR and with social media can seem stressful, there are ways to combat the stress through keeping a positive mindset, a healthy work-life balance and setting boundaries. Social media does not always have to seem like a negative thing, taking steps to protect your mental health is essential and can lead to an overall increase in self-fulfillment.

One Foot in Front of the Other

Eve Miller’s tips on the job hunting process. 

By: Lucy Ventura

As a senior, thinking about what’s next post-graduation can be frustrating. It can also be a burden on your self-esteem going through many interviews and not hearing back quickly. I spoke with Eve Miller about what her job hunting process was like and how she adjusted from being in TGC to working at Global Results Communications agency. 

What was the job hunt like for you?

“It was long and tedious. I think I started looking for post-grad jobs over Thanksgiving break and applying not long after,”

How did you manage to stay encouraged throughout the job hunting process ?

“I had to keep reminding myself that I didn’t need to find the perfect job straight away. I stressed a lot over what part of public relations I wanted to focus on when I didn’t even need to think about it. Even just finding a job that furthers your skills in any aspect is great and will benefit you in,”

What tips would you give to those who are nervous for the interview process?

“Practice over and over with friends, family or mentors. Even apply for jobs you know you don’t want but are qualified for and go through the interview process – you can always say no and it gives you practice for what types of questions people typically ask and how to answer them depending on the position,”

“I did this a lot throughout college and probably had tons of interviews I did just because I could. I didn’t realize its impact until a recruiter told me after an interview that I was the first candidate to answer their questions rather than push for what I wanted to tell them.”

What role did personal branding and online presence, such as LinkedIn, play in your job search success?

“The biggest part. I was fairly active on LinkedIn and still am since I use it for work every day. 

LinkedIn is your best friend. If you have the money to spend on getting premium, do it. They have a student discount –  I’m still riding on this currently- which helps so much during the application process.

I would constantly go on the page of organizations I loved and look at the people working there in the positions I hope to have one day and I’d just try to message them or connect with them. People want to help you if you’re friendly and it doesn’t hurt to ask. I got my current job by contacting the company’s owner.”

Can you offer advice to seniors who are currently job hunting in the PR field based on your experiences?

“Your professors want to help you! Ask them for help but understand that they have other things to do so plan ahead.”

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your job hunt, or any lessons learned that you can share?

“I started to work the day I got back from graduation and I wish I had taken a break, even if it was for a week. Going from a classroom setting one day to working with clients and full-grown adults the next was shocking. Have fun when you have the time because summers don’t exist after college…

Was it hard adapting straight from college to the workforce and how did you prepare to start your job fresh out of graduating college?

Extremely – I’m still adjusting. It’s not something people really prepare you for, they just prepare you for how to get a job. I had a bit of imposter syndrome the first couple of weeks and I still get it from time to time. The most important thing that has helped me is asking questions.

“Be the annoying person who asks too many questions because it’s better to look curious and get it right the first time than stay quiet and have to do it over again a million times.”

In what ways has TGC prepared you for the job you are working at now?

“It helped me know how to work on multiple accounts at once and manage time. Having that public relations firm under your belt, even if it is student-run, helps you more than you know when looking for jobs and when you’ve got a job. I know how to work well in teams of different people and communicate people’s needs. TGC helped me grow a lot of my skills in different aspects, more than I realized. In every interview I had, people were impressed with the experience I had gained through TGC. It’s not something that people should underplay and say “Oh it’s a class” because it’s definitely more than that depending on how much you put into the program. It’s a full internship which I know not a lot of other universities offer. It’s a huge leg up in the job process and as long as you position it right on your resume and during interviews, it could be the difference between whether you’re picked for a position or not.”