Inside the studio: from Graduate to Junior Designer

In this blog, Kat, our Junior Designer, reflects on her journey joining the team at Bright Collie fresh out of university. Since then, she's grown through client projects across various sectors and has been taking on real-world design challenges.

In this article, Kat shares the lessons, insights, and honest reflections that have shaped her early career in branding and design.

From Graduate to Junior Designer

It feels just like yesterday that I interviewed for a Graphic Designer role at Bright Collie. It was exactly a day before graduation, with no idea what was ahead of me.

During the interview, it was important that I talked about my work clearly and confidently, while explaining the thinking behind my ideas. This included showing the 'not always so pretty' concept stage. I just focused on being myself and presenting what I genuinely love doing.

Starting out in the design industry can feel both exciting and overwhelming, so I thought it might be helpful to share a few of the key things I've learned so far, to help anyone just beginning their own journey.

These are the lessons that have stuck with me the most:

1. Say YES, then figure it out

Even before joining Bright Collie, one of the biggest lessons I've learned is not to be afraid to say "yes" to opportunities, even when they seem unfamiliar or outside your comfort zone. These are usually the projects that have helped me develop new skills and build my confidence the most!

Thanks to this attitude, I got to work on some really exciting projects outside of university, both independently and in a team, and I was able to talk about them later during my interview.

2. Make mistakes

In the beginning, I put a lot of pressure on myself to get everything right the first time. I would often try to match the design quality of senior designers (unsuccessfully), thinking that's what was expected of me, but here's the truth:

As a Junior Designer, not all your designs will be great, not even average at times. You'll make mistakes and that's a good thing! It's part of the learning process, so if you are starting out, don't be afraid to mess up.

Some of the inspiring people in design say: "Creativity isn't about avoiding mistakes, it's about making them."

3. Ask questions

 

It's easy to fall for the trap of feeling like you have to know everything, especially at the start.

Some of the most valuable advice I received came simply from asking questions (sometimes too many, am I right Meg and Ad? :D). Asking questions improved both my thinking skills and my efficiency in using the industry standard software. Seniors or lecturers can always help you and give you some handy tips.

4. Feedback is your friend

 

Receiving feedback can feel intimidating. I remember trying not to show my unfinished concepts to lecturers at university, worried if the quality was good enough or more was expected of me. Accepting the constructive feedback and learning from it is actually what helped my work improve.

I am really grateful for Huw and the team who are always happy to provide feedback whenever needed.

5. Stay inspired outside of work

 

I found that keeping personal creative projects, attending industry talks or reading about relevant topics outside of working hours have helped me keep my passion for design. It is great connecting with like-minded people and building an important 'network' of peers for opportunities and inspiration.

At the end of the day, we are all on this journey together!

Final thoughts

Looking back, my time at Bright Collie has been full of exploration, learning, and I am grateful for every experience here. For anyone looking to step into the design industry: stay curious, be open to learning from your mistakes (there will be plenty ha!), and take on board any feedback that comes your way.

Trusting your creative process doesn't happen overnight, and becoming a great designer will take time. I'm still on that journey, just like everyone else, and it's so exciting!

I am incredibly grateful for the team here, and I can't wait to see what upcoming projects we'll work on and how my design journey evolves.