Customer Obsession – In my professional life, I have always been focused on what the people I’m working for need and want. I worked as a massage therapist for around two years in the District of Columbia, a field where the most important things are your clients’ comfort and wellbeing. I was one of the few therapist in my area that addressed issues surrounding TMJ, therapy that requires you to work inside the mouth of your client. Whenever my work called for this, I was always extremely careful to talk my clients through what the session would entail and go out of my way to make sure that they felt comfortable and safe while they were on my table.
Deliver Results – When I worked on as a social media intern for Civic Influencers (formerly Campus Election Engagement Project), I was tasked with coming up with infographics that taught the amendments of the United States Constitution. After coming up with a few ideas I was unhappy with, it occurred to me that motion graphics would work a lot better for what I was trying to convey. I created a concept animation to show my supervisors. They ended up loving the idea and the series became much more informative and engaging as a result.
Learn and Be Curious – I have always enjoyed learning new skills and tricks as an adult. It’s a strength I’ve developed over time and there are definitely a number of caveats when it comes to which subjects I find engaging. Luckily I made the decision to go into graphic design, because the work I get to do, the tools I get to work with, and the seemingly endless amount there is to learn are astounding. For example, I’ve been surprised about how much I enjoy learning how to code in HTML and CSS because when I enrolled in SCC’s design program those were the skills I was (and still am) most trepidatious about learning.
Are Right, A Lot – I feel like I am extremely bad at being right. I will usually defer to someone else’s opinion or judgment. I know that I have a lot to learn still when it comes to design and my professional development, and that as a rule I will probably be wrong about many things for a while to come. In a way I enjoy being wrong because it means that I’m still learning and keeping the feelings and wants of the people I’m working for in the front of my mind.