Top 10 things Colette has learned in the real world

If you asked Colette Mitchell-Ruff before she graduated where she’d hope to be in a year she would claim she’d be happy to be alive. You see Colette is one of our outstanding students who graduated in Spring 2005 – but she is not just your normal student. Colette overcame the odds with rhenal cancer during her last semester in the program, which included surgery to have her kidney removed. Colette stayed strong and graduated with honors. Not long after graduating she was offered a design position with Richmond.com in Richmond, Virginia. Since relocating, Colette has moved up to a senior design position in just five months. Her work on the Visit Richmond web site has won her award recognition from the Virginia Press Women’s Association and PRSA Richmond. To add to her success, Colette was recently commissioned to speak to VCU’s Mass Communication Class where she was able to inspire other students hoping to enter the graphics industry. She has stayed involved working on freelance work for clients such as Samuel Taylor and Katherine Capocelli, who have complimented her on her outstanding work ethic.

So we took time recently to get in contact with Colette and she has offered up a list of things she’s learned since working in the graphics industry which we hope will be helpful.

Top 10 things Colette has learned in the real world:

1. Work hard to prove your worth to your boss and clients.
2. You can prevail over BA or BS Graduates if you have a good work ethic, a drive to succeed and you know your stuff.
3. You have to sell your ideas and concepts to your clients.
4. You can’t survive without Time Management, Organization and Backing up your files.
5. Don’t be afraid to leave your hometown. Moving away from Florida’s hot sun can be extremely beneficial.
6. Keep your head down and focus on your work. (stay out of the office gossip!)
7. You don’t need a watch because there are computers, office and cell phones and most cars have digital radios which display the time.
8. Continue to sharpen your knowledge and skillsets. Join a Design Blog and/or a Design organization. This will lend you opportunities such as discounts on software, admissions into Conferences, and much more. For web designers I recommend you begin learning new technical skills such as: ColdFusion, Ajax, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, and Data Binding. For print designers I recommend you begin improving skills such as: HTML, CSS and boost up your typography skills. All of these will make you more employable.
9. You don’t NEED a Masters Degree to make money in design.
10. Working in the graphics industry is not a 9 to 5 job. There will be times when you must work over night to meet deadlines. It is just part of the business.

Thanks Colette for sharing your experiences and congratulations on your continued success! Best of luck in all you do!