Sunday 18 September 2011

Tips for the Design Team-Curious: Update

Hello, hello.

How's the weekend treating you? I wanted to pop in today and share a snippet of information which I was going to call gossip ... but which is actually far too mundane for that now I come to think of it! But here goes ...

A few months ago when I blogged the Tips for the Design Team-Curious series I kept saying how you were welcome to share your own DT stories, hopes and experiences with me either here, via Twitter or by email.

I accepted that some people might not feel comfortable sharing their hopes, wishes or frustrations in a public space, so I was really happy when many people felt happy enough to do so.

And so now part of me feels obliged to repay your honesty and openness by telling you my latest DT related facts!

Fact 1:
  • I applied to be on the Basic Grey Design Team [here's the projects I sent in to them with my application]:
Fact 2 - the salient fact:
  • I wasn't selected. [You can see who was - here].
Fact 3 :
  •  I'm OK with that. Really OK. [James hasn't had to hide my craft knife or keep me away from open windows or anything! ;-)
After everything I wrote about reducing my DT responsibilities over the last year or so, I'd applied for a new position mainly because:
  • I'd pretty much decided that  the only new team I'd consider applying for would be that of a major manufacturer and you don't get much bigger than Basic Grey ... so I applied.
  • I like their products.
  • They felt like a good fit for my style. [Just like I set out in Part 3 of DT-Curious - see ... I do take my own advice!]
In deciding which examples of projects to send in I was scrupulous about only sending in work which truly felt and looked like mine. Like 'me'. Likewise, my written application was [for better or worse] very 'Julie'.

My reasoning was: If they were going to select me to design for them - I would rather offer them the real me and NOT get picked ... than offer them things I thought they'd like, but which weren't quite 'me' at this given moment in time, then have to act and create like I was someone else for a year!

There's one big reason I felt disappointed when I saw that my name wasn't on the list of successful designers: I wanted to be wanted. And who doesn't want to be wanted?

But there are actually many more reasons I'm OK with the outcome [I won't go into them all, but y'know, things like time constraints, trying to focus on paid work etc]. And that balance suits me fine.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, mainly because I think it's a natural conclusion to my Design Team-Curious series:
  •  I thought that by showing you I'd followed my own application advice - about being true to yourself - you might feel more confident to tackle something similar. Because look! It worked! I survived!
  • And I thought that maybe one person reading this might feel better about their own DT disappointments if I shared mine.

And if all you take away from this post is a comforting sense of schadenfreude then, hey ... whatever gets you through the night my friend. Whatever gets you through the night!

Julie ;-)

15 comments:

  1. I love Basic Grey and think you would have done wonderful things with their quirky products - it's their loss!

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  2. Onwards and upwards! I'm sure you would have done them proud x

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  3. great post.. I too hv applied and not been selected.. and it's okay.
    I just keep being me.. xo hugs

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  4. Their loss .....we still love you!

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  5. I believe things happen for a reason...their loss xxx

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  6. Personally, I'm going to celebrate the fact that you'll have more time to spend on your blog, on your tweets and on your own design work.

    You'd only have been too 'busty' x

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  7. Wow! These are great projects! I wouldn't feel at all bad about not making the team...there's pretty fierce competition! Perhaps if there were just one more spot...you would have been in! :)

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  8. THANK YOU for sharing so openly and honestly! I'll bet it's the only blog post where someone admits to NOT being selected - good for you. I didn't apply - mostly due to the sensible down to earth advice in your series :D

    That is one cool set of projects and all most definitely YOU! You would have been a credit to them.

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  9. Well, it is their loss, Julie! (though I understand it may feel like a loss to you too). Your submitted pages are wonderfully varied, and a great reflection of who you are. Some people just can't be pigeonholed into a corporate image ...

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  10. Love that you posted this. I went for it too but wasn't really expecting much, just nice to get your work seen by a few more industry people! The projects you sent over are fabulous - you'd have been a great fit with them I think.
    Ah well. I notice there's a lot of moving around on DTs at the moment so another opportunity may come up for you. You're v talented lady x

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  11. Wow there is fantastic variety in your application- LOVE the ticket mini! This was probably the most competitive DT call because BG is so large- I didn't apply for that very reason but now I see your wonderful application projects and who was chosen I KNOW I didn't stand a chance. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. When I saw who Basic Grey announced as their DT members I thought to myself 'oh, Julie must not have applied after all'. How's that for supportive blog friendlyness - I couldn't imagine it possible that they wouldn't have picked you if you'd applied!

    How silly of them. Perhaps they'll wise up next year. Or maybe you'll be doing something else by then. Either way, you know we'll all be here appreciating your awesome work!

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  13. Well one good thing - I learnt a new word :P Just had to google 'schadenfreude' how sd that their is a name for that :(

    As for this post, like everyone else said, thank you for posting it! It really is a good conclusion to your series. I'm a little stunned you didn't get in, i always presumed you would be one of these people that goes on to have books on Amazon (I still think that! I review craft books you know - keep me in mind when it happens! Autographed would be a nice touch *g*) and any DT would be queuing up to have you. Mad fools that they are!

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  14. ...for not picking you I mean, not for queuing up to have you!

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