Calling all Animators – Here are Your Top Tips to Help Secure a Graduate Role

By jp4,

Guest Student Blogger: Julianne Farmer, Level 6 Animation BA (Hons)

Graduation, it’ll mean something different to everyone, it brings on feeling of achievement, pride, relief, but those good feelings can be accompanied by worry, fear, uncertainty, and anxiety as we’re now faced with an array of decisions to make for ourselves. The first step to “adulthood”.

MY ADVICE, START PREPARING NOW!!!

  • Build a great demo reel or showreel. The main thing you need to get across to your future employer is that you have the skills to pay the bills. So, showcase them well. As a suggestion – starting and ending with your best pieces of work will really pack a punch, first and last impressions are a thing. Spend time on this, all the time you need to get it looking professional and sleek, you want to make a lasting impression. Remember, companies get piles of reels and if there are errors in your work or editing, people notice! You spell check before sending an important email, right? Apply the same to your demo reel!
  • Make yourself easy to find. Create a website, social media platforms – LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter – that are easily accessible, make sure everything is up to date and works! Employers want to be able to click and view your work easily. A quick tip on this topic, if you make yourself a tag stick to it and utilize it in your logo and across all your platforms.
  • Polish your CV. Ideally, you’re looking for an up-to-date, easily readable, and short CV. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Want to stand out? Opt for a creative CV that’s artistic and fun and really pushes you forward as brand. If you want, you could even animate your CV! People are visual creatures, keep it simple and to the point.
  • Now start applying! Now you’ve got all your tools ready to go it’s time to start applying, sign up to job alerts, get notifications on the jobs you’re looking for. Most job websites have the option to notify you daily. Draft a personalised cover letter to send to each company you apply to, make it a bit personal, why not? My tip would be – apply to as many as possible, even if you don’t have all the qualifications do it anyways. The worst they can do is say no. Remember there is always a company looking to hire fresh talent.
  • Work on side projects! You don’t need to put the breaks on your other projects while looking for a job. People are interested in people who have their own initiative to create and make something of themselves. Collaborate with other artists, work on a personal project, volunteer, take commissions, do work that will fulfil you and get you noticed while having fun!
  • Build connections and keep your ears open. Personal connections count for a lot. Attend animation events if you can, why not enjoy yourself and network at the same time? If you know someone in the industry, don’t be shy, ask if they’ve heard about jobs or internships and let them know you’re available. Employers are looking for personable employees and if your friend can vouch for you even better. Do your fellow animators the same favour and let them know if you heard about a job that’s the right fit for them!
  • Don’t give up. I know it seems like a lot, but you’ll get there. Use the spare time while jobhunting to really hone your craft. Get good at what you do, we have access to so many professional standard books and courses in this digital age, make use of it! Be persistent and you will be rewarded.

So, there you have it! The only thing to do now is start today. You’re the only one that can get you there, remember that saying “Do one thing that scares you everyday.”? Do that today, whether it be animating a piece for your showreel, applying for the job you want, or building your website. Just start it, and get the momentum going, you won’t regret it.

To speak to one of our Career Coaches get in touch: 

Email: careers@staffs.ac.uk 

Twitter: @CareersAtStaffs 

Instagram: @CareersAtStaffs 

Facebook: Staffordshire University​ Career & Personal Development 

Career Chat: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/careers/careers-studio/chat-to-our-careers-coaches

 

Creative? Stand out! Marketing Yourself in a Digital World

By jp4,

By Julianne Farmer, Animation BA (Hons) Level 6 Student

As an art student, it’s a given FACT that I understand I have to market myself and my art on digital platforms regardless of how I feel about it. Otherwise how are people going to see my work and creativity, taking me on my way to become art influencer?????

I ask myself…… how are art students supposed to stand out amongst the billions of other art pages on social media, how can we get people to engage with our platforms and our work? What makes us differ from all the other pages they could pursue?  I don’t have all the answers but REMEMBER…. YOU are unique and add your own special touch to your art, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I do have a FEW TIPS that can help you add that extra sparkle to your website, socials, life, and overall fulfilment. In this digital age, video reigns supreme.

Diving quickly into relevant studies on the subject Animoto’s Social Video Trends: Consumer & Marketer Insights 2020 tells us that 93% of marketers say that video has caused an increase of views and customers. But video could mean anything, so, let’s scale it back and find a way to utilize this data to our benefit……

Enter Motion Graphics – sounds computer heavy doesn’t it? In simple terms, motion graphics are graphic elements that have been animated. Companies use motion graphics for a variety of things, one being, explainer videos,  they can easily clarify a concept while keeping your attention. They have a sleek, winning aesthetic that works both professionally and casually on social media.

According to data research around three quarters of marketers consider video production as the top task in their strategies. However, most of them never create anything of artistic note. Also, our digital era is oversaturated with content, so no one is at a loss for anything to watch. Your job is to find that one thing that could make your video a more interesting watch, and motion graphics can help you achieve that.

You need to make sure that viewers in your target market press that button when they come across your content. What are some ways you can do this you ask?

  • Take the time to really think – What do you want to market about your work?
  • Who do you want to attract?
  • What is it you truly enjoy working on?
  • How can you amalgamate these answers into your personal unique brand identity?

Whether you enjoy, painting, graphic design, printmaking, animating, sculpture, enamelwork, poetry, or whatever you do – take that time to think about these things and plan your brand identity, your logo, your style, what comes natural to you and bring it to life. It doesn’t have to be a daunting task, remember if you genuinely enjoy it – it should be exciting. You’re furthering yourself and the sky’s the limit.

A few researched benefits of motion graphics and “brand identity” are –

  • With motion graphics, you can put in reoccurring themes, or indications that point to your brand, the audience will easily pick up on these and then every time they happen upon one of your videos, they’ll recognize your brand and pay more attention.
  • Motion graphics are simple, professional, easy to understand and accessible to share over all media platforms. They can pack a ton of information in, in just a few seconds.
  • They’re cost effective and don’t have the limits live action videos have.

So, to wrap this all up in a bundle, don’t sleep on motion graphics! They’re an amazing tool to propel your brand forward and get you seen out there in the swarm of content. No matter what you do there is a company or a person that is looking for someone just like you to hire. Help them find you by making your brand accessible and recognisable. Don’t be intimidated, start small and then add the MOTION GRAPHICS!

To speak to one of our Career Coaches get in touch: 

Email: careers@staffs.ac.uk 

Twitter: @CareersAtStaffs 

Instagram: @CareersAtStaffs 

Facebook: Staffordshire University​ Career & Personal Development 

Career Chat: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/careers/careers-studio/chat-to-our-careers-coaches