Listen Now

Starting out as a designer can mean constantly moving between jobs, working styles, and design specialties – and Sam Cush is exemplary of this shifting landscape, with a laundry list of experience in everything from printmaking to biotech. We sat down with Sam to talk about the journey to their current role at J2, from internships to freelancing to jumping between full-time jobs. Stick around for Sam’s input on how to advocate for yourself as a professional designer, knowing when it’s time to try a new job, and how to build (and leverage!) your network in school and beyond.

What happens if you land your dream job fresh out of college… but you’re already working somewhere else? We spoke with Frank White, Graphic Designer at Comcast Spectator, about his work designing for the Philadelphia Flyers and the process of transitioning between jobs after school. Leaving a job just a few months after your hire date is widely accepted in the design world, but it can still lead to some intimidating conversations. In this episode, we talk about navigating that transition and overcoming fear so you can land a job you love.

“The path to your career is not exactly straight.” These are Madison’s words as she describes the process of getting her job at Merje, from sending out countless applications to getting her position and diving into the world of environmental design. In this episode, Madison offers advice on pursuing mission-driven work, negotiating salaries, navigating client critiques, and approaching job applications with confidence. 

Join us for a conversation with Anmol Dhamrait as she recounts her career adventure from undergraduate and graduate school to internships, project management and more. In this episode Anmol offers advice on balancing work and education, staying open minded in your career path, and the value of bringing a design background to the business world. Aspiring (and current) art directors, project managers, and leaders will want to tune in to this one!

This season is all about designers’ transitions from school to the working world – but what about graduates who went on to give back and become educators? In this episode, we chatted with Dylan Ball about his journey from school to work… and back to school again, this time as a Computer Technology teacher. In the process, Dylan shares what he learned about building professional skills at design school, spotting red flags in a potential employer, and honing in on what line of work brings you joy. 

The new season of Design Together is geared toward designers in the early stages of their careers. The topics covered include the shift from academic life to the workforce and the various challenges and triumphs accompanying this transition. We've coined this season "Starting Out." Our first guest is Allie Osipov, a Senior Designer from WebMechanix. Graduating in the throes of the pandemic meant unique challenges for Allie’s job hunt after school. In this episode, we hear about Allie’s experience searching for a good career fit, how she balances work and play, and why you should never be afraid to ask questions in the professional world.

From LinkedIn networking to rejections in the interview stage, job hunting isn’t easy – take it from Vash Persaud, who sat down with us to talk about her transition from school to her fellowship at AdFellows. In this episode, Vash breaks down how her support network at school led to opportunities in the professional world, her experience working at a design fellowship, and why you should always explore new connections (even if they don’t lead straight to jobs.) Tune in as we explore the world of building a professional presence after school.

We’ve spoken with many designers who pivoted careers and jumped between jobs in their first years after graduation, but what about graduates who find a good fit on their first try? Nick has been with Think Company since he was hired there out of school, and he chalks it up to discovering a passion for UX as Abby’s student in his senior year. Join us as we talk about how to negotiate a salary, what makes a strong UI/UX portfolio, and why you shouldn’t be nervous about not knowing your design passion during your college years.

Ever wonder what it is like to work at an award-winning small design studio? Join us for a chat with the founder of SK Designworks, Soonduk Krebs, and senior designer Georgiana Constantinescu. We discuss their workflows, making deadlines, their favorite projects, and most importantly what not to wear to an interview at SK Designworks. 

Join us for a chat with Rachel Elnar, David Carr-Berry, and Elysia Syriac, the team behind Adobe Creative Jams. A typical Jam includes training bootcamps, keynote speakers, a design challenge, and judging and feedback. Producing a Creative Jam is a ton of work, but this team makes it look easy. Find out what is in their secret sauce (hint: it's out of this world). 

On this episode of Design Together we chat with the leadership team at handsome. Hear from CEO John Roescher, President Jennifer Allen, and CCO Pablo Marques, as we discuss the evolution of handsome and learn what makes their unique agency model work. 

Join us to discuss the behind-the-scenes of organizing a design conference. Our conversation with George Garrastegui Jr., Educator and Process Advocate, and Nakita Pope, Chief Chick of Branding Chicks, covers everything from planning the 2022 AIGA Design and Business Conference, to why joining a professional organization has value. This conference is all about the merging of business and design and is something we know our listeners will want to attend. 

In this episode of Design Together, we connect with Clara Galan, Global Education Community Lead at Adobe, along with two members of the Adobe Education Leaders, Joseph Labrecque, Instructor of Technology at University of Colorado Boulder and Diane Keeler, Manager of Digital Production at Occidental College. This episode is great for educators, especially those interested in learning more about the education communities at Adobe. 

In season's three opening episode we talk with Bill Kenney, Co-Founder and CEO at Focus Lab and Stephanie Taylor-Coleman, Brand Support Manager at Focus Lab. Bill shares Focus Lab's unique approach to presenting weekly updates to clients and how important client education is for their process. Stephanie joins us to share how she landed at Focus Lab and walks us through how the Brand Support team provides support to branding clients post a rebrand. This episode is great for anyone interested in branding and the design process.  

In this bonus episode, we’re joined by Ben Greengrass and D'Angelo Heyward, who met through the D&AD mentorship program. Ben is the Creative Director of the design agency ThoughtMatter, while D’Angelo is a designer and illustrator who was accepted into the D&AD Shift program last spring. The program includes an intensive night school led by industry experts and mentorship for self-made creatives without a college degree. Join us to hear how Ben and D'Angelo connected, worked together, and hint, hint, will continue to work together in the future! 

On this episode of Design Together, Natalie Nixon, PhD, author of the award-winning book “The Creativity Leap“ and Founder and Creativity Strategist at Figure 8 Thinking joins us to share her insights on creativity and what bridges creativity and collaboration. Natalie helps demystify creativity through wonder and rigor as we confront the barriers preventing many from taking their own creative leap. 

What is community branding? How does research help inform creative decision-making? Whose voices are heard when designing a brand that will represent an entire community? And what happens when a newly elected official takes over mid-rebrand? Join us for a chat with RJ Thompson, an award-winning marketing and graphic design professional. RJ wears many hats, one being the founder of +Public, a company focused on community branding. 

This week, Courtney Spencer, Global Head of Design at ZX Ventures, joins us to share her unique story of success. We'll discuss all of the folks she's collaborated with on her way to the top and how she's currently working with design teams across the globe. Courtney's excitement for life is contagious, whether walking into a board room or recording this show. This episode is great for those new to design and those hoping to work their way up. 

David Schwarz, a founding partner from Hush, joins us to discuss leading with your gut, being naive enough to take the leap to become a business owner, and how to find the right partner with complementary goals. I'll give you a clue, it all comes down to a Banh Mi sandwich. David is an articulate, inspirational storyteller who will resonate with all of my listeners in both the design industry and academia. 

Join us as we chat with Sara Hall, User Experience Practice Lead at the City of Philadelphia. Hear about how Sara's background in architecture and industrial design lead her to a career in user experience design and why she is so passionate about design for the public good. Learn what challenges you face when your stakeholders are an entire city of over one and a half million people.