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Q&A with Meghan O’Connell, Shillington New York Graduate

Meghan O’Connell tested out many careers before studying at Shillington New York. She was a chef, a journalist, an FBI intelligence analyst, a public information officer for a railroad, and a marketer for the Belgian government.  Talk about a varied resume! But then Meghan realised she had “tried enough to know many things she didn’t want to do”, did some soul searching, and found Shillington to kickstart a brand new creative career. Now she’s working as an in-house designer at Workman Publishing—her dream industry—while freelancing on the side.

Read on to hear about Meghan’s Shillington experience, the job hunt, and seeing her freelance work on the New York Subway. Exciting stuff!

What have you been up to since graduation? 

Since I’ve graduated, I’ve been working as an in-house designer at Workman Publishing (a book publishing company in the West Village) and accepting freelance on the side as it appeals to me. I’m immensely happy with what I do and the people I work with. I explored several jobs before investing in design, and I love that what I’m doing now is part of the long arc of a career, rather than something new to try or pay the bills. While I’m on the topic of jobs, one thing I want to say to prospective students is don’t get discouraged if you don’t land a job immediately after graduation. Some folks do, and you may too. It took me three months to get my position, time during which I was often anxious and worked in a coffee shop to cover bills. But the wait was worth it because I ended up in publishing—my dream industry—in a job that was perfect for me.

The skills and portfolio I took away from Shillington got me where I wanted to be, and they’ll get you there too as long as you keep at it.

Could you tell us about Shapr, your first professional freelance project?

Shapr is an app for professional networking, and the subway ads constitute the first major print campaign for the company. They are currently in nearly 600 cars. I was given the copy, and came up with the rest based on the tone Shapr wanted to convey and the audience it wanted to reach.

I inherited a tight deadline, and had nine ads to illustrate. I ended up moving the campaign from concept to completion in two and a half weeks, while working a full-time job. I didn’t sleep much, but it was fun.

How did it feel seeing your work on the subway?!

I stumbled upon my ads initially, and the first thing I felt was relief—Thank goodness everything looks alright! Then I walked the length of the car doing my best to remain a dignified New Yorker by suppressing a goofy smile. It felt somewhat surreal to see something I made inserted into my daily environment in such a prominent way. It was definitely satisfying.

What do you love about being a designer?

I love that I get to engage in the act of creating every day. It’s life-giving to me.

My play and work are now often one. Even when a project is demanding, the act of solving a visual problem is always satisfying.

Why Shillington? 

Before choosing Shillington, I researched numerous design programs and spoke to people in the industry. What I heard repeatedly was that your portfolio was by far the most important factor in landing a job, not where you studied or whether you had a masters degree or certificate. Well, if I could spend considerably less time and money making my career change, that’s what I wanted to do. Shillington offered a comprehensive but compact course that gave me the skills and portfolio I needed. So after reading and hearing good reviews about the school, I went to check it out myself. As I sat on a couch in the New York location and looked through dozens of student portfolios, I realized this: they were all of high caliber. If solely student talent was at work, I would expect to see a range of quality with a few very good samples. To see the portfolios were all at a high level proved to me that the program was effective. I gave my deposit that week and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

What was your biggest challenge during the course? 

Ironically, considering where I work now, it was the book cover project. I spent a lot of time on my first attempt and, honestly, it came out rather terribly. I tried a new tack and raised the bar to mediocre with my second try. That’s when the allotted time for that project was over and I got to watch my middling cover scroll by on the projector screen among a river of inspired and beautiful work. And yet, when portfolio week came around, I gave it a third go, with a different book and less inner turmoil, and within a couple hours I had something I was actually proud to show to the world (and that ended up being cited as a reason for my hire for one freelance job). Thing is, if you’re like me, you won’t know what you’re doing at first. You won’t know what works and what doesn’t. Everything will take more time in the beginning, and it may not look how you envision, but keep at it, because you get faster and better.

Did you make any meaningful connections with teachers or fellow students during the course?

Definitely. The camaraderie and support of the students in my term was an essential facet of my experience. We were all friendly and sometimes hung out after class. I learned from and was inspired by my classmates and I frankly just had a heck of a lot of fun with them. I think most everyone had a momentary breakdown of confidence somewhere along the line, but we lifted each other up in turn.

Where do you see yourself in 12 months time?

I see myself doing more illustrating. It’s something I’ve been enjoying and want to explore further.

What would you say to someone who is skeptical about the Shillington course?

Visit the space and look at the student portfolios. Or talk to me. My email is meg.oconnell@gmail.com.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Have confidence in yourself, not despite being a beginner but because you’re a beginner. I’m not talking about confidence as cockiness, but in the belief that you’ll get where you’re heading. Also, have fun!

Huge thanks to Meghan for sharing her Shillington story! Check out her website and Instagram for more.

Interested in kickstarting a creative career? Learn about studying design 3 months full-time or 9 months part-time at Shillington in New York, London, Manchester, Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane –> shillingtoneducation.com

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