'Being more than your degree' Enrichment week

On the 23rd October we had Craig Goldham come and talk to us as part of Enrichment Week about how to be more than our degree. It was a very insightful, funny and motivating talk.

Craig has a book out called 'Oh shit what now?' which is all about what to do after your degree (it is based more towards graphic designers) published by Lawrence King. He runs the Office of Craig which is his design practice, book and exhibition design company. He also oversees Rough Trade Books and record label.

He has set up his own studio as he got board of doing graphic design day and night he didn't feel like he could express himself the way he wanted to by being employed by someone else so created his studio — working for yourself is twice as hard but twice as worth it

He has a dog that has really helped with work as it cheers you up when you are getting stressed out and it also helps with business as people want to come in and see the dog.

He told us that:

• People will take you more seriously if you can articulate yourself well meaning your ideas will go further.

• Helping teach people helps teach you as you need to know and be aware of your decisions and be sure of what you are doing.

• Don't underestimate the power of word of mouth and always remain active, keep in contact with the contacts you have made even id you/they don't have a current brief - you don't want them to forget about you.

• He hates hierarchy especially in creativity — you don't need a wealth of time/experience to have great ideas - all experience means is that you have been in a job longer it doesn't mean you have better ideas than someone without it.

• If you are working for yourself and doing what you want you can't fail but if you are working then you can

• He believes that not all designers are creative (or good).

• He also thinks you don't have to be a designer to be creative (or good)

• Education doesn't stop when you leave uni, you don't come out of here knowing everything and ready for the world. It is richer and faster once your out

“You must define creativity. Understand what you value as good design and why. Then you'll known what it takes to achieve it.”

Try and think why you believe an idea is good or not that is what will define you, what are your values, challenge your ideas (value system)

“Failure on your own terms is not failure - success on someone else's terms is failure”

If you haven't changed your mind lately then how do you know its working? You have to keep challenging yourself so you know what you are bad at? Bravery is rarer than talent, people who work hard tend to get further than those who have been told they are talented their whole life. If you think you have a good idea push it and believe in it as they will be better because you believe in it

You are nothing without your own opinion — your opinions are what make you, you — don't be scared to have you own opinions or ideas otherwise you will be a shell — you will be different and stand out — its good to be different - the industry needs people to be different - it may feel difficult to not conform but you have to keep your own opinion. Its hard to admit you have made a wrong decision but that is brave to make the change

“The same person setting the goal won't be the same person achieving it”

You will change and grow through a project and just overtime - have short, medium and long term goals but once you are near to achieving the long term one you should have another so that you keep moving

Its good to have a loose structure of what you want to do mixing uni work with other things e.g. reading, freelance work and having a social life is just as important. Keep a good balance of everything, discover what is best for you. If you work longer than someone it doesn't mean you are working harder than them they might just be more efficient.

If you regret work just remember that you believed in it at the time - it was the best you could do then.