This holiday weekend, I’m fortunate enough to be able to give thanks for more than a few things. Family, friends, food, and turning 23! Although an insignificant birthday, this year marks my first year out of school and into the real world of 5-day work weeks, car payments, bills, and student loans. Graduating only 6 months ago in May, I was lucky enough to become a new hire at Bailey in June. Having interned and freelanced here for a year prior, I had my foot in the door and was able to score a full-time position immediately after graduating.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case in the design world. Many of my classmates were (and still are) struggling for that opportunity to prove themselves to a studio, corporate office, or anywhere hiring, for that matter. Portfolio pushing is a hard gig, and getting noticed in Philadelphia, a city full of artists, is no easy feat.

My advice, get connected! Make as many connections as you can, because you never know where a new job lead can come from. Whether it’s your uncle’s neighbor or the cashier at Staples, talk yourself up, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

Work harder than you think you should. No matter how much sleep you lose, it pays off. I never thought I’d be only 23 and helping to rebrand a billion dollar company my first year in the business. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to help a brand completely redesign and launch themselves into the world, knowing that you were such a large part of it.

So, a big thanks goes out to everyone at Bailey, especially fellow designer Eric Yeager, for noticing me and making this all possible!