Tatjana Petkovic
Why did you choose to attend OCAD U?
I chose OCAD U because it was the easiest post-secondary choice for me at that time. I came right after high school and I barely knew anything about graphic design. A lot of my high school teachers recommended it for me. OCAD gave me an early acceptance, and I didn't want to commute to York/Sheridan because I knew how long projects took me to complete and I didn't want to lose time commuting. Now looking back, I'd love to say it was for teaching the conceptual thinking that goes within projects, but that wasn't the reason I chose it back then. I'm happy I did choose it though.
Please briefly describe your current job / practice.
I'm a Graphic Design Freelancer and a Teaching Assistant at OCAD U. I freelance at small graphic design studios in the city (meaning I don't have long contracts to them). This can range from just a few days to a few months. I rotate studios to keep myself on my toes, and to learn to adapt to new situations and environments. These studios range from branding, to strategic, to all-in-one firms (yet they are mainly print and idea focused). As a TA, I try to help my professors for their courses by assisting with research, coming up with ideas for content, guest lecturing and marking.
How did you get started in your career?
I took five internships. I did them mainly during the summers while at OCAD U. I got my internships through my classes and professors. I tried to show how eager I was to learn. A lot of these led to some great mentors and friends. Networking helped a lot too.
Did you volunteer or work in your field while you were a student?
I took five internships as a student (four were design-based). A few were unpaid. I gained a lot of valuable experiences from them, but I was privileged enough to live at home during this time. Not many people have these opportunities/options, and it’s important to note that.
What were your policies regarding internships, volunteering, and paid work?
I believe everyone should be paid for internships, and a lot are paid now. I took a few unpaid positions because I found a lot of value from them, and I wanted to learn as much as I could. I’m happy I took them, especially during that time. It really depends on the situation (yours and theirs) and the companies you are taking them from.
I think volunteering can really help both parties immensely. For volunteering, it's important to make be clear how much time you're willing to dedicate towards it (weekly/monthly/project) so you don’t get stuck in a sticky situation. I think volunteering is amazing and can really help you build your portfolio, but make sure you discuss terms so that you're gaining a bit from the experience as well. This can be simply your art direction and your say on the design.
For all of these types of work, know your worth. If you’re not getting anything from it, it’s very difficult to keep going at it. Hopefully if it is volunteer work, you really care about the cause.
What do you enjoy most about your work? What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
I enjoy aiding professors with course content and learning strategies in my Teaching Assistant position at OCAD U a lot. I love learning anything new or different in any work environment.
Business is challenging. Communication is challenging. There are a lot of new things to consider when working with real clients and deadlines. How do you communicate the value of what you’re giving them? How do you manage a sticky situation with a client? It’s very difficult and I’m still learning.
What skills or relationships developed at OCAD U helped you participate in your field? Is there anything you would have done differently?
There are so many to mention. The skill that has helped me out the most is resourcefulness. It is key to being a freelancer. Your ability to react and troubleshoot any situation that is thrown at you makes you very useful. This doesn’t mean it’s not okay to ask for help, but know when to ask. Don’t leave any problems hanging.
Asking the right questions for a situation helps a lot too, and develops other skills. Researching, being friendly, being open to new situations and environments, and being kind are other skills. “Problem solving” is an obvious skill. I’m still developing and working on all of these.
Your relationships at OCAD U are everything. Your friends and professors become your connections, and help you out when you need it. This being said, you help them out, of course, when you can too.
What are the key responsibilities you maintain for your practice?
Key responsibilities really range from studio to studio. I aid more senior designers, but I also come up with ideas and concepts for clients for some projects myself. I design different materials (usually print or web based) based on these concepts.
It depends on your situation, but a side job can really help if you do not want a full-time position working at a studio or as an in-house designer. At one point I had about 4 part-time jobs, which included a Research Position, a Teaching Position, working in-studio and a few of my own freelancing projects. Knowing your limit is also a valuable skill, but one of the toughest to learn.
If you want a full-time position, what can also help is taking freelance work to get by then going on job interviews. You may also have to take a temporary full-time position, while looking for new ones.
Networking helps a lot. If you think of it more as looking for people who want to help you, who you want to help as well, it becomes less of a stigmatic term. Go see what people in the industry (and city) are doing. Go to Design events, join the RGD, and go to a lot of portfolio reviews. Also, thank people after talking to them or meeting with them – this goes a long way.
What are your personal and professional goals for the coming years?
I plan to continue freelancing at Design studios and TA-ing until I save up money to go back to school for my Master’s degree. I also need to pay back my student loans. I hope to start teaching in the near future maybe 4-5 years down the road. I want to become a full-time professor and do some of my own research/work.
Personally, I really just want to visit different cities and travel as much as I can. My dream vacation would be a month exploring Japan.