Tips for Student Designers and the Small Businesses Who Love Them: OrangeSlyce Life

Meet our second student of the month:  Nicole Kutz!  Nicole is a very talented and driven Art Studies major in her senior year at Arizona State University.  After creating exceptional work for us at OrangeSlyce, we realized that this gem of an artist should be our next Student Spotlight.  We asked Nicole a few questions about freelancing, her career goals, and of course, OrangeSlyce.  Here’s how the interview went:

OS:  So what got you interested in Art Studies?

NK:  Ever since I was a little kid, I loved to draw and paint.  My school work was always covered in doodles!  I hope to write and illustrate books eventually, so I wanted to be able to learn the basics about a wide variety of mediums that I could use to achieve this goal.

OS: That sounds really fun!  So what compelled you to join OrangeSlyce?

NK: Actually, a friend emailed me the link to the specific job (drawing illustrations for the OrangeSlyce website) because he thought it looked like something I would be interested in.  The more I learned about it, the more appealing the concept was.

OS: And what appealed to you about OrangeSlyce?

NK:  I liked that, as a student, I have job information without making any initial commitments.  Also, since it’s marketed to students, I know my crazy school schedule will be taken into account from the beginning.

OS: Well said!  So then have you found any other jobs through OrangeSlyce?

NK: I have done a little bit of checking since I started work for OrangeSlyce.  I am currently employed with an engineering company, so I’m not exactly needing any more work at the time.

OS: Do you have any advice for freelancing students?

NK: Being unsure and not knowing all the answers is okay, but being impolite is not!  As long as questions are respectful and you truly apply yourself to learning as much as you can as fast as you can, I have found that people are willing to work with you and help you.

OS: Good advice.  So just to mix it up here, what would be your dream job?

NK: My dream job would be to do writing/freelance writing in between traveling around taking photographs for magazines and books.  Hey we can always dream…..

OS: Of course we can!  So to build on that, do you have a motto or work philosophy?

NK:  My parent’s always taught me to do my best, strive for excellence and work hard and honestly.  It may sound cliche, but it really pays off, especially as I get older and my actions have a larger influence on my reputation and future.

OS:  Thank you Nicole for taking the time to answer our questions.

NK:  Thank you so much for the opportunity!

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• Is Your Personal Website A Dinosaur?
• Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Rice
• How to Find a Good Logo Designer: Knowing What You Want
• The How to Use OrangeSlyce.com for Students
• Why You Should Hire a Student Designer

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It’s that time again.  Time to buy all of your textbooks, start getting up early, and prepare yourself to actually do well this semester.  But let’s be honest, after about oh I don’t know say the first week the newness and excitement of a fresh semester wears off and keeping up with our assignments is a slippery slope.  So what can we do to make Dean’s List this semester?  Well, this is what I’m doing:

1.)   Write Everything Down!  I know I’m a broken record if you read my blog “College Got you Stressed? Five Tips to Help You Relax” but seriously this does help.  I detest having to open the PDF of the course syllabus, scan through the various sections and finally (after five minutes) find what’s due the next day.  If you write down all of the assignments in a planner, you can simply flip to a page and see what’s due in seconds.  It really is a beautiful thing!

2.)   Highlight Your Text Book!  I’m going to tell you what no professor ever will: taking notes is a waste of time, paper, and effort; all you really need to do is highlight important information.   Highlighting is so much more practical because then you don’t have to worry about losing your notes or finding them on your computer if you type them.  Give it a try, I promise you’ll never go back to note taking again.

3.)   Go to Class!  I know you hear this ALL the time, but do you actually listen to it is the real question?  Probably not.  I know how it is, when no one is making you (Ahem, your mother) and in a lecture when there really aren’t a lot of consequences if you do skip, temptation to ditch is high.  My advice?  Take classes with friends (or better yet make a friend in your class).  In my own experience, I am much more likely to attend a class if I have a buddy to suffer through with…I mean learn with!

4.)   Don’t Over Do it!  Last semester I enrolled in a whopping 21 credits!  I know; I have no idea what I was thinking, but regardless learn from my mistake.  If you are taking a class that seems unnecessary and is extra drop it!  If there is no immediate value from taking the class then don’t bother.  Why solicit the extra stress?

5.)   Take Breaks!  You know how nutritionists preach everything in moderation?  Well the same rule applies to school.  Make sure you’re studying and doing your assignments but also plan time away from the books and away from work to do things for fun.  Ultimately, if you are working hard and doing all that you can for your classes your grades will reflect that.  So go ahead, take a break.

What do you do to succeed in school?  Let me know.  Leave me a comment

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So you’ve started your business and have all that you need to get it going…that is until you realize you need a logo, and a website designed, and a background for twitter and facebook.  Sure you could Google designers in AZ and find someone that has an awesome portfolio and really impressive clients but that can get real expensive real fast.  Now what? Hire a student designer!  Here’s why:

1.) They are affordable:  That’s definitely the best part!  Most student designers are in need of experience and samples for their portfolio and are willing to work for a fraction of the cost of a boutique design studio.

2.) They are talented:  Did you know that the ASU graphic design program is one of the most prestigious at ASU and due to this only the best are accepted?  Students are expected to deliver amazing work under tight deadlines using only the best that technology can provide so keep this in mind if you still aren’t convinced that a mere student can do your logo justice.

3.) They have fresh ideas:  In the design world youth is definitely a bonus simply because with youth comes with a fresh perspective.  Since a student is relatively new to the field, they bring new ideas and don’t simply repeat old ones with different colors and typography.

4.) They do what you ask:  Because they are happy to get any paying work, customer service will be attentive and prompt.  You don’t have to worry about being forgotten due to other clients and best of all, a student won’t try to sell you any additional services.

5.) They are temps:  Once you get the services that you need, both parties are free to go their own separate ways.  No commitment, no awkward conversations just great work for you and great experience for the student.

Still think a design firm is the way to go?  Of course not!  Make an Orange Slyce account today and find your perfect student designer.

Have some feedback?  Leave me a comment

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By Lizzy Rice

As students, we sometimes agonize over what we want our major to be.  Do you ever think things like, “well I like history, but can I actually get a job with that degree?”  Well don’t worry; you’re not alone.  We all question what we are studying at some point in our academic careers but one of the most foolproof ways to maintain a balanced degree (and by balanced I mean studying something that interests you but still learning marketable skills) is to add a minor.   Here are just a few good ideas that Arizona State University offers that are bound to add some depth to any major.

Business: This is probably the mother of all minors.  A minor in business gives you a great base for any given career path.  As a business minor, you will take courses in economics, accounting, management and other skills that can easily be transferred from one industry to another.

Communication: Some people may disagree with this selection, but I think a communication minor can add a lot to a degree.  As any book, teacher, or professional will tell you, the number one highly sought after skill for potential new employees is strong communication skills.  Therefore, I say, add this as a minor and you have a seriously marketable skill listed directly on your resume.

English: You know in a group project how someone always has to be the writer?  Well the work world is no different and most people cringe at the thought of writing a report or composing a memo.  Do you enjoy writing?  Then why not add English as a minor, so that your employer can breathe a sigh of relief at potentially hiring somebody who isn’t afraid to write.

Psychology: The ability to understand different types of people is an invaluable skill for any potential employee.   Adding a minor to your degree like psychology gives you this added value plus it also is a great way to discuss in a cover letter how being a psychology minor helps you relate to clients and/or customers; always a definite plus.

Spanish: If you plan to continue living in Arizona, you might want to think seriously about minoring and becoming fluent in Spanish.  To list this minor on a resume automatically gives you a leg up in any industry.  So if you love Spanish or foreign languages in general, you should consider making this your minor.

Agree or Disagree?  Leave me a comment 

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