Anastasiia Melnikova

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

My marketing teacher gave me the best advice: Don’t let problems scare you! If you have a new goal and you’re not sure how to reach it, don’t worry. There’s always a solution. It’s like stepping outside of your comfort zone. And it helps you grow and learn new things.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

My life changed a lot when my family and I moved to a new country. I didn’t want to forget how to do my job, so I started working for myself. It was hard at first to find people who needed my help. But I joined some design contests and won a few. After that, I started getting more and more work. People even started telling their friends about me!

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

I make the design cool so that people want to buy something. I try to make the product stand out from the others. I think about what's most important and place it in the right place, choose a selling illustration, work with text. I know a lot of tricks to make the design look really cool!

What is it like when your job gets tough?

When my work is tough, it’s like a challenge! It means I need to learn new things and get better at what I do. Then I can use those new skills on different projects. No pain, no gain.

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

When I finished high school, I wasn’t sure what to study in future. I liked design and had an aesthetic sense. I was worried because I couldn’t draw very well. But it turns out that you can be a great designer even if you can’t draw!

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Don’t stress too much about your grades. What really matters is what you know and what kind of person you are. Also, try to learn English better. When I came to the United States, I didn’t know any English at all. But that didn’t stop me from being a graphic designer. Design is a language that everyone can understand.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

Did anyone ever try to stop you from doing what you wanted to do? No, they didn’t.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

I haven’t reached my goals yet. I really want to work for a big American company and be part of a team. I’m still learning English, but I’m working hard at it!

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

Before I finished university, I helped out at an advertising company. It was really helpful. I saw how they did everything, from designing to printing. I made some mistakes, but I learned from them.

How did you start building your network?

I started building my network while still a student. I attended industry conferences, participated in competitions and volunteer projects. This allowed me to meet experienced designers, as well as potential employers.