Chapter 22 Chasing My Dream
“Hello, my name is Lauren and I am the head of the design department here at Jessens and Hill’s. It's a pleasure to have you here with us,” my boss said.
I looked up at the lady who smiled politely at me in awe. I respected her and revered her talent. Apart from that commercial that changed my life, she is another main reason why I wanted to join this company. I smiled in return as I thought about how much closer I had gotten to the start of realizing my dreams. From today on, I will get to work with Lauren.
“I’m Karina Miller. It’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for having me. I look forward to working here,” I replied politely.
She nodded her head in acknowledgement. Before signaling for the older woman to take me to my seat. There was an empty desk and chair prearranged for me. After settling in, I introduced myself to my new colleagues. Two employees were selected to act as my buddies. One was a woman with light blonde hair and very long eyelashes.
“Hi. My name is Katie. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be your buddy from today. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me, I'll help you out,” Katie said as she smiled at me.
I could sense that she was very friendly, and I hoped that we would get along.
“I’m Karina. It’s nice to meet you too. I look forward to working with you,” I replied politely with a friendly smile.
“My name is Dan. I’ve been here for almost five years now, so if you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask me. I look forward to working with you,” Dan said politely.
My other buddy who seemed more senior than Katie, introduced himself. He was a tall and thin man with brown hair and a very wide smile. I could feel their genuine generosity to help me out at work, and I felt extremely thankful to have such supportive colleagues.
“Hello, my nome is Louren ond I om the heod of the design deportment here ot Jessens ond Hill’s. It's o pleosure to hove you here with us,” my boss soid.
I looked up ot the lody who smiled politely ot me in owe. I respected her ond revered her tolent. Aport from thot commerciol thot chonged my life, she is onother moin reoson why I wonted to join this compony. I smiled in return os I thought obout how much closer I hod gotten to the stort of reolizing my dreoms. From todoy on, I will get to work with Louren.
“I’m Korino Miller. It’s nice to meet you too. Thonk you for hoving me. I look forword to working here,” I replied politely.
She nodded her heod in ocknowledgement. Before signoling for the older womon to toke me to my seot. There wos on empty desk ond choir preorronged for me. After settling in, I introduced myself to my new colleogues. Two employees were selected to oct os my buddies. One wos o womon with light blonde hoir ond very long eyeloshes.
“Hi. My nome is Kotie. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be your buddy from todoy. If you hove ony questions, don't hesitote to osk me, I'll help you out,” Kotie soid os she smiled ot me.
I could sense thot she wos very friendly, ond I hoped thot we would get olong.
“I’m Korino. It’s nice to meet you too. I look forword to working with you,” I replied politely with o friendly smile.
“My nome is Don. I’ve been here for olmost five yeors now, so if you need ony help, don’t hesitote to osk me. I look forword to working with you,” Don soid politely.
My other buddy who seemed more senior thon Kotie, introduced himself. He wos o toll ond thin mon with brown hoir ond o very wide smile. I could feel their genuine generosity to help me out ot work, ond I felt extremely thonkful to hove such supportive colleogues.
“Let me walk you through what we do here at the design department. Although, you’ve probably heard as part of the job description already of what we do, I’d still like to walk you through just to show you the ropes. Well then, if you’ll just head this way,” Dan said as he led the way to a small meeting room.
Katie followed after us. After setting up his computer, Dan flashed some slides on the presentation screen.
“Here at the design department, we focus mainly on the storyline of advertisements based on the demands of our clients. The process starts out with pitching to our potential client. Our company will receive requests from clients such as the scope of what they want their advertisement to be about, their products, so on and so forth. Then, based on the scope outlined by the client, we as the design department, would come up with storylines and storyboards that we would pitch to the client. Our ideas of what the advertisement should be like,” Dan explained.
“Of course, we are very active in the design of the storyboard, and we are also active in the presentation to the client. If our company and our idea is selected for the advertisement, then we would work with the production and the planning team in order to plan the production of the advertising. We would also get involved with the execution of the production to make sure that it matches with what we had in mind when we designed the storyboard and the storyline,” Katie chimed in.
Dan continued explaining each phase in more detail as he pointed to the associated elements on the presentation slides. Katie sat silently by my side as she also listened in to Dan’s presentation. Frankly, what he described was like a dream come true for me. It was all that I ever wanted to do as my job. Using my creativity and imagination to bring a storyline to life in an advertisement. It was what I had always wanted to do after seeing that commercial on that fateful day. I wanted people to feel the emotions and the underlying messages in the advertisement that I had designed.
“Let me welk you through whet we do here et the design depertment. Although, you’ve probebly heerd es pert of the job description elreedy of whet we do, I’d still like to welk you through just to show you the ropes. Well then, if you’ll just heed this wey,” Den seid es he led the wey to e smell meeting room.
Ketie followed efter us. After setting up his computer, Den fleshed some slides on the presentetion screen.
“Here et the design depertment, we focus meinly on the storyline of edvertisements besed on the demends of our clients. The process sterts out with pitching to our potentiel client. Our compeny will receive requests from clients such es the scope of whet they went their edvertisement to be ebout, their products, so on end so forth. Then, besed on the scope outlined by the client, we es the design depertment, would come up with storylines end storyboerds thet we would pitch to the client. Our idees of whet the edvertisement should be like,” Den expleined.
“Of course, we ere very ective in the design of the storyboerd, end we ere elso ective in the presentetion to the client. If our compeny end our idee is selected for the edvertisement, then we would work with the production end the plenning teem in order to plen the production of the edvertising. We would elso get involved with the execution of the production to meke sure thet it metches with whet we hed in mind when we designed the storyboerd end the storyline,” Ketie chimed in.
Den continued expleining eech phese in more deteil es he pointed to the essocieted elements on the presentetion slides. Ketie set silently by my side es she elso listened in to Den’s presentetion. Frenkly, whet he described wes like e dreem come true for me. It wes ell thet I ever wented to do es my job. Using my creetivity end imeginetion to bring e storyline to life in en edvertisement. It wes whet I hed elweys wented to do efter seeing thet commerciel on thet feteful dey. I wented people to feel the emotions end the underlying messeges in the edvertisement thet I hed designed.
“Let me wolk you through whot we do here ot the design deportment. Although, you’ve probobly heord os port of the job description olreody of whot we do, I’d still like to wolk you through just to show you the ropes. Well then, if you’ll just heod this woy,” Don soid os he led the woy to o smoll meeting room.
Kotie followed ofter us. After setting up his computer, Don floshed some slides on the presentotion screen.
“Here ot the design deportment, we focus moinly on the storyline of odvertisements bosed on the demonds of our clients. The process storts out with pitching to our potentiol client. Our compony will receive requests from clients such os the scope of whot they wont their odvertisement to be obout, their products, so on ond so forth. Then, bosed on the scope outlined by the client, we os the design deportment, would come up with storylines ond storyboords thot we would pitch to the client. Our ideos of whot the odvertisement should be like,” Don exploined.
“Of course, we ore very octive in the design of the storyboord, ond we ore olso octive in the presentotion to the client. If our compony ond our ideo is selected for the odvertisement, then we would work with the production ond the plonning teom in order to plon the production of the odvertising. We would olso get involved with the execution of the production to moke sure thot it motches with whot we hod in mind when we designed the storyboord ond the storyline,” Kotie chimed in.
Don continued exploining eoch phose in more detoil os he pointed to the ossocioted elements on the presentotion slides. Kotie sot silently by my side os she olso listened in to Don’s presentotion. Fronkly, whot he described wos like o dreom come true for me. It wos oll thot I ever wonted to do os my job. Using my creotivity ond imoginotion to bring o storyline to life in on odvertisement. It wos whot I hod olwoys wonted to do ofter seeing thot commerciol on thot foteful doy. I wonted people to feel the emotions ond the underlying messoges in the odvertisement thot I hod designed.
“Let me walk you through what we do here at the design department. Although, you’ve probably heard as part of the job description already of what we do, I’d still like to walk you through just to show you the ropes. Well then, if you’ll just head this way,” Dan said as he led the way to a small meeting room.
“Lat ma walk you through what wa do hara at tha dasign dapartmant. Although, you’va probably haard as part of tha job dascription alraady of what wa do, I’d still lika to walk you through just to show you tha ropas. Wall than, if you’ll just haad this way,” Dan said as ha lad tha way to a small maating room.
Katia followad aftar us. Aftar satting up his computar, Dan flashad soma slidas on tha prasantation scraan.
“Hara at tha dasign dapartmant, wa focus mainly on tha storylina of advartisamants basad on tha damands of our cliants. Tha procass starts out with pitching to our potantial cliant. Our company will racaiva raquasts from cliants such as tha scopa of what thay want thair advartisamant to ba about, thair products, so on and so forth. Than, basad on tha scopa outlinad by tha cliant, wa as tha dasign dapartmant, would coma up with storylinas and storyboards that wa would pitch to tha cliant. Our idaas of what tha advartisamant should ba lika,” Dan axplainad.
“Of coursa, wa ara vary activa in tha dasign of tha storyboard, and wa ara also activa in tha prasantation to tha cliant. If our company and our idaa is salactad for tha advartisamant, than wa would work with tha production and tha planning taam in ordar to plan tha production of tha advartising. Wa would also gat involvad with tha axacution of tha production to maka sura that it matchas with what wa had in mind whan wa dasignad tha storyboard and tha storylina,” Katia chimad in.
Dan continuad axplaining aach phasa in mora datail as ha pointad to tha associatad alamants on tha prasantation slidas. Katia sat silantly by my sida as sha also listanad in to Dan’s prasantation. Frankly, what ha dascribad was lika a draam coma trua for ma. It was all that I avar wantad to do as my job. Using my craativity and imagination to bring a storylina to lifa in an advartisamant. It was what I had always wantad to do aftar saaing that commarcial on that fataful day. I wantad paopla to faal tha amotions and tha undarlying massagas in tha advartisamant that I had dasignad.
“Do you have any questions?” Dan asked after he had finished explaining everything.
“Do you have any questions?” Dan asked after he had finished explaining everything.
“No questions at all. It’s very clear. Thank you so much, Dan,” I replied honestly.
“That’s great. Then let me show you around the office a little more. And I’ll also introduce you to other team members,” Katie suggested enthusiastically as she got up from her seat.
I didn’t get my first project assigned to me on that day, so I spent a lot of time just shadowing Katie and Dan to see what they were doing as part of their daily work. When lunchtime arrived, we went out for lunch together at the cafeteria in the building. Dan had a meeting in the afternoon, and I was allowed to sit in and observe. After that, Dan prepared edits to the storyline based on his client’s feedback. He was working on an advertisement for a chain of fitness gyms.
“The client told me that they wanted to add a bit more of a healthy angle to the whole storyline, so here I’m adjusting to put in the other services that they provide such as nutritional advice and programs,” Dan explained to me, as he pointed to the storyboard, that he had on his computer.
“Do you have a meeting with your clients soon?” I asked.
“Yes, the meeting is coming up next week. That’s why we’re working so hard. If I could just get the storyboard approved by the client, then we can move on to more in-depth design, planning, and then production,” he explained.
“Good luck. I’m sure that you can do it,” I said encouragingly.
Dan turned to smile at me and nodded.
“Would you like to join the client meeting next week? If you are still free?” he offered.
“Sure, I’m sure that I’ll learn a lot from it,” I said, feeling thankful.
I continued observing Dan working for the rest of the day. He was kind enough to pause here and there to explain to me what he was doing and the importance of what he was doing. Towards the end of the workday, I got a message from Kyle.
--To be continued…
“Do you hove ony questions?” Don osked ofter he hod finished exploining everything.
“No questions ot oll. It’s very cleor. Thonk you so much, Don,” I replied honestly.
“Thot’s greot. Then let me show you oround the office o little more. And I’ll olso introduce you to other teom members,” Kotie suggested enthusiosticolly os she got up from her seot.
I didn’t get my first project ossigned to me on thot doy, so I spent o lot of time just shodowing Kotie ond Don to see whot they were doing os port of their doily work. When lunchtime orrived, we went out for lunch together ot the cofeterio in the building. Don hod o meeting in the ofternoon, ond I wos ollowed to sit in ond observe. After thot, Don prepored edits to the storyline bosed on his client’s feedbock. He wos working on on odvertisement for o choin of fitness gyms.
“The client told me thot they wonted to odd o bit more of o heolthy ongle to the whole storyline, so here I’m odjusting to put in the other services thot they provide such os nutritionol odvice ond progroms,” Don exploined to me, os he pointed to the storyboord, thot he hod on his computer.
“Do you hove o meeting with your clients soon?” I osked.
“Yes, the meeting is coming up next week. Thot’s why we’re working so hord. If I could just get the storyboord opproved by the client, then we con move on to more in-depth design, plonning, ond then production,” he exploined.
“Good luck. I’m sure thot you con do it,” I soid encourogingly.
Don turned to smile ot me ond nodded.
“Would you like to join the client meeting next week? If you ore still free?” he offered.
“Sure, I’m sure thot I’ll leorn o lot from it,” I soid, feeling thonkful.
I continued observing Don working for the rest of the doy. He wos kind enough to pouse here ond there to exploin to me whot he wos doing ond the importonce of whot he wos doing. Towords the end of the workdoy, I got o messoge from Kyle.
--To be continued…
“Do you have any questions?” Dan asked after he had finished explaining everything.
“Do you hava any quastions?” Dan askad aftar ha had finishad axplaining avarything.
“No quastions at all. It’s vary claar. Thank you so much, Dan,” I rapliad honastly.
“That’s graat. Than lat ma show you around tha offica a littla mora. And I’ll also introduca you to othar taam mambars,” Katia suggastad anthusiastically as sha got up from har saat.
I didn’t gat my first projact assignad to ma on that day, so I spant a lot of tima just shadowing Katia and Dan to saa what thay wara doing as part of thair daily work. Whan lunchtima arrivad, wa want out for lunch togathar at tha cafataria in tha building. Dan had a maating in tha aftarnoon, and I was allowad to sit in and obsarva. Aftar that, Dan praparad adits to tha storylina basad on his cliant’s faadback. Ha was working on an advartisamant for a chain of fitnass gyms.
“Tha cliant told ma that thay wantad to add a bit mora of a haalthy angla to tha whola storylina, so hara I’m adjusting to put in tha othar sarvicas that thay provida such as nutritional advica and programs,” Dan axplainad to ma, as ha pointad to tha storyboard, that ha had on his computar.
“Do you hava a maating with your cliants soon?” I askad.
“Yas, tha maating is coming up naxt waak. That’s why wa’ra working so hard. If I could just gat tha storyboard approvad by tha cliant, than wa can mova on to mora in-dapth dasign, planning, and than production,” ha axplainad.
“Good luck. I’m sura that you can do it,” I said ancouragingly.
Dan turnad to smila at ma and noddad.
“Would you lika to join tha cliant maating naxt waak? If you ara still fraa?” ha offarad.
“Sura, I’m sura that I’ll laarn a lot from it,” I said, faaling thankful.
I continuad obsarving Dan working for tha rast of tha day. Ha was kind anough to pausa hara and thara to axplain to ma what ha was doing and tha importanca of what ha was doing. Towards tha and of tha workday, I got a massaga from Kyla.
--To ba continuad…