Takeaways from Andrew French, in-house designer at ASPCA

Andrew French is an MSU Denver alumni who got an internship working in-house with Chipotle. He and his wife ended up moving to California for this position. During his visit, he navigated us through the pros and cons of working in-house, but also advised us to remember that every workplace has their own negative aspects and that it’s unrealistic to try and find a place that will make you 100% happy. He talked about how your work-life balance depends on where you work. Fortunately, he’s able to maintain some time for personal projects and quality time with his loved ones. He’s good about setting boundaries. After 5 pm, he doesn’t answer emails. He said this is important, especially if you’re salaried and only getting paid from 9-5 anyway. Doing personal projects allows him to switch it up, and not be stuck on the same project. This helps him maintain his love for design. French also discussed how working for a larger company usually comes with benefits, whereas smaller studios or agencies don’t always have the resources to provide you with them.

From an ethical standpoint, he urged us to research the companies we apply to beforehand. Each brand has its own dark and light sides. Chipotle itself has had positive and negative messages broadcasted to consumers. The most recent incident that’s occurred was New York City suing Chipotle for its horrendous work environment. They are being charged with 600,000 separate violations. This is an example of when you have to decide, as an in-house designer, whether this is a dealbreaker or not. He also mentioned an issue with their logo's copyright. The original designer of Chipotle was friends with Tobias Frere-Jones so they were able to use his typefaces for their branding. They ended up getting a new owner and had to purchase a license for the typefaces they had manipulated.

French had been looking for new opportunities, and ended up getting an offer to work with ASPCA, who helps fight animal cruelty. His wife was also offered a job in Portland, so they transferred again. He discussed the differences between the cultures in California and Oregon. He talked about the horrible traffic in California, and how the people weren't very friendly. I grew up in California, so I can relate. But ultimately, he and his wife are enjoying their fresh start in Portland.

French had a lot of golden nuggets during his presentation. He talked about not being cocky during your interviews. If you come across as standoffish, you'll be seen as someone who isn't willing to take feedback or work with a team. He also said that the moments in your career that make you uncomfortable are valuable because it means you're growing. With each struggle, comes an upgrade. You pick up new strengths and skills along the way. I think it's important to challenge yourself to try and teach yourself a new program, or an art/design style. Otherwise, you'll just remain stagnant. This applies to higher-up and entry-level workers.