It can often take years to find our grooves in employment, or even to take that first step into being freelance. It can be particularly difficult as a woman when there is a lack of role models in senior creative positions. Finding women-led communities can provide you everything you’re missing in permanent employment, and ultimately drive your professional development to the next level.
20 February 2023 • 4 min read
Photo by Norbert Braun on Unsplash
Five years ago, my all-consuming focus in life was to move on in my career and find a more senior design role. Due to the immense competition in the graphic design industry, and the fact I was getting nowhere applying for jobs, I decided I needed to go out and search for opportunities. I set about finding as many creative talks, groups and design networking events in London as possible, in the hope of finding a route to my dream job.
Rather than attending events showcasing polished design projects or led by top industry players or studios, I looked for groups that were about creating connections and conversations, where people were sharing advice and lessons learnt throughout their careers, and relating to each other in a real way. Before long I realised something – I was largely being drawn to female-led initiatives.
Many of the communities I became part of were set up by female creatives who saw the need for more supportive spaces and recognised the importance of forming alliances with peers, rather than viewing others as competition. At one design mentorship event, I remember feeling the air fizz with emotion in a group discussion as a participant shared her story of being undervalued in her company. There was an equal sense of frustration and relief as we shared stories of feeling stuck in our working lives. It was transformative to be sat in a room with creatives who were being so honest and open, and discovering they were striving for the same things as me.
These open and transparent initiatives encouraged reflection on what it means to be a woman or non-binary in the design industry, and the challenges that one can face. A study by Prospects Illuminate1 shows that although more females than males study creative arts subjects in further education, a smaller proportion of them go into creative jobs after education. Reasons outlined in the study include many ‘creative industries’ being viewed as traditionally male spheres, a lack of female role models (for example, the same study quotes that 96% of Creative Directors are male whilst a survey done by the Young Creative Council in 2016 revealed that 88% of young female creatives feel they lack role models), the impact of negative placement experiences and the prevalence of self-employment in creative roles.
The last point is particularly interesting and can perhaps be linked to how female creatives are more reluctant to confidently advertise their own abilities. This is reinforced by a Hewlett Packard report that found that men will apply for a job if they meet 60% of the qualifications, whereas women will apply only if they meet 100% of them. When a large part of freelancing is not only having the confidence in your skills, but also to share your expertise without hesitation, freelancing can seem daunting for some female creatives.
For me, becoming a regular at these female-led design events in the city was a huge boost. I found communities that offered support when I was feeling isolated, uninspired, and at a crossroads in life. Discovering how other women had made career decisions or started their own companies inspired me to reflect on my goals and consider a different path. Conversations and connections opened me up to a new way of thinking and were catalysts for new ideas and projects. I may not have found role models in the traditional working environments of my permanent employment, but I was certainly finding them here.
Finding spaces where the ethos is about championing each other was a breath of fresh air. I felt my sense of value growing again. I was making connections and forming friendships, reigniting my passion for design and in turn, a renewed energy for my work. I learned of the power of a design community for an individual as well as the industry as a whole. If we strive to create a better industry for ourselves, working together, ensuring we have diversity and are open to a wide range of voices, that in turn, will have a positive impact on the work we do, and the future we create for the world.
I never found that dream job. But I found a great plan B – the unexpected inspiration to pack in my job hunt and go freelance, despite the challenges. The network I’d grown by the time I made my decision played a vital role in my journey to going solo, and still supports me now. I had fears about becoming freelance but reaching out to the people around me helped demystify a lot of my ideas and gave me the courage to go for it.
It seems clear that there is still a long way to go for there to be true gender equality within the creative industries, and not enough is being done within traditional agencies to address this. I would urge any female creatives out there who are looking to grow to reach out and look for female-led communities. These groups, focused on empowering creatives through collaboration, sharing knowledge as well as lessons learnt are where true change is happening. It is through these communities you will find your role models, your mentors, your peers. Here is where you’ll find women leading the march to equality within the industry.
I’d like to share some of the amazing organisations who have been part of my journey: Kerning the Gap, Ladies, Wine & Design, Rye Here Rye Now, She Says and Fail Better talks.
Discover more in
Personal growth
Ideas & stories are incredibly important, but great experiences often come from a new and unique combination of the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ hacked together then refined.
20 February 2023 • 7min read
A renewed focus on employee experience as organisations grapple with engagement in a hybrid post-pandemic world has led to jobs in People gaining more exposure across the board. Avalyn Kasahara shares how just as the world of work is changing, so too should our approach to how we interact with our employees, and what People teams should be learning from the creative industries.
17 February 2023 • 4min read
It’s more impressive if someone quits their job to start a business. For me the decision was easy: I was unemployed. Also, trying to go back to what I did before gave me pain.
20 February 2023 • 2min read
The art of problem-solving requires the ability to think outside of what’s directly in front of us, in order to find a particular outcome or solution. Sometimes we can be too close to a project or issue to see what needs tweaking, which creates bias in our quest for a solution. What is the most efficient question we should be asking to find the winning outcome?
20 February 2023 • 4min read
Realising your people have your back and that they believe in you is undeniably priceless. They are your feedback, your sounding board, usually your first customers, and they can see things in a different light.
20 February 2023 • 2min read
How can you future-proof yourself in a VUCA landscape and booming freelance economy? Take a closer look at the skills, tools and adaptations that make up your unique offering. In a complex world, not being a specialist can actually be a great advantage. Dot-connector Duane Holland explores why you should embrace your interdisciplinarianism (try saying that one fast).
20 February 2023 • 4min read
Ever wondered what the difference is between a specialism and a niche? And what does it mean to you as a freelancer? Jenna St John explains the difference, and why it is important.
20 February 2023 • 7min read
How are you communicating your value, uniqueness and purpose through your profile? Nuno Martins shares some quick tips and tricks that have helped him not only increase the number of cold requests for expertise he gets, but also to make them more relevant.
20 February 2023 • 3min read
Where do you draw inspiration from as a freelancer? Do you experiment with different methods and environments to inspire your creativity? Barbara Stewart shares how she sets a routine that supports the inquisitiveness of her inner child.
22 February 2023 • 3min read
For a team to operate with Radical candour, they must intersect on the positive side of two parameters; caring personally about your team/project and being willing to be challenged directly.
20 February 2023 • 3min read
At the end of the session, our tutor would give us feedback and suggestions on what went well and what didn’t. I listened and wrote it all down. Always be learning. If you can’t take feedback, you won’t grow.
20 February 2023 • 4min read
23 May 2023 • 0min read
23 May 2023 • 0min read
23 May 2023 • 0min read
It is easy to overlook one of the most important aspects of design – life design. To truly live a life of happiness, fulfilment and purpose, we must first consciously design it to match our values. To do this, we have to consider far more than our mental health and instead focus on our health, energy, longevity and performance.
20 February 2023 • 4min read
Our processes of creation are in constant flux, but never more rapidly than they are now. Alec Christie explores the impact on the film industry, and in particular the key skills that different creatives can develop for the future.
17 February 2023 • 5min read
Take risks, grow, live a little. The unknown is invigorating. Don’t waste the time you have before you return to the known of death.
20 February 2023 • 1min read
If you want to make a difference, the time is now. In today’s fast-moving, technology-filled world where we’re being pulled in many directions at once, finding your focus appears to be more critical than ever. Strategy Director, purpose-advocate, change-agent Paulina Lezama talks about the significance of getting to grips with the various layers and complexities of issues that matter most to you in her article for the FSC Mag.
20 February 2023 • 2min read
Knowledge becomes a lot more powerful when you start applying it. You learn even more when you put things into action. And you remember it better. Hopefully, that will give you some kind of positive feedback that will start you on an endless curiosity loop.
20 February 2023 • 5min read
