El Ogorodovais, a motion graphic designer, world traveler, lover of nature and more. She loves her job and takes pride in putting her best foot forward to create and sustain maximum results in her line of work. We recently caught up with El to find out about her experiences in travel and the workplace. Here is what she had to say:
Q. Hi El! Let’s talk about how traveling all over the world, has impacted your work. What do you feel has helped you or stood out the most?
A. More than anything, traveling puts things in perspective for me. After being stuck at a computer for a few months, you start to forget what you are working for.
The viewers I design for are all over the world, and it is my responsibility to know who I am creating for. There is hardly any other way to learn about the world than going out there yourself. No books, no websites, no stories, will ever be as informative as the real thing.
Q. What is one of your favorite jobs you have worked on and what has been the most challenging?
A. One of my favorite projects ended up also being one of the most challenging. I was hired to come into a project last minute and replace a creative director who was afraid of flying. I had to head out of state to lead a production for an entire week on location. It was exciting and my first time doing anything of the sort. I had let myself be thrown into something completely unknown. It was new, fun, exciting and terrifying.
I learned that I was able to familiarize myself with an entire project I knew little to nothing about within just a few hours. I was able to lead a whole team of people I had never met. This was a big confidence boost for me and helped me face future challenges in my profession. Now, when I find myself on a project that seems too complicated, I often look back to that experience and get right back to work, one step at a time until completion.
Q. What is one of your favorite places in the world and why?
A. I drove through Scotland for the first time this year. I fell in love with the culture, nature, and people. I would really love to go back and explore the country deeper. I have some incredible photos from the trip, some of which I have already used for work in mood boards and textures.
Q. Is there somewhere you haven’t been yet, that you plan on visiting?
A. I have quite a bit to see still. I have never been to Asia, Africa or Australia and Oceania. All those continents are on my list. I visited the South American continent for the very first time in my life this year. It was a six-week eye-opening road trip through 5 countries. I am ready for my next adventure.
Q. What have you learned most about your line of work over the years?
A. I think what I have learned most about is people. People are people, regardless of their title, age, race, and salary. Everybody needs to be respected, acknowledged, and recognized for their hard work. Treat everyone equally and with respect, and always demand the same in return. If your professional interactions stay healthy, your work will positively reflect your well-being through quality.
Q. What can you prep other graduates to focus on when getting out into the workforce?
A. Stay open, stay friendly, and do not be afraid to share your knowledge. Young designers tend to be like fierce little hedgehogs. They hide behind their needles and try to pierce through the doors into the industry on their own. Most of my opportunities came to me through professional acquaintances. There is a karma-like benefit that comes with playing nice. If you share your opportunities and knowledge with your peers and colleagues, chances are they will remember and help you back one day.
Q. What is some of the best pieces of advice you have received over the years that you still remember to this day?
A. Best is the most you can do, so you do what you can and leave it at that. When I was starting out, I would invariably find myself in situations where I would feel inadequate for the job. I would stress out, and put in a lot more hours than I was paid for because I always felt like I was failing. One of my mentors and now good friends saw me stressing out one day. She told me, it is physically impossible to do better than your best, so do what you can, and leave it at that. Why feel stressed when you have no control over it. It seemed like such a logical and simple concept, but I needed somebody to tell me. My mentor’s advice really made a difference for me. My working habits became relaxed, which in turn helped my work quality. Instead of spending brainpower on worrying about failure, I was able to focus entirely on work. My projects started to run smoother, and my relationship with clients became positive instead of stressful, which in turn resulted in long-term professional relationships.
