Panderella

It’s been awhile since I’ve wrote anything. Woopsie! Been busy since the last post. It’s Sunday afternoon and trying to find something to do. I see a PRINT magazine laying inside my book bag. It’s the 31st Regional Annual Design series and I had to open it up and look inside. As I’m going through pages after pages, my heart just glow with desire wanting to design something like it is in the magazine. I’ve always been passionate about design and never have until I recently moved into a new state the last couple of months. Seattle is not really a graphic design based but more of a web based. I moved here to be with my significant other. It has been tough and took awhile for me to stay strong here without shattering into pieces. Ever since I’ve graduated from school, I had my old job where I get to design logos and such but now here, I’ve been working at Sephora part time so it’s been different. It’s so hard to find a decent graphic design job here but I never gave up.

About a month ago, I recently got hired to be a graphic designer for this guy who does own his own marketing firm (mostly for PowerPoint) and want me to work for him part time. Not only that, after seasonal with Sephora, they want me to officially be a permanent cast in their staff which is freakin’ awesome! So technically, I have a full time job? I get to be around make-up and I get to design at home, what more can you ask right? It is exactly what I want but after going through pages of PRINT, my heart was set on being a graphic designer and I know that’s what I want to do. I’m losing oodles of noodles inspirations and what makes me happy the most. I feel like I’m only inspired when I’m in school and after that, I don’t know where it went. Yes I have a part time as a graphic designer but the job is not truly what I want. I want to work in a design firm/agency full time that deals with branding, identity, and print media. That’s my bread and butter but I get turned down left and right. I’ve sent thousands of resumes and portfolios since August of last year and just last month, someone answered my prayers but it was only for a part time gig. I took the job because I don’t give up and it’s the best I can do right now.

I know in my heart, I will never give up on my dreams and hope that I get a full time gig in a design firm/agency that truly understands what graphic design is all about to where I don’t even have to lecture people what I know best. I may only be twenty-five (April of this year) but I have goals and dreams that I would love to accomplished before I’m all old and wrinkly. I still want to travel and see the world before I even have kids. I have to live every moment I can and not just waste every breath I take. Oh and let me tell you, I’m not really a positive person… oh no I’m not. My boyfriend always try to get me to be positive every single day and it’s really hard. Due to the fact I left my only home (in California), leaving my friends and family, the sunshine, the good weather, and in a house that has everything to be with a guy. Okay, off subject… as you can see, positivity is quite hard to have naturally when all you can do is try to live your life a little. But sometimes I feel like I’m losing it not knowing when will I get the career of my dreams? I know I can’t give up and there’s people who worked in this type of business for years and years until they have a steady job that they enjoy.

I will try and never give up! So good luck to me!

- nettie

I barely graduated last year in December ‘10 with my bachelor’s degree for Graphic Design and now a year from it, I’m thinking of doing something else? I love Graphic Design, don’t get me wrong but it’s so hard to find a job! I still haven’t gave up on my love for GD but I’m the type of person that wants to keep learning new things. What can I say, I LOVE school. Yeah I know… weirdo. After moving to a new state, my dream of being a Graphic Designer for an awesome agency or firm has slowly fade away since where I used to live, I wanted to work in Los Angeles because that’s where all the design industry is mainstream. Here in Seattle is a bit different… it’s more technological. My bf is definitely living his dream as a Web Designer since everywhere here is looking for web designers. 

I know some of you guys are like so what do you want to do then? It’s going to be a typical thing… becoming a Make-Up Artist. Yes, there’s so many of them and it’s tougher to find jobs. Yes it is tougher but it is global and every country and state needs a make-up artist… you just need to brand yourself and have better word of mouth. I would love to go back to school to really learn the foundation of becoming a MUA. I know that having a GD background history will help since I can brand my look as a MUA and I know how to use a DSLR camera to photograph my own looks without hiring a professional photographer. I’m still debating because I’ve spent A LOT of money by going to a private art school to get my education for Graphic Design. Comparing the amount for GD and MUA is pretty incomparable since it’s 10x cheaper for MUA school than it is for GD. I do want to make my parents proud since I was raised in a strict asian household and education and career is the most important. I know if I told them I want to become a MUA, they would not approve. It was hard as it is to convince them I wanted to become a Graphic Designer when they want me to be a laywer or doctor. Yes, the typical asian family career wants.

I am only 24 years old and I still have many more years to do whatever I want. I’ve seen people in their late 30s and early 50s in my private art college so I know I still got time. I really do enjoy doing make-up because it relaxes me and when I hear the results in the end, it makes me quite joyful that they feel confident about themselves. This is quite a toughy. The thing that sucks the most is if I really want to go to a MUA school, there’s NONE around here in Washington state. There’s gazallion back home in California. I’ve been doing my research on this career for days and I can tell it’s not easy at all to get your name out there. At least I know I’m starting somewhere in the cosmetics industry with Sephora so I know what’s new out there in the beauty world. Who knows. I wish somebody can give me an answer. 

- nettie

So yesterday was my cashier training with my fellow co-worker who I also met from the group interview. I already didn’t feel well at all when I woke up which was 530 AM! It was quite insane. Anyways, as I tried getting ready, I had to keep breathing in and out and felt super insanely nauseous. I don’t know why but I felt sick to my stomach. I had a bad headache the night before when I woke up from my nap than it ruined my sleep schedule. I tried going sleep but I just felt weird. I usually get nauseous all the time but this was was real bad. How did I know? Usually when I go outside and drive somewhere, it goes away but this time, oh boy, it stayed. As I arrived to the mall, I wanted to throw up so bad because I had to parked on the 4th level structure and used the elevator to go down. Bad idea! After that, I felt like I had to yak! So I tried finding the nearest bathroom and it was closed! So I had to suck it up haha. Got into work and I was already feeling it. In the middle of training, I had to ask my trainer where the bathroom was and I let it out. 

Thought everything was fine, but I was wrong. Around 10 in the morning, we’re having our 15 minute break. Almost to the end as I walked out with my co-worker to look at the make-up, I had to go… AGAIN. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me but what’s more embarrassing was my trainer and the store manager was talking and heard me yakked. As I walked out, my trainer asked me if I wanted to go home early and that she totally understands if I want to go home during training. I told her no and that I can totally do this. She kept making sure if that’s what I really want to do. I told her if I yak again than I’ll go home and she said it was fine.

So after training, we had to do a live training with actual customers. I already felt better as I chugged a lot of water. It was nice to know the staff was concerned about me and making sure I was okay. Damn, talk about super embarrassing moments. I just had to feel horrible on my first day of training. I hope they see that even tho I didn’t feel well, I still made to work on time, went through training, stayed after yakking, did well with the live training, and made it through the scheduled time. I have to say, I’m quite proud of myself, haha. I really don’t know what made me sick. I really think it was the food at ihop. Damn, shouldn’t rely on those bogo coupons! I know it has to be something that night because when I got home, I already felt blah.

Well that is all my pandas! Hope this story didn’t want to make you yak!

- nettie

So I had my orientation today with Sephora in Downtown Seattle. It was quite extensive of information. It’s nice to see that they’re serious about their clients and employees. I’m surprised that they go over major stuff with just seasonal employees. It’s quite refreshing. There’s a girl that was with me during the group interview and she got hired as well. It was nice to see a familiar face at the orientation. Yay, new friend in Washington! Overall, I can’t wait to get started and have some fun. I haven’t done retail in awhile so I might be a little stiff but I’m a quick learner.

Other than the orientation, I’m trying out for an unpaid internship for a graphic design position. They have accepted my application and moved forward with the interview process. At the moment, I need to do a design test which includes designing an editorial layout for an iPad magazine which is really cool. It’s something I’ve never done before. I will start on that tomorrow. It’s a full time or part time internship and only one meeting a week in Seattle which won’t conflict with my current job. It’s a fashion/beauty type internship so I think working at Sephora definitely helps that. 

My previous job, Ive started out as internship and soon after got offered the job. I was hoping it might happen with this one. Even if it’s not, I still get the experience and it will look great on my resume. Overall, I say today was a good, productive day. My bf took me out for Starbucks earlier which was much needed. Toodles!

- nettie

This week has been quite hectic. I have been looking for a design job for awhile up here in Washington. It’s a tough state to find a true graphic design job. Most jobs up here is quite technologic like web design and others. Because I didn’t want to keep looking for design jobs and do nothing, I’ve decided to find a part time seasonal job to keep me sane while I’m up here.

I’ve sent out my information and application to Sephora on Monday and got a call for a group interview on Tuesday. I went to the group interview being super nervous. I went into the store and was like a kid in a candy store. So many cosmetic and skin care products that I just want to wash myself with (not literally). The group interview went pretty well. I met a girl who was also for the interview as well and she was really nice. It was me and two other girls and I think we did a pretty good job. The interviewer had told us tomorrow (Wednesday) is when we have the interview with the store director and do a little demo. She said she’ll give us a call back to let us know if we’re going or not. The same day, she called and let me know she would like to see me for the second interview. I was shocked because I thought the other girls did way better than me so of course I said yes. Wednesday comes and I waited for my interview. I thought it was going to be another interview but it was just me and the director. She asked some more questions and we did a little cashier demo. She then told me she will call my references and is going to give me a call either the same day or the next. So I haven’t heard from her on Wednesday and here’s Thursday with the phone next to me like glue, I waited patiently for the call. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 o’ clock has passed and I thought, maybe they’re busy. As soon as I thought that, the manager called me and offered me the seasonal position. I was so happy because I finally have some kind of job and bring some kind of income. I’ve been dying to work for Sephora for quite awhile before I had a design job in California. The orientation is this Sunday and I can not wait!

Other than that, I get to be around make-up and help anybody that wants tips about the product in the store. It is definitely much better than working in clothing retail for sure. I hate picking up clothes after people, doing go-backs, and taking care of the fitting room. Cosmetic retail is definitely something different and I want to try it out. I told myself if I wanted to do retail, it has to be either cosmetics or technology like Apple. Anyways, stay tuned for more updates about my new job. Hope everybody have a happy halloweekend (got that from my little brother)!!

xoxo - nettie

Hey everyone! My first blog post… yay! I’ve decided to make a personal blog about me and my life. I’m starting a new chapter in my life with my boyfriend whom I have moved out of state for. This will be posts about my adventures and what I’m going through at the moment. I’ll try to add pictures so it’s not too boring reading my blog.

Stay tuned for more posts!

xoxo - nettie