Job offers: You can say ‘No’

This guest blog post was written by Jo Pinto, who is studying MA in Sequential Design & Illustration at University of Brighton.

As a recent graduate with no professional experience in your field of study, you would jump at the chance for an entry role in said area. Wouldn’t you?

This is what I thought when, in 2021, I was invited to an interview at an animation studio. It sounded perfect! I would get to meet everyone in the different departments and learn so much just from observing, offering assistance, and talking to co-workers in different roles.

Before the interview, I booked a one-on-one session with the university careers team to get some practice. It was a mock interview, with questions that even involved the creative aspects of the role, and it was successful in putting me on the spot with unexpected, relevant queries. I was given great tips to support my answers, and in the end, I was given an invaluable piece of advice:

“I was to use the interview to test whether the employer and the role would be the right fit for me.”

This was something I hadn’t considered before, and it made the situation a lot more balanced in my mind. I would be putting in the effort to fit with the company, but the company representatives would have to sell the role to me too.

In the real interview, I did my best in answering all the questions: I demonstrated my can-do attitude and my knowledge of the company; I showcased my experience; I proved my passion for the work. I felt I did a good job, and this was confirmed when two days later I received the invitation to take the position.

However, the same couldn’t have been said for the interviewers. They were unable to answer basic questions about the role, and the oppressive work atmosphere they described was nothing like the attractive culture advertised in the job description. Furthermore, it was only after I asked them directly that I found that the role would be indefinitely online. As such, the opportunity to learn from other co-workers just wouldn’t be possible to the extent I had hoped. And despite it being a remote role, I would not be supplied with the software needed for the job.

And so, despite how tempting it was to be able to work in an animation studio so soon after graduating, I just couldn’t agree to it.

 

I’m glad I didn’t. A month later, I accepted a job offer for a role I hadn’t thought would be especially fulfilling. Rather than animation, it involved video editing and motion graphics, which didn’t particularly interest me. However, the employer’s attitude was completely different, and they seemed much more invested and positive about welcoming me into the company.

In this role, I was able to expand my skills so much more than I had expected! It’s opened the doors for me to take on more and more responsibility within the company, make contacts with so many people in the industry, and I found that video editing and motion graphics are actually incredibly rewarding to me.

It has now been six months and what was initially a temporary role has become a full-time job. My skills and contributions are genuinely appreciated and encouraged to grow, and this atmosphere makes me happy to come into work every time.

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If you are interested in writing a guest blog post about your career experiences, please get in touch: careers@brighton.ac.uk