14 creative Australian women share their most valuable career advice
IMAGE VIA @sadafr/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY TIA HARMER AND YASMIN GOWER
“If you can’t see a pathway, make your own. Things very rarely fall into your lap, and you need to be attuned to glimmers of opportunity to grasp them with both hands.”
Everyone is all too happy dishing out career advice. Whether it’s your grandpa or your teacher, you will be given fistfuls of recommendations and instructions whether you want them or not. That’s great and all, but sometimes you need something a little more niche, specifically from the people working the job you’ve been dreaming of. We know firsthand that talking to those people can be hard and a bit scary.
Over the years, Fashion Journal has spoken to countless people about their experience in the creative industry. From writers and PR consultants, to book designers and stylists, we’ve sat down with some of the country’s brightest to have the conversations we dreamed of having as kids.
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Whether you’re just starting on the retail floor with hopes of becoming a designer or in a midlife career change, we’ve filtered through our articles to find the best career advice we’ve heard so far. While we recommend you go and read up on all the different people we’ve interviewed in our How I Got Here series, here’s a curated list of some of the best career advice from 11 women who work in the creative industry.
Tara Lamont-Dijete, she/her, Mecca’s Head of Content
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“Network, network, network. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people or ask for help, or feedback, or an intro. Also, be polite, kind and grammatically correct in email communication. It’s the little things that make a difference.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Tara here.
Monique Thomas, she/her, Director and Co-Founder of Goodbyes
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“Try watching busy or successful businesses across different industries. Pay attention to their strategies and think about how these might be adapted to assist you with your own business ideas or goals.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Monique here.
Milly Bannister, she/her, Founder and Managing Director of Allknd
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“Only you know how much you can give and if that means nothing on some days, then that’s okay because your capacity will build back up again. No state of being (as a human, and as a professional) is permanent. If you need some practical tips to live more peacefully in your mind, we post a lot of them.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Milly here.
Celeste Barber, she/her, Australian comedian
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“Kind of bathe yourself in the industry as much as possible. Listen to the podcasts, watch movies, watch TV, see what you like, see what you don’t like and start getting a clearer idea about where you fit in and how you want to contribute to that niche. Surround yourself with like-minded people who have the same interests and same goals as you.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Celeste here.
Aretha Brown, she/her, designer and artist
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“My other practical advice is to throw out nothing. I’ve got my sketchbooks [from when] I was five or six… documentation is so important… now every time I do a work, I’ve got a whole list of photographers that I go back to, or stylists that I go back to, or art assistants that I go back to.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Aretha here.
Anne-Louise Sarks, she/her, Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company
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“If you can’t see a pathway, make your own. Things very rarely fall into your lap, and you need to be attuned to glimmers of opportunity to grasp them with both hands… on the days you’re feeling brave, write an email to the person in the industry you admire and ask to meet them.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Anne-Louise here.
Katie Kolodinski, she/her, Founder and Creative Director of Silk Laundry
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“Work hard at everything you do. There is no job that should be beneath you, from cleaning to taking out the trash. Stay busy and keep moving. Don’t quit. Keep learning. Study. Stay informed and engaged. There is no such thing as a waste of education. Say yes to experiences and opportunities. Don’t be scared. Take a risk. And enjoy life!”
Read the rest of the discussion with Katie here.
Jade Gillett, she/her, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Rainbow Studios
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“Always remember that you have to take time out to rest and recoup. When you are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, it’s okay to say no. It’s okay to have a day for yourself and to pass on some emails that don’t need to be answered straight away. We have to take time out away from our business to make sure we are ready to face the business again but with all the right positive energy and focus. Rest is essential!”
Read the rest of the discussion with Jade here.
Melanie Gleeson, she/her, Founding CEO of Endota Spa
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“Be kind [and] go with your gut.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Melanie here.
Rosheen Kaul, she/her, chef, cookbook author and columnist
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“Being a good chef isn’t just being able to cook nice food, it’s knowing how to handle and manipulate ingredients, how to control heat and how to make educated guesses based on your knowledge of cooking.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Rosheen here.
Ruby Miles, she/her, Programming and Social Media Assistant at Laneway Festival
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“If you’re passionate about it, you won’t necessarily need skills to get started. Don’t be afraid to work/intern or volunteer in adjacent or similar fields – radio isn’t necessarily the career I have ended up in but by volunteering at FBi Radio, I was able to meet the future of the music industry and network that way.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Ruby here.
Sadaf Razi, she/her, Senior Beauty Editor at Adore Beauty
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“Try to find people who you resonate with or look up to, and reach out to them, again don’t be disheartened if they don’t respond, people are just super busy. Eventually, someone will.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Sadaf here.
Clare Molesworth, she/her, Chief Customer Officer for PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival
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“Learn how to energise a room. Work-life has its ups and downs and as a senior leader, there are plenty of times when you need to unite a group, revitalise a tired team, guide people through high-pressure situations or turn the tide on a difficult stakeholder relationship. It’s more than just turning on the razzle-dazzle. It’s finding genuine and empathetic ways to get people focused, working together and feeling positive. It’s an intangible skill that has a big impact on those around you.”
Read the rest of the discussion with Clare here.
Shannon Heath, she/her, Australian artist and designer
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“Curiosity is key. Be a sponge. Be authentic. Don’t let the sea of other creatives on social media engulf your spirit or dull your sparkle. Back yourself, and just keep going. Be prepared to receive constructive criticism and leave egos at the door. Don’t be stagnant – get out and see the world. Live and experience other cultures, because how can you truly creatively problem-solve for a diverse group of people if you haven’t walked in their footsteps?”
Read the rest of the discussion with Shannon here.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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