Designer, Young Ae Kim can do it all — exceptionally well

photographs by versluis, 2011

Speaker, Designer, Teacher, Product Developer and Sales — Young Ae Kim, it seems, can do it all very well. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 the Dordt College Department of Art and Design and the AIGA Student Group recently hosted an all day event with Young Ae Kim. We were honored and delighted to have her serve as a visiting designer. And her students accompanied her from the University of South Dakota, which was especially great to have community between Dordt and USD students. Interestingly, Young Ae Kim has training in product design and so some of her portfolio work showed the relationship of promotional materials for her own products.

We thank Dordt students, Michelle Stam and Ellie Dykstra who compiled the following notes from Young Ae Kim’s presentations.

Designer tips for students (notes by Michelle):

1. Ask to see the work of other companies. Go and visit them. This way you can see what they do and build helpful relationships within the design community. Make as many connections as you can.
2. Be welcoming and patient. Communicate well. Get along with all kinds of people, even one’s you don’t like.
3. Put yourself out there / take chances.
4. Educate people logically — help them see how your design could benefit them and improve their business.
5. Do a lot of research about the subject matter and the client. You want to know them the best you can so that you can better fulfill their needs.
6. Employers want to see work, not degrees.
7. Look at the big picture and where different opportunities might lead. You have to think about the future, not just what you want to do now.
8. Try to map out where you want to be in 5 year increments from now to 50. This will help motivate you and give you goals to aim for.

Quotes by Young Ae Kim — notes by Ellie

1. Be an entertainer.
2. Be experienced in all areas of life.
3. Be willing to do anything — having many experiences will expand you.
4. Know the difference between looking good and being creative.
5. “50 inches of invisible concrete on your face” (learn to take criticism).
6. Be outgoing and don’t be shy — you are a communicator
7. Have a big heart.
8. Present yourself in a professional manner.
9. Develop a business plan and how you can make it better.
10. Don’t compromise and seek out job you really want.
11. Know what you like and go after it.
12. Doesn’t matter where you work, its how you work and who you work with.