When I first got out of college I applied for a job as a photographer at the local paper. I felt like I was taking a job beneath my abilities because I had been trained as an 'artist.' When I got the the photo section of the paper and saw the images on the wall I knew I was stooping because nothing on their wall of "Great Images" compared to the artistic qualities of my work. I just knew the paper would be thrilled to have someone with my training on board...then I met the photo editor.
He asked just one question, "Where have you worked before?"
"Nowhere," I said, "I just graduated from college; here is my degree and my portfolio."
"Those don't mean anything to me," he said, letting the air our of my ego, "We only want to know that you can meet a deadline. You would have been far bettter off to have worked at a small paper for free than to have spent all that money on college."
And so, my newspaper career ended before it began. I did learn to make money with my camera, but I never again waved my degree like it was something special. Whether you are calling on editors or art directors or anyone else for that matter, all they want to know is; what have you done before?
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