Hello :-) I'm an illustrator recently dx with ADHD (and other things), I've struggled with social anxiety/ awkwardness my whole life
I've had a couple of illustration gigs a few years ago, and I've also won D&AD (inbook), and the Prince's Trust's Tomorrow's Talent (albeit runner up). I'm much more in my element working on things in my own space, but my main problem is finding clients and knowing WHAT to show people (I love playing around with ideas). Ultimately, I just want to do anything creative to make a living, as long as it can be done remotely.
Does anyone have any ideas where I can start/ who I can start networking with? I've heard lots of things about companies seeking neurodivergent people, but very little actual tangible evidence of this.
Thank you!
53 views
Replies3
- @ɐɹoᗡ ɐuu∀ ˥ Hello, thanks for your response! I do, however, want to set the record straight on a couple of miscommunications.It's not so much a 'trend' as a medical thing that I have recently been diagnosed with which affects my life and communication, and has been doing so for decades. I don't expect ANYONE to hire me for my disability (I'm sorry if it came across that way- it's not what I meant AT ALL), but often I've noticed people brand themselves as being disability/ neurodiversity 'positive', without understanding at all what it is or how it impacts a person's life.(As a pedant, I also want to correct you, no one person is 'diverse'- you need a GROUP of people to be diverse, ONE person is 'divergent'.)I'm asking for a starting point. One of the major issues I've found with the human mind is it's very difficult to be able to imagine not being able to do something until you lose the ability. People in wheelchairs notice the lack of ramps in public buildings long before most ablebodied people do.It's the same with cognitive disabilities. It's all very well to say something's easy as long as you can do it, but there's a lot more in play than just doing something- people who don't face difficulties with social communication don't realise just quite HOW difficult and complex it is.I really wish this was a trend, but it's a legitimate problem that I have to live with and overcome.
- @Jamil at The Dots Hi Jamil, thank you for your response and tips! I've been doing these things for a while now (I have a lot of interests), but still haven't found any luck :-(I'm hoping that I can learn and change things for myself on here though!I'm just fairly clueless when it comes to building the right connections for my illustration.Thank you!Maddy
- Hi Madeleine,I’m Jamil from The Dots! Here are my top tips to help you find work:1. Follow your favourite companies so you’re the first to know when they post jobs and call-outs:https://the-dots.com/follow-pages2. Build your network by connecting with people you already know, and people you want to know! (fun fact: 50-80% of jobs are filled through networking):https://the-dots.com/account/connectionsOh, and your newsfeed is the place to discover all the best opportunities to network, find work and more:https://the-dots.com/feedI hope that helps!Jamil
You must sign up or log in before you
add a comment.