82. A Newbie’s Guide to Corporate Camouflage with Kerry McPhearson

What can new designers do to fit in and succeed at their first job?

Starting a new job is always an adventure, especially for new designers entering the professional world for the first time. This week, I chat with Kerry McPhearson, a Product Designer at Disney Streaming, to discuss how new designers can successfully navigate their first job and establish themselves in the industry.

Kerry started in tech support, which helped him learn how to help people and solve problems quickly. These skills are important in design too. He talks about how different bosses look for different things, so it’s crucial to research companies and ask clear questions during interviews.

Kerry also shares tips on networking and finding mentors who can give honest advice. Building real connections at work can help new designers fit in and stand out.

This episode is packed with useful advice for anyone starting their design career and wanting to make a good impression from the start. Don’t miss it!

Topics:
• 04:15 – Kerry’s origin story
• 10:39 – Be realistic and have backup companies
• 16:09 – Resources to research their job hunt
• 24:13 – Job listings are hard to interpret
• 30:04 – You need to pay your dues, work hard and grind
• 37:26 – As a noob how do you navigate the new role?
• 42:39 – figuring out your place on a new team
• 50:11 – Find an internal mentor

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn
• Follow Kerry on Instagram

Kerry McPhearson
Product Designer at Disney Streaming

About Kerry

Kerry McPhearson is a product designer at Disney Streaming, combining his interests in music and video games with his design work. He has a varied background, starting as a technical support rep before moving into product design, where he has worked for both B2B startups like Stord and B2C corporations such as Inspire Brands.

Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn

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