How To Get A New Job or Promotion
The one technique that I've used in my career
Growing up, American Football was a staple in my household. Many of us played the sport at various levels, and everyone religiously attended the Chicago Bears home game.
The NFL Draft Misconception
As a kid growing up in this environment, everything I knew about the world was filtered through this world of football. And in football, to secure your first job in the National Football League, there's an event called the draft. For non-sports fans, the draft is where teams take turns selecting college players to join their squads.
As a kid, that's all I knew about getting a job after college. The draft process seemed logical, so I assumed every industry followed a similar path. I envisioned an "Animation Draft" where companies select their future employees.
"With the 178th pick in the Animation Draft...Blue Sky Studios selects...Michael Tanzillo...Lighting Artist/Render Wrangler...The Savannah College of Art & Design."
The Projection Principle
It just so happens the NFL Draft took place this week. And of course I watched because I’m still a giant football nerd.
However, the recent NFL draft made me realize a similarity between football and the job-hunting process. In college, players compete at a more simplified level. Professional teams must evaluate their college performances and project whether those skills will translate professionally. The players whose skills are most easily projectable to the next level get picked first.
The same principle applies to 3D artists. College projects and student films are not equivalent to a professional environment. Potential employers understand this, but too often, students rely on this assumption – I was guilty of this after college. While my work wasn't at a professional level, I expected companies to assume I would grow in my skills and learn.
My mistake was asking them to make too significant a leap. The projection was too far-fetched, and many companies passed on me. I hadn't demonstrated the ability to produce art at a high enough level to make the projection small enough for them to hire me.
Promotions and Career Pivots
The same principles hold when striving for a promotion or switching roles/industries. You need to demonstrate to your leadership team that you have enough competency in the tasks required at the next level, making it easy for them to project you into that role.
To be considered for a promotion, you must already perform the work that promotion entails. If you're a Junior Artist, you must demonstrate that you can work faster and produce quality at the rate of someone above you. If you're an artist going for a leadership position, you must already demonstrate the necessary organization and attention to detail.
Every promotion I've received has been a relief because I had previously been doing my current role and equally demonstrating that I could handle the new role. The promotion validated the work I had already been doing, allowing me to stop doing the old work on top of the new responsibilities.
The same applies when changing roles or industries. As we have been discussing in The 3D Artist Community, if you're transitioning from VFX, Animation, or Gaming to a tech company or 3D product design role, the company won't assume your film demo reel prepares you for the new role. You must demonstrate that you can perform at a professional level in the exact tasks they heed. You need to show your commitment to the change and that your previous skills do actually translate to the new role. The only way to do this is through practical application.
Conclusion
Whether you're seeking your first job, advancing in your current role, or pivoting your career, focus on making the transition from where you are to that new role as frictionless as possible. You want the hiring manager to look at your work and say, "This person is perfect for this role!"
While it may require more time and energy, it is the most effective way to position yourself for long-term success.
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Former Magic Leapers launch a platform for AR experiences - Tech Crunch
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Link to Google Doc With A TON of Jobs in Animation (not operated by me)
Hello! Michael Tanzillo here. I am the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, I am the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging. I also created The 3D Artist Community on Skool and this newsletter.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
Free 3D Tutorials on the Michael Tanzillo YouTube Channel
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As a former SCAD graduate, I had expected my transition into the professional realm to be smooth, much like a draft. While my animation skills were not extremely high, I figured I would be drafted as a solid 3rd or 4th pick. However, it was only when I entered my senior year that I realized character animation was not my passion. So, I decided to go down the generalist route instead.
After graduation, I struggled to find a job and hopped from one to another until a close friend, who was also an alum, recommended me for a contracted 3D artist position at an engineering company. Those early years as a contracted artist gave me the time I needed to refine my skills and develop my passion for lighting. When I finally became a full-fledged developer for the same engineering company, I realized that I needed to learn and grow more to become the artist I dreamt of being.
It has taken me almost a decade of hard work, but I am now on the verge of a promotion and feel confident that I could take on a junior artist position at another studio. Looking back at where I was after SCAD, I know I was not ready to work at a studio. But now, I have gained the necessary knowledge and skills to get a new job or promotion at my current company.