As a freelancer I move around organizations fairly often. In all honesty, I love the first day at work. It’s something I can remember even as a child when changing schools. A fresh start—lots of energy and enthusiasm for a new challenge. I made this guide as a way for new colleagues and potential employeers to get to know me so we can work more effectively. 

My Style

• I like taking risks and trying things that are a bit unusual.
• I have pretty good instincts and follow my gut often.
• Prototyping is my language, not a fan of static screens.
• I need clarity and thrive when I have a clear direction to move forward. This doesn’t mean I need all the answers figured out, far from it, but I do like to have clear guidelines where I should focus my energy.
• I always ask “why” and need to understand why we’re doing something.
• I love a casual chat and a good laugh.
• I crave momentum and a sense of accomplishment.
• I have a pretty quick mind which makes me ideal for giving immediate feedback in design reviews.

Strengths

• Quick prototyping and exploration
• Unique perspective and constant questioning the reason why.
• Authentic and determined
• Strong sense of visual design and overall creative direction.
  
• I go deep into the subjects that I’m working on. I won’t push pixels until I understand the space we’re working in.
  
• I ask pointed questions and listen intently.

Weaknesses

• I can be too forward and speak my mind which can come off as insensitive and sharp. (I promise it’s not intentional and I’ve been working on it since childhood.)
• I am impulsive and sometimes don’t think everything through before I go all-in on a decision.
• I am very good at jumping in and getting things moving at the beginning stages of a project, but when it gets into the final hyper-detailed red-lining stage I can lose interest and become bored. (I have a few tricks to combat this, read on.)

The way to communicate with me

• I love text and slack – not a fan of email.
  
• One-on-ones that are personal.
• Calendar invites are crucial for me. If it’s not on the cal it’s not real.
• I really like getting to know you and love learning about your personal life. Happy when I can share mine as well. I like making new friends.
• I love meetings with clear outcomes and next-steps. 

Things I don’t have patience for

• Beating around the bush and using flowery language when clarity is sacrificed.
• Tardiness
• Unclear guidelines, expectations, and next-steps.
• Office politics, secrets, vying for power.
• I find it frustrating when people are afraid to say what they think. 

Things I struggle with & how to help me

• I can get overwhelmed when everything feels unclear and impossible. I find it difficult to sit in the uncertainty. You can help me by outlining a small chunk of work and get me going.
• I lose track of meetings and to-dos when they’re not in writing. *Calendar invites are a great way to make sure we’re both on the same page.
• I can come off a bit rough if I’m frustrated or trying to understand something. I don’t mean it negatively and never intend to be rude.
• In the final stages of a project I can lose interest and fall victim to procrastination. Keep deadlines on my calendar and things will work out. 

Give me feedback

• Please give me immediate feedback so we can work through the issue together.
• I am very open-minded and love learning.
• I don’t hold grudges, forgive easily, and love fresh starts.

Conditions I prefer for work

• Flexibility is potentially the single most important thing to me when it comes to work.
• I love to travel and work from various locations.
• I like meetings chunked in the afternoon.
• Mornings are my favorite and most productive hours.