Making the move from graduation to actually finding a job can prove to be quite a difficult task for many students. You have your whole life ahead of you and a world full of possibilities. But at the same time, you can’t get rid of the anxiety that comes along with the process. To help young people get some courage—especially those who are willing to work in the creative industry—D&AD produced a pack of cards that are all wrapped up in wise words for the future.

Launched just in time for the organization’s New Blood Festival, the cards were designed to ease newbies into the big industry. They showcase pieces of advice for the future and introduce life lessons of those who have already faced difficulties and anxieties in their work field. Behind the design of the “Cards of Courage” stand a series of creative people, such as Erik Kessels, Top Girl Studio, Supermundane, Craig Oldham, Snask, and Charlie Craggs.

The advice set of flashcards are here to help new graduates overcome the awkward situations that appear at work, as well as to provide a good resource to return to when things get difficult. By tackling a wide range of topics, from dealing with imposter syndrome to not being afraid to ask for a pay rise, the cards are a great opportunity to easily outmatch challenges that frequently appear when making the transition from student life to a career-oriented world.

“New Blood Festival is this amazing showdown that launches creative careers, but there was an opportunity for D&AD to offer graduates and emerging talent a bit of guidance for what happens beyond that. The gap between your education and your career is actually huge. It’s a baptism of fire for most, which can be the making of you. But we wanted to step in with advice as the anxieties that come with jumping off that cliff arise – to help bridge the gap a little. And we wanted to do this by creating a real-life thing you could hold, stick up on your wall, pass on and come back to when you needed some pepping,” uncovers Writing and Art Director, Ellen Ling, on her website.

“The harder you work, the luckier you get. So find what makes you different. Something nobody else can do the way you can and make that your thing. You’ll be irreplaceable,” says one card while other states that “An original style isn’t something you can just decide to make. It’s something that builds over time and takes work and willingness to find what you’re naturally good at and what influences you. Be open to everything and allow your taste to filter what influences you.” What a piece of helpful advice, right?

The cards are in line with New Blood’s 2019 ‘Take on the Future’ tarot-esque campaign. Its creators hope that the cards will continue to live on, empowering graduates to write their paths in the industry. Moreover, D&AD encourages agencies and studios to buy the cards and offer them to interns and juniors. Would you need such cards? Let us know!

Credits:

Written and produced: Ellen Ling

Design and Art Direction: Rosie StClair, Ellen Ling and Craig Oldham

Illustration: Billy Osborne, Terry Hearnshaw, Silje Bergum

Animation: Rob Headley

Photography: D&AD, Jack Renwick Studio

Paper donated by GF Smith