This document outlines the thoughts, feelings, and actions of someone trying to break into a new career field. They feel frustrated getting experience without a job, but know not to expect easy success. To learn more about their interests and overcome challenges, they talk to many people in the industry, attend events, and push themselves to find resources, even when unmotivated. While seeking help can feel overwhelming, they recognize the importance of multiple perspectives to avoid overburdening any one person. Their goal is to stay focused on learning and discovering the right path for themselves through continued effort and new approaches.

1. EMPATHY MAP
-SAY-
SAY
• “It’s difficult to get experience in a field
where you need experience to get a job,
but a job won’t hire you because you
don’t have experience.”
• “I’ve learned not to be afraid to ask for
help.”
• “When asking for help, try to have a
specific question to ask, be as specific as
possible.”
• “I feel that once someone has a clear idea
of who they are, it’s a lot easier to tell
other people. I remember reading in a
branding book that Napoleon was a small
man from a tiny island who didn’t see
himself as a general or a leader of the
French army, but as an ‘Emperor’. There
were no French emperors before him, he
just thought of himself that way. He then
acted that way and others saw him as an
Emperor. I need to immerse myself in
this.”
• “I don’t want to waste the time of those
that want to help me.”
• “I don’t want to try, fail, and then
disappoint myself or others that help me
SAY
• “There’s a lot that I don’t know and need
to learn, and the more I dig in to learn, the
more I realize that I don’t know.”
• “It’s frustrating and hard sometimes, but I
know not to expect things to go easily, and
on a consistent upward curve.”
• “I need to stay focused, keep trying, do
new things, different methods to discover
what I want to do or specialize in.”
• “I wanted to go back to what I want to do
after trying something that I did half-
heartedly and was not interested in.
• “I’ve discovered that knowing of my own
limitations can help me grow and
improve.”
• “Pushing oneself to find any resource for
discovery was a key finding for me, even
though there are times I really didn’t want
to.”
• “I try to change whatever challenges and
turn that into something positive to keep
on finding what I want to do.”
• “People do try to be helpful, but
sometimes it’s overwhelming, confusing.”
• “But it’s important I don’t tax one single
person for help or guidance, I like having
many sources.”

2. EMPATHY MAP
-DO-
-THINK-
DO
• To gain more insight, she tries to talk to
different people in the industry she’s
interested in.
• Look to those more experienced than
herself in the graphic design world to
learn and solve problems.
• Goes to networking events organized by
industry experts
• Attend meetups, seminars, classes to
meet others in her field
•
THINK
• “There’s a lot that I don’t know and need
to learn, and the more I dig in to learn, the
more I realize that I don’t know.”