When we ask for feedback at work, we might be told what we can improve, but rarely how we can improve. But what if we asked for advice instead? This way, we’re actively learning from the editing process, and our managers have a more positive way to give us constructive criticism. If you’re at the early stages of your career, in a new job, or even a manager yourself, you’re going to want to read the article at the top of this week’s hot links. Also in this episode, a kitchen hack that’ll scratch one more cooking gadget off your list and why you should totally start a club. Yours in growing up, Team Adultish
P.s. The feedback we'd give you if you forward this email or send the View In Browser link at the top to a friend? It'd probably be along the lines of... you're amazing. Simply the best. Couldn't do it without you. ☝️ |
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Gabrielle is a UX designer and the host/producer of Bitesize Bodacious Babes (a podcast by & for women in music). After building her career in the music industry, she pivoted to UX design.
After 9 years in London, she moved back to Scotland to live by the beach with her partner and their dog Luna. If she’s not renovating the house, she’s surfing, going to the occasional gig or gardening to decompress. Here, we chat with Gabrielle about everything from switching careers to wireless karaoke mics 🎤
Find Gabrielle on Insta, LinkedIn, and her website ✌️ |
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How have you got your sh*t together recently?
In recent years, I've embraced some significant life changes. Focusing on financial literacy led me to explore savings strategies, documenting my money ins & outs, and finally figuring out what a mortgage is... ultimately culminating in the purchase of a bonnie new home in Troon, Scotland. What's the most useful thing you've bought under £50 in the last year? My 2 wireless karaoke mics. Now, I am no singer, but I cannot explain the joy that karaoke with my friends and family brings me. While working at Domino Records, karaoke became a monthly ritual. Now, I wap these out when we have friends staying or take them with me to weekends away (just in case).
What’s one skill you’re grateful to have that’s nothing to do with your job? Swimming. My partner always says I’m happiest in the water — perhaps due to being a pisces or my gills (I jest). Though I like to think I am not competitive, I love surprising any guy that thinks he can win a race against me!
Currently, it’s keeping me feeling strong and relaxed during pregnancy as my belly grows and my centre of gravity shifts, which makes running tricky. |
So, how did you get into what you do now? I decided to leave the music industry, even though I loved the friends I had made at Domino and Vevo and felt such joy from being around exciting music and creatives... but something just didn't feel quite right.
My brother Maitiú connected me with a pal who'd just completed a UX/UI Design course, and my former Apple colleague suggested, "You might love UX Design."
So, during lockdown, I enrolled in a 3-month UX course with the fabulous Experience Haus. I built my portfolio through freelance work, researched potential companies, job sites, and recruiters, eventually landing a Junior UX design role in February.
What advice would you give to someone looking to go through a career change?
It's never too late to switch careers! Don't fear a pay cut; you can recover it — but equally be prepared for that and assess if this is possible for you. With that in mind, do not be worried to ask for a salary review after your probation (they will hopefully also realise you should be on more, plus it shows you know your worth), make strong cases for pay rises in your reviews. Also, embrace being the oldest in your team. What are three tools that have genuinely made your work-life easier? 1. Notion
2. Arc (browser) 3. BBC Sounds — Blessed Madonna, Jamz Supernova or any of the specials. The station never ceases to motivate me at work, zen me out or make me move! |
Gabrielle on wellbeing ☕️
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What habits have you built for your own wellbeing?
Yoga/stretching every day, especially now, has been a dream. Pregnancy loves to give your body some new pains, and right now, for me, that seems to be mainly back pain. I like to think it must be helping. Regardless, apparently it increases the elasticity of your skin and that is a plus when it’s going to be stretching one way and back in the next few months! What do you do to switch off?
I love to cook and bake. Nothing complicated, but using my hands and zoning out to that is something I find really relaxing or at least switches my brain to ‘off’ mode in terms of work or life stresses. At the moment, I am missing wine as I cook on the weekends, so I'm looking forward to that again next year! How do you avoid burnout? Whenever I feel overwhelmed or need a break, a walk, run, or swim does the trick for me. It helps me shift away from stress, offers a moment of reflection, and leaves me better equipped to tackle challenges. My productivity is always better and my body and mind thank me for it. Knowing this now helps me shift from feeling the guilt of stepping away to knowing my output is better if I do. |
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Disclaimer: Just a head's up, we're not responsible for the content in any third-party links, and our guests don't give financial advice - we recommend you seek this independently from a qualified professional. If you buy books that we've linked to from Adultish, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.
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