Navigating the Animation Industry: Career Insights
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Navigating the Animation Industry: Career Insights
Details
APPLICATION GROUP 3
Applications Open:
2/6/25
THIS CIRCLE IS PERFECT FOR
- Optimists and pessimists (it’s all about balance)
- People ready to pivot in their careers
- Dreamers who know what they want, but not how to get there
WHAT TO EXPECT
- New besties
A refreshing perspective on today’s animation climate - Realistic career advice that can be applied to any industry
WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
- Recycled advice you’ve heard a thousand times before
- Strategies for vanquishing your nemesis
- A job offer from Rachel
Qualification Criteria
Entry Level (1-2 yrs of experience)
Early Career (3-5 yrs of experience)
Day / Time
Times Per Month: Weekly
Day / Time: Thursday 1:00 PM
Timezone: PST
* You must meet the qualification criteria AND be able to attend the posted day/time of the circle (please note the timezone posted)
CIRCLE DESCRIPTION
This Circle is designed for creative and production professionals who have landed a job or two in the Animation industry and are now looking to navigate the next stage of work and build a career. Gain valuable insights from Rachel’s past mistakes (and there are hundreds) and learn to think beyond conventional boundaries.
- Explore Career Pathways: Gain insights into a variety of roles across creative and production tracks, including how to evaluate opportunities that align with your skills and aspirations. I know an executive assistant who gets paid to wear a giant bird suit! The possibilities are endless!
- Find Clarity in the Zigzag: Learn to embrace a career journey that isn’t linear, and make choices with confidence even when the next step isn’t your idealized one. Discover that getting from step A to step B sometimes involves every other letter of the alphabet
- Overcome Doubts: Discuss how to let go of self-imposed limitations, redefine what success means, and lean into the possibilities of non-traditional routes. Don’t worry, this is not a cult
- Strategize Growth: Develop tools for identifying transferable skills, leveraging adjacent roles, and charting a pathway that builds toward your ultimate goals…unless your ultimate goal is world domination. Then you’re on your own.
- Foster Connections: Share experiences and strategies with peers who understand the complexities of navigating the animation industry. We’re all in this insanely fun and frustrating business together!
ADDITIONAL Application Requirements
Please submit the following as part of your Application Profile:
*(AFTER you click to apply, you must go into your member profile and complete the member-specific portion; these requirements should be submitted through that profile):
- Resume
- Portfolio link
- A brief statement explaining why you are interested in this circle
Circle Leader
Rachel Ashley
As Head of Recruitment at Titmouse, Rachel Ashley oversees artistic, production, and editorial recruitment across the Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver locations. She also leads the internship & mentorship program and helps facilitate relationships with colleges and non-profit organizations. Her previous quests include recruitment at Nickelodeon Animation and Riot Games. She has worked on notable IP’s such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spongebob Squarepants, Star Trek Prodigy, The Loud House, Baby Shark, and various projects in development at Avatar Studios.
Rachel spearheaded the creation of Avatar Academy, an inclusive art trainee program designed for Nickelodeon’s Avatar Studios. Rachel studied animation at CSU Northridge, but discovered her true calling in recruitment and loves connecting with the animation community.
In her spare time, Rachel creates recruiting comics @rachel_recruits on Instagram, designed to humor and assist job seekers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Current Title: Head of Recruitment
Studio / Employer: Titmouse