Tell us about your work. What is your current position?
I work in the Wix Templates Team as a lead designer and mentor. This means I get to work on template briefs and design them myself, as well as mentor other designers in the process of creating a template.
What are the top traits that make you good at what you do?
In everything I do, I try to stay true to myself, to what I love, to what interests me, and to what I am truly passionate about. I also try to stay on top of things, to stay updated, to keep up, to challenge myself with new technologies, and to explore new worlds in our field.
What’s the most important knowledge or training needed for this role?
Firstly, you need to be able to communicate with the designer who works with you, listen to them, understand their style, and figure out how to work together to the highest level. Keep in mind that this is a joint endeavor and nobody wins this alone.
The second thing you need as a web design mentor is to be up-to-date and engaged with the world of design.
What was your early career like?
I began my journey in Haifa at the WIZO Design Academy. By the third year, I really discovered who I was as a designer. Branding and typography courses opened up my mind, and that continued after I graduated. I worked in a small, veteran studio that specializes in branding and print. Most of the work I handled was branding for web design. It became clear to me then that I wanted to specialize in it - which led me to apply to Wix.
What past experience turned out to be valuable for the work you do today?
My first job after graduation was in a well-established fashion and cosmetics branding studio.
The most important thing I learned there was to stay close to the basics. As a result, I realized that branding lasts for a long time, so it’s important for me to not always follow trends but to stay true to myself and the brief.
Who or what has been the biggest influence on the way you think about design?
Unsurprisingly, these are two women. The first one is Terry Schreuer, who is a professor at WIZO, who inspired me with her talk about design. She was the first one to teach me how to build a design story. Second is Roanne Adams who owns RoAndCo studio, one of my favorite design studios. I admire their attention to detail, their unique style, and how they elevate brands.
What was a recent project you worked on that you really enjoyed?
I recently designed templates for a branding studio and a UX designer. Templates should cater to many different people so I really had to try and get inside the mind of those future users, creating designs that will meet their needs. All the assets and materials were designed especially. I created a detailed story and flow to go with each template. Creating those images was super fun.
Did you learn something new about yourself in your current role that’s helped your career growth?
As a mentor, it’s about learning to communicate feedback in a way that is clear and at eye level. You need to be able to direct a designer to their strongest high points, personally and technically.
As a designer, it’s about maintaining a critical eye toward my own work and aspiring to create projects that push the limits of my own abilities. To achieve the outcomes I want, I must continue to get to know new disciplines and learn new tools and techniques.
How important is social media and self-promotion of your work?
Even though I’m not practicing what I preach, and barely post projects and visual graphics I create, I think it’s super important for creatives to publish and share their work and show it to the world.
What's the best advice you've received?
It was from my first manager at Wix, who said to never assume I’m “done”, or to think I know everything. That there is always more to learn and places to grow, and that every project and each new place I end up in will teach me something completely new about myself as a designer. Also to not be scared of not knowing everything when you start something new.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or try new things! Even if the outcome isn’t perfect, the way there is guaranteed to teach you something about yourself.
What’s the most important thing to put in a portfolio?
The projects you choose for your portfolio should aim to represent you as a designer in the most accurate way possible - not just the designer you are now, but also the designer you aspire to become. You don’t need a lot of projects (maybe 4 or 5) as long as they are the right ones that tell your story. Try to showcase who you are from the moment someone clicks on your portfolio. Recruiters go through so many portfolios every day, and that initial interaction is crucial to engage them.
