Alumni
Recent Grad Hired as Junior Production Coordinator at Pixi Beauty
Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Hartley Griffin attended Ashley Hall before studying Graphic Design at Auburn University. She first heard about FIDM when a friend from home started attending the Orange County campus. “I had never seen a major like Beauty Marketing & Product Development before, and I knew I wanted to finish my degree at FIDM and get that specific education,” said Hartley, who transferred to FIDM in 2019. In December of 2020, the Los Angeles resident received a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Industry Studies, Beauty Marketing & Product Development Core. This month, she started working full-time as a Junior Production Coordinator at Pixi Beauty. We chatted with Hartley to learn more about her FIDM experience, finding a job during a pandemic, and working in the industry.
How did you pick your major? I chose Beauty Marketing & Product Development because of my innate passion for the beauty industry. I just never knew I could make a career out of it, much less get a real education tailored to the specific industry.
What were some of the most valuable lessons you learned at FIDM? Teamwork makes the dream work – cheesy, but very true. As much as the control freak in me sometimes wished every project during my time at FIDM wasn’t a group project, realistically, you can’t do everything yourself in a real work environment. It’s important to cultivate good relationships with your peers so that you can lean on and trust one another to do the work and do it well.
Tell us about your new position at Pixi Beauty: My official position title is Junior Production Coordinator. I work in the Product Development department at Pixi and am very hands on with pre-production samples, finished product samples, reformulation, new products, and proofing packaging, labels, and artwork. Our desks are all constantly covered in products and we are always swatching, smelling, and testing them out. It’s any makeup or skincare junkie’s dream come true!
Did the Career Center assist you in any way? Ruth Ritchie at the San Francisco campus was an absolute saving grace during my job search process. We met by phone or Zoom once or twice a week for about 2.5 months, and she guided me through the entire process. From interview prep to getting the best use out of my LinkedIn account, and everything in between, I couldn’t have done it without her.
How did it feel to get hired in the midst of a global pandemic? Truly the biggest blessing, and the biggest sigh of relief. And it’s doing something I genuinely and wholeheartedly love. Doesn’t get much better.
Anything else you'd like to share? It is much easier said than done, but if I have one piece of advice to give anyone searching for a job right now during this pandemic, it would be to enjoy the process as much as possible. Once you start working, you never stop – so make the most of this time while you have it!
Connect with Hartley on Instagram @hartleygriffin.
Categories: Beauty Marketing & Product Development Creative Industry Studies Alumni Transfer Student
