Launch Your Career Like a SpaceX Rocket
Which is to say—spinning wildly out of control, possibly on fire, and somehow still expected to make it to orbit
This job market sucks and I can’t find anything
So, I had three former students reach out to me last week—all with the same story: “This job market sucks and I can’t find anything.”
Well… yeah. Especially in medical illustration right now, the market is incredibly tight. I've been following the job board of the Association of Medical Illustrators for a really long time (that job board was the reason I decided to invest in grad school), and last week there was a single job posted.
One.
I don’t remember ever seeing that before. There have always been somewhere between 3 and 10 listings each week, reliably. So what’s going on?
In medical illustration, there’s usually a pretty stable balance between graduates, industry turnover, and job openings. There’s a lot of work out there. But that balance can collapse fast—like when a large company lays off 40 people right before graduation. Suddenly, new grads are competing with seasoned professionals, and those pros with a decade or more of experience? They’re now scooping up entry-level jobs just to stay afloat.
So yeah. It’s not just hard—it’s layers of hard right now.
But this all points to something deeper: the belief that companies must always be growing. That if you’re not expanding, you’re failing.
Maybe that’s a uniquely American mindset—I’m no expert on international economics—but it seems baked into corporate culture. Growth for growth’s sake. Growth to please investors. Growth because staying the same is somehow seen as weakness.
I had a coworker once who used to say, “Uncontrolled growth is called cancer.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Sometimes companies scale too fast, take on too much, and collapse under their own weight.
But what if a company could just be the right size? Big enough to pay people well. To offer security. To be sustainable.
What if quality of life was the actual goal—rather than unchecked expansion?
It’s like one of those unanswerable philosophy questions:
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
If a medical illustrator screams in a forest and no one hears it…does it count as "networking"?
We'll never know.
The Grim Reaper (with a Syllabus)
Some days, as a professor, I feel like the Grim Reaper—just here to deliver bad news with a polite smile… and another homework assignment.
But I’m not trying to crush your dreams. I’m just trying to keep it real.
You already get enough of the glossy brochure version of success—follow your passion, believe in yourself, everything will work out perfectly. And sure, hope is good. Optimism matters. But so does honesty.
As Mike Tyson famously said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
That punch? It might be the job market. A layoff. A rejection. A project that tanks.
Whatever it is, it doesn’t mean you’re failing—it just means you’ve entered the real world.
Because if no one tells you what a real career launch actually feels like, you’ll assume you’re failing when all you’re really feeling is turbulence.
That whole “smooth blast-off into the perfect job”? Yeah, not so much.
Most of the time, it’s more like duct-taping yourself to a secondhand rocket, lighting the fuse, and hoping the engine doesn’t konk out at 300 feet.
But that doesn’t mean you’re off course. It just means you're doing it for real.
Career paths are rarely straight. They wobble. They stall. They spiral.
Sometimes they crash, reboot, and relaunch in a totally unexpected direction.
My Career, in One Squirrely Line
This isn’t clip art—this is my actual timeline. Every twist, pivot, detour, and “OMG the world is ending” moment is real. And somehow, it still adds up to a career I love.
After undergrad (illustration major, advertising minor), I started out doing odd jobs—some freelance, some part-time. I worked at McGraw Hill (mostly scanning and copying for the real designers), then moved to a printing company. Eventually, I landed a job as an illustrator at an agency in Madison, Wisconsin.
And I’ll be honest—I hated advertising. It just wasn’t for me.
From there? I became a professional kayak instructor. Then a business owner. Then a parent.
Then, in my 40s, I became a student again.
After that, I built a freelance career—and eventually, became a professor.
And it was hard. And I was unsure. And it was sometimes scary.
And I once spent my last dollar on a yo-yo as an act of defiance against the universe.
The Informational Interview
So yeah—my career path wasn’t exactly linear. But it was real. And maybe that’s what makes it useful.
Let me give you something you can actually use—something we do in the Business Practices class I teach at the University of Illinois Chicago’s medical illustration graduate program. It’s called the Informational Interview.
Here’s how it works:
First, you need to set up your LinkedIn profile. Yes, you. Whether you're a student or a working professional, you should absolutely have a presence there.
The link below will take you to a PDF straight from my Business Practices class at UIC. It’s a little more structured, a little more formal—and sadly, completely yo-yo free. But it’ll walk you through how to build a solid LinkedIn profile that actually works. If you’re job-hunting, freelancing, or just trying to look like a professional human on the internet, this will help: LinkedIn Profile Assignment
Once your profile is live and you start building your network, the real work begins.
Start looking for people who have the career you want—people working at companies you’re interested in, doing the type of jobs or freelance work you’d love to do. Then reach out and ask for a short interview.
Not a job interview—an interview of them.
You’re asking to learn more about their work, their career path, what a typical day looks like, and any advice they’d offer someone just getting started. You are not asking for a job. You are not pitching yourself. You’re showing interest in them, and nothing more.
Don’t talk about yourself unless they directly ask. Your goal is to listen, learn, and take good notes.
Yes, I know it can feel awkward to “cold call” strangers. But it’s a critical skill—and it works. Most people are genuinely flattered to be asked. They’re often thrilled that someone found their work interesting enough to reach out and want to learn more. You’re not bothering them.
Just be professional, respectful of their time, and genuinely curious.
Here’s a script you can use to reach out on LinkedIn:
Hi [Name],
I’m a [student/early-career medical illustrator/alien from another planet] currently building my career in [field of interest/planetary invasion]. I came across your profile and was really inspired by your work at [Company/Studio/Area 51].I’m reaching out to see if you’d be open to a short (15–20 minute) informational interview. I’d love to ask a few questions about your career path and experience—no strings attached, just hoping to learn more from someone working in a role I admire.
Thanks for considering,
[Your Name]
What Should You Ask?
Here are some solid starter questions for an informational interview. You don’t have to ask all of them—but pick a few that genuinely interest you, and be ready to follow the conversation wherever it naturally goes:
How did you get started in medical illustration?
What does a typical day look like for you?
What kind of projects do you work on most often?
What skills or tools do you use every day?
What do you wish you had known when you were starting out?
How did you land your current position or client base?
Are there any professional associations or events you’d recommend?
What advice would you give someone just entering the field?
Are there any resources (books, websites, courses) that helped you early in your career?
And one of my favorites:
What’s something you love about your work—and what’s something you struggle with?
Be curious. Take notes. Don’t be afraid of silence—let people think, and listen to their full answers before you jump in again.
Quick Tip for Video Calls
(Disclaimer: This is not me. It’s not that I would never take a call in my underwear, I just would never wear that blazer - it’s just a personal choice.)
If your interview ends up being a Zoom or video call, take a few minutes to stage your environment. You don’t need a designer backdrop—just make sure what’s on camera looks clean and professional. The rest of your space can be chaos, as long as it’s off-screen. Aim for good lighting, no laundry in the background, and wear something that says, “I’m taking this seriously.”
You’re not trying to impress them—you’re just showing respect. And that goes a long way.
Wrapping It Up
Look, the job market may be rough right now—but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless.
In fact, this is exactly the kind of moment where showing initiative can make all the difference. Building a network, having real conversations with people in the field, and doing the slow, behind-the-scenes work of relationship-building? That’s how careers are built. Quietly. One connection at a time.
So if you’re feeling discouraged, take a deep breath. Then maybe take another. And then take action. Set up your LinkedIn. Reach out to one person. Ask one question. And keep going.
Even if it feels like you’re strapped to a rocket built out of duct tape and self-doubt… you’re still launching.
And that’s more than a lot of people do.
Students: Don’t Miss a Post
If you’re nearly done walking the hallowed halls of knowledge, make sure to update your email address before you’re turned loose on the world—so you can keep getting these posts! You should be able to do it right here in the app, but if anything goes sideways, just email me at mandy@meddrawstudio.com and I’ll sort it out.
And if you’re enjoying what I’m up to, I’d be grateful if you’d share it with someone else who might like it too.
