October 22, 2006
Is a Degree in Graphic Design Really Enough to Get Employment
“But I have a degree” - Is it really enough?
There may have been a time when having a bachelor’s degree guaranteed you a comfy design position at your dream firm. By now most of us know, or have found out the hard way, this is far from true. When I began college, you could say that all of the design students were in the top 10 of their major (largely because there were only 10 of us). After a recent visit to my alma mater last month, I found that there are now 58 kids in the program. That is a considerable growth! Unfortunately, there are not enough local jobs to support these bright-eyed, future grads. My challenge to these students was to “go beyond the classroom”. I actually began learning Adobe Photoshop and Dreamweaver as a junior in high school. While not everyone has this advantage, there are several things you can do to set yourself apart from the rest of your peers.
1. STAY ON TOP OF TRENDS.
a. Magazines. There are plenty of great magazines you or maybe even your department can subscribe to. Some of these include Print, HOW Design, and Dynamic Graphics.
b. Newsletters. There are a plethora of sites that offer a daily or weekly tip. My personal favorite is the daily tip from www.layersmagazine.com. They are short and almost always very helpful.
2. FREELANCE
a. This can be intimidating to students starting out, but shouldn’t faze you juniors and seniors. I would consider doing several pro bono projects in the beginning. Doing these help take the pressure off of you and your client, and it’s a great way to build your portfolio. Freelancing is a exciting experience and it will show a potential employer that you have had the ever-famous “real world” experience. In addition, if you have built good relationships with clients that may come in handy when you begin job hunting.
3. BE MORE THAN A DESIGNER
a. I work for a company that requires the skills I learned outside of design classes almost as much as the ones I learned in them. I have used math, marketing, even a little chemistry, but most importantly communication skills. While I believe that a portfolio is important, my boss told me that it only counted for 20% of my interview. He was more interested in my ability to communicate with others. If you aren’t required to take speech in college, I would certainly recommend choosing it as an elective.
4. LOVE WHAT YOU DO
a. This is most important of all. It is almost always obvious when a designer is passionate and driven to be a success. If you have caught yourself saying “Why did they use a font like Arial on that sign?” or “Oooh, look at that sweet logo” while staring at a box of detergent, you are well on your way. And don’t worry; they make fun of me too.
Separate yourself from the norm. Give them a reason to hire YOU over the other 25 people you are graduating with.