So, once you have taken
the time to complete your portfolio and CV, it's time to start applying for
jobs. Today, there is an abundance of ways you can find work. Both on the
internet and offline. Now I often get asked the question, how do I find a
graphic design job? So, in this, I'm going to attempt to answer this question and
talk from experience and give some tips and advice to keep in mind. So, my
first tip would be move closer to the work. Now graphic design is a commercial
job. Most of your work is going to be for commercial companies and
organizations or perhaps the odd startup. You will also be looking to work for
a good and well-established design agency. Today, all the good design agencies
are close to where the work is. And that is in or near cities. One of the first
things I would recommend you consider
if you haven't already been
moving closer to the place where the work is. And that may mean living in or
near a city. So, I currently live in London, UK. One of the design capitals of
the world. Now I'm not originally from here. I'm not even English. I'm from a
neighboring country hundreds of miles away. Now, I have grown to love this
city, but I never originally wanted to live here. I came here because I knew
this was where the work was at. I moved here almost 10 years ago now, and this
is where I need to stay in order to find regular work or move to another city.
Now of course, not all
design jobs are based in the city. There are some companies that exist outside
cities. But the fact remains that most work is in the urban city area. As an
alternative, you could try and work from home, or even set up a business. But
that is typically done after a few years’ experience. If you're starting out
new, you may find it easier to get started where most of the work is. So, my
next tip is, have an online strategy and get noticed. Now traditionally, one of
the only options you would have had was to search through design magazines and
call up agencies or maybe visit design agencies to find a job. Over the past few
years, I've seen a big change in the way we as graphic designers look for
design jobs. Through the development of technology, the internet, and social
media, I have seen a huge shift from searching offline to searching online. Today,
not only is the internet a way to find to find a job, but also get discovered
and noticed. Which in turn, can help you get the job. As a graphic designer
today, you not only need a strategy to find a job but a strategy to get
noticed. Today, you can subscribe to many portfolio websites. Sites that will
allow you to upload your work, allow companies to post jobs, allow you to
search and apply for jobs, and allow companies to search profiles. In my
experience, I have gotten a few jobs from simply having a profile online. I have
received calls and have been offered work and taken work. So be sure to be
proactive online. Set up a portfolio profile on as many design websites as you
can.
So, my next tip is, use
social media. So, as well as setting up a portfolio website, consider using
social media. This is an awesome opportunity for you to blog and share the work
you do to a global audience. If you're at school or art college, you can share
your creative work through various social media platforms. Not only can you
share your work, but you can demonstrate your design process and thinking. You
can follow and communicate with design agencies and get recognized before you
even graduate. I have seen someone get noticed via Twitter, get an interview,
and get a job. It does happen.
Next tip, be proactive
and create your own opportunities. So, as well as taking advantage of the
online resource, you can also embrace more traditional leads. Try creating a
list of your favorite agencies and write to them directly. Now online application
can seem a little generic. If you write a letter to a design agency, it will
seem a lot more personal and it will show you have put in a specific effort. This
will make a bigger impact. So write to your agencies, introduce yourself, list
the reasons why you like that agency, talk about their work show you have a
genuine interest, declare why you think you would be amazing for them, what you
would bring to the table, and what you would hope to achieve. Here, you have
nothing to lose. But everything to gain. The worst that can happen here is you
may not hear back. But you never know, you may get offered an interview with a
chance to get the job.
So, my next tip is think
outside of the box. Now if a design agency puts out a graphic design vacancy, you
can be sure that a lot of people are going to be applying for it. So that
design agency is going to be looking at a lot of CVs and portfolios. So how are
you going to stand out? So, what you could consider is doing something a little
more creative. Think tactile, think a surprise. Think alternative. People love
surprise, unwrapping and being presented with something hands on. Instead of
sending the typical CV and portfolio, here you can maybe make something more
unique. Once I created my own mail pack to send to agencies I liked and apply
for jobs. This contained a poster and a business card all wrapped up in a custom-made
envelope. On the one side was the artwork I created and on the other was my
cover letter and CV. On this occasion, I invested a little money to get them
printed off. By creating something, you add value to your submission, stand
out, and show you are willing to go the extra mile. If its good quality, chances
are the person receiving it will not want to throw it away. And you will remain
in their presence to be seen again later. So, by being creative and making
something a little more unique, you can make a lasting impression.
Next tip, apply for
internships. Now if you're new to the design industry, it can be difficult to
get that first job without any prior experience. To help you find a job, I
would recommend you consider applying for as many internships as you can. In
some cases, a lot of design agencies will not be actively looking for
designers, but will be open to internships. I have seen a lot of designer’s
graduate and use internships as a way into the industry. If you do well, make
an impression, and work hard, they just might offer you a permanent position. It
does happen. I myself did a number of internships when I graduated and it
really helped me get some solid experience under my belt to start my career.
Next tip, seek help from
friends or family. Now this sounds like an obvious one, but nevertheless, it's
one I would recommend. One of my favorite projects and best projects came from
a recommendation my brother-in-law gave to his friend who wanted someone to
brand their new startup street food business. This was a great opportunity for
me to do their entire branding and have a good project under my belt. So, let
your family and friends know you are on the lookout for work. You never know
where it might lead. As well as seeking help from friends and family, I would
also recommend you introduce yourself to local businesses and proposition them with
your creative offerings. You could go as far as to pitch them a new brand for
their business or maybe a new website.
So, my final tip is, get
agents to find you work. So, another way to look for work is to get others to
find work for you. In the design industry, you can work as a freelancer. If you
go freelance with recruitment agencies, you can get yourself some agents that
will find work for you on a contract basis. This is currently how I get my
work. I have a number of agents that actively find work for me. They are aware
of my skillset, my day rate, and the type of job I'm looking for. My agents are
in contact with many clients. And with my CV and portfolio in hand, they will
apply on my behalf. If the client likes what they see, they will give me the
contract. So, using recruitment agencies and agents can be a really good way to
find work. So those are some of my tips and ways to find a graphic design job.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon