Pursuing A Career In Graphic Design Part 2: Prepping For Employment

The Graphics Guy    careers, graphic design, internet marketing, logo design, web design    

In Part 1 I gave you my thoughts about getting started… in Part 2… I will be covering Prepping For Employment.

While in school… is there anything I can do to prepare for employment? Work on building your portfolio. Most educators will tell you to show only your best work… which is excellent advice. Another good tip for a top-notch portfolio: show a variety of work. Your portfolio should include at least  samples of your best logos, printed material, advertising/marketing collateral, and illustrated pieces. It’s a good idea to include non-traditional forms of Graphic Design (Web Design, Animation, Industrial Design, etc.). It shows you can (and willing to) work outside the realm of your chosen field. One last tip: ONLY select samples you received and A. A- and below does not cut it.

I have been approached in school to work part-time or freelance… should I work while in school? YES! Any experience you can gain in Graphic Design is a leg up on your fellow students (your future competition).  Check with your school… there should be a vocation/internship program that will help you find part-time/freelance work. Even if its a non-paying position… take it!

Did you work while in school? During  the 3rd quarter of my 2nd year… I was employed part-time at a local printer. Although it was very basic typesetting… I was able to learn how to work as a professional designer. I also did some freelance… mostly freebies.

OK I have my degree and my portfolio is ready… what’s next? Staring working on your resume.  Its very important to put together a professional resume. Hopefully you took some sort of Professional Development class in college. If not… there are plenty of resources. Try careerbuilder.com, monster.com or Google “resume writing”. Make sure to list your Objective, Experience, Skills, and Education. You can add References if you’ll like… some resume experts suggest providing References ONLY upon request.

Is there anything I can do to attract employers? Create a website that serves as your online resume. Include your portfolio, resume and contact info. Also there are ways to market yourself online. Create an account for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Are there different types of Graphic Design jobs? Yes, there are many roles Graphic Designers are expected to fill. The best way to define “type” is to break it down by levels of business:

• Small Business- Graphic Designers (who work in Small Business) are expected to provide all creative needs for the business. Since majority of small businesses have a minimal number of employees… there are usually one or two Graphic Designers on staff.
• Agency- An agency’s sole purpose is creating advertising/marketing for its clients… so (usually) there is  a high volume of Graphic Designers on staff. Expect to work on high-end projects for large corporations like Pepsi, Nike, McDonald’s, General Motors, etc.
• Corporate- Instead of using an agency (or freelance) some Corporations maintain an in-house art department. Like small business… the art department is responsible for all creative needs of the corporation along with the company’s business associates. Staffing can be small as 1-2 people or large as 10 designers… pending on the company’s size.
• Freelance- A freelancer is a Graphic Designer who is self-employed and is not committed to an particular employer for long term. Also freelance can be considered as secondary source of income for Graphic Designers who are employed full-time.

Which level of business do you recommend? Which one do you prefer? For a Graphic Designer fresh out of college… I suggest Corporate or Agency. Both levels offer the opportunity to learn from experienced Graphic Designers. In a perfect world, I would prefer to work as a freelancer… both with today’s economy… small business is my preference.

How much does a Graphic Designer make? So many factors goes into determining salary… experience, talent, location, portfolio just to name a few.  According to my research the national average for an entry-level Graphic Designer makes around $35,000 per year. Keep in mind… that’s the national average. The bigger cities (New York, Chicago, LA etc)… the average is higher… but so is the cost of living.

Which cities are the top locations for Graphic Design jobs? The top 10 includes: New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, and San Jose. Click for the complete list. Check out Las Vegas and Orlando too.

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