Study-Intern-Graduated-Confused-Worked at Mastered-Made redundant-Digital Art Assistant at WIRED-Now Digital Art Director.
Reached out to a tutor and asked for help (during 2nd year).
Got supplied with an internship, and this helped understand the industry better.
Knowing what you enjoy and figuring out how to find this in a job. Allows you to find something you're passionate about, makes the work easier.
Wired - magazine, started small but worked its way up to a bigger company.
Bigger companies have more limitations, more structures, all design decisions have to be signed off by multiple people in positions above you.
- Think about where you want your early years to be focuses?
- More freedom?
- A larger company with more restraints?
Tips:
- Work to deadlines, not just project deadlines but within the project. Set time limits for elements of the project. Get your speed down to develop something. Set self challenges, 5 minutes to design a typeface, 10 mins for a poster, 5 mins to turn that into a poster etc.
- Don't pigeon hole yourself, give yourself the wiggle room to learn new things in different areas. It will help you in the long term if you decide to change your creative role.
- Nail the production basics, the broader your range of skills the more you're able to do. Know the whole adobe suite, camera equipment, other skills that aren't just design related.
- Intern more, worth it even if they're not paid. Learn more, gain experience before graduating.
- Email etiquette, make sure you take your time. Get better at writing them so people take your more seriously as a designer if you approach contact more seriously.
- You know less than you think
- If unsure on what to do let your passions lead, jobs aren't for life anymore so explore.
Internships:
+ Helps you define what you like and what you don;t like doing within design
+ Gets you developing a network, and known within the industry
+ Improves industry skills
+ Can lead to a job
- Unpaid
- Not always productive
Investing your time and money into an internship can be worth it.
Ask around to check what it'll be like to intern for a company before you apply.
How else to get noticed:
- Get Instagram/website/pdf portfolio ready! Allows you to get the attention of someone.
- Make an email hitlist of people in industry that you admire. Any more in depth insider contacts. Who's the art director, who do they know, follow their IG look on their websites. AND EMAIL THEM.
- Go to events, launches, talk, parties etc. Allows you to network, meet new people who are interested in similar things to you. You could end up working with or for them.
How to pitch yourself:
- Let people know you're versatile. Junior designers can be expected to work over a range of areas, print, digital, social etc.
- Or specialise, eg. digital art for editorial.
What is meant by professional?
- Nailing the soft skills, non creative attributes such as project management.
- Time management
- Working in a team
- Organising projects
- Understanding business
Who to pitch to:
- Your hitlist
- People you admire
- Using linked in etc.
How to build your network:
- Your peers (70+ people)
- Internships, first job, talks, events, word of mouth
- It gets easier over time
What else to consider:
- Future proof, think about what is going to become more popular, such as AR, VR etc.
- Is the industry you're wanting to go in growing? Will it still be around in x number of years?
What types of jobs:
- In house position, single focus, could lead to boredom, get paid a little bit more.
- Agency, get clients that are fairly high profile, projects that are seen by millions, small fish big pond, your work might never be seen, decisions are made by people in high power positions.
- Freelance, freedom, risky.
For showing your work:
- Invest time and effort in your portfolio!
- Make it diverse, employers look for a range of real projects.
- Spend time during the degree to tailor things to your own interests.
- Show enthusiasm
- Show a connection to the places you're applying, a shared interest.
- Show your youth and awareness of current trends.
- A good portfolio shows you're trying to be considered, detail oriented, empathetic.
Should I have a style:
- In house/agency designers work across styles.
- Freelancers get hired for their specific style to suit a requirement.
Interviews:
- Tell us your weaknesses...?
- How does this work show...?
- How do you prioritise?
- How do you overcome stress?
- How do your interests align?
- What role will suit you in 10 years?
What advice would you give yourself?
- Make it easy or easier for yourself, as well as for the people hiring you. Think about how many clicks it takes for someone to see your work, make it easy for them. Convey your great work ASAP.
- This is not final, you can change things (jobs, portfolios etc). Don't wait for the perfect job.
- Prepare harder, it will be more difficult than you first think. It'll take messing up, trying again, failing and moving on. So prepare now.
mail@kieranwalsh.co.uk
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