- Hello, and welcome to this beginners guide series
to graphic design.
From what graphic design is,
skills to be a graphic designer,
design theory,
education you need,
equipment you need,
to the graphic design portfolio
and interview advice.
This series is for anyone at any level.
So if you're interested in graphic design,
considering becoming a graphic designer,
then join me as I discuss a series
of graphic design topics.
(upbeat pop music)
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 video, 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
is 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 it's 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 designers 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.
If you'd like to take a closer look at the lists
discussed in this video,
you can find out more in the PDF document
that accompanies this video series.
Download link is in the description.
So what do you think?
Do you have any other advice for finding a job?
Be sure to share your comments below.
Well I hope you enjoyed this video.
If you did, hit the like button on my Facebook page.
If you'd like to see more videos like this in future,
hit the subscribe button.
And you can also find me on Twitter and TastyTuts.
So after successfully finding a job,
applying and being considered,
you will then be asked in for an interview.
Now the interview will possibly be the biggest challenge
you will ever face as a graphic designer.
It's make or break time.
In the next video,
I'm going to talk about the graphic design interview,
discuss my experience,
and offer some tips for interview preparation.
So see you in the next video.
(upbeat pop music)