How to hone in your Graphic Design career search

Top Questions to ask yourself when finding your career path in design

One of my most asked questions as a teacher of design is “How do I translate what I love into a fully realized career path?” There are many avenues to pursue in the great grand world of Graphic Design and you may want a job where you can explore all or just certain areas of the industry. You may also be interested in pursuing a Freelance career and starting your own business. Here are a few tips to consider as you dive deeper into your career journey.

Are you planning on pursuing a degree?

You will often find in an undergrad program that you will be able to specialize in a specific area like Graphics, Advertising, Illustration or Interactive. You may also find niche degrees in Animation, Television Production or Photography. Whatever you choose – think about how it represents your interests and showcases your personal style. A degree certainly can set you apart from other designers, but it is important to differentiate yourself in a market that has become a bit saturated.

Do you have interest in any up and coming areas of design?

Again, as the market is full of designers, where do you fit in? Or rather where do you stand out? Many up and coming areas of design are Game design, Augmented and Virtual Reality and App development. These markets currently have less designers available. To pursue these areas you may search for tech companies who are creating campaigns for big brands or go directly to the source and seek out Apps that are hiring like Snapchat or major Television networks

Where do you want to live?

Your livelihood may not only depend on your job but also where you live. While working in a big market area like New York or Los Angeles may provide big opportunity, factors such as cost of living could play heavily on your decision. Look before you leap, in terms of lining up jobs or interviews while you head into the market that interests you.

What is your personal brand?

A popular interview question and just question for a designer in general can be “What is your personal brand?” This may lead you into thinking about a personal brand statement or of course your visual presentation of you and your work. Make sure that the image you are presenting is not only an accurate depiction of you – but also an accurate depiction of what you want to do. It’s easy as a designer to get caught up in catering to the masses, but it can be important again to differentiate yourself as a designer. Maybe you decide you are not going to even label yourself as a designer but instead a Creative Producer. Just make sure your title is not misleading to your actual experience. If you are just starting out, an Art Director title may not match up with your current experience level, but you can explain that becoming an Art Director is part of your future aspirations.

What Salary are you aiming for?

This will come with experience, but have a ballpark figure of what type of salary you are looking for in the jobs you are pursuing. If you want to be making $70k, but you are only applying to small companies, this may not necessarily be the starting point for that position. Bigger markets tend to lend themselves to larger salaries, but of course cost of living will also come into play.

Are you looking to pursue an Advanced Degree?

I would never stop anyone from being a lifelong learner or in pursuing an advanced degree. However – I would highly suggest thinking about the relationship between that degree and your career. Do you need an M.F.A. to advance in your career goals? Are you planning on becoming a Professor or teaching design? Do you have financing or scholarships, or a company that offers tuition reimbursement? Today the amount of individuals with Student Debt is staggering and should absolutely be a factor that weighs into your decision. I would look at programs that suit your needs as there are more and more that offer co-op type experiences or a custom educational plan to help you with your goals.

What are your Five-Year Goals?

Sometimes it helps to put things in perspective. What are you doing today that is helping you achieve where you want to be five years from now? You can drill down on this further and think about what are you doing today that will aide in where you want to be five months from now? There really is no goal to small to think about as you develop your personal path. Setting you sights high can be helpful but writing down the steps to get there will be a practical way to slowly but surely get to where you want to be.

Remember that there is no one size fits all advice. Your plan will be just that – yours. So ask questions that will help you in making decisions, changing directions or pursuing your passions. A designer’s life is an evolution of your creativity. So don’t be afraid to switch gears over time as you learn about and develop yourself in new areas.