This post doesn’t apply to just design students who are just graduating. It applies to art students and those production/web/film/animation students. I’m from that ‘side’ so yeah this is for you. This is just my take and this is what I wanted to tell you guys. Not everything because they’ll be too much but just some bits.
Also this will be tips for those who are expecting to enroll in such art or design schools perhaps.
It’s design show season and I would like to congratulate those who survived.
Survived because when you started out your course, you might find your friends dropping out of school whether due to financial difficulties or realizing that this route is not for them. So yay for you hitting graduation because it wasn’t an easy route.
So by now you’d have a portfolio or artwork perhaps? PUT IT ONLINE.
If you’re scared of people stealing it, put some watermarks on it. Just put a few samples at LEAST online.
Your design show, hurray hurray you’ve done it and all yeah? WELL PUT A URL ON YOUR NAME CARDS. You might have the most beautiful or simplified name card ever but no one knows you.
It’s just annoying because it’s SO much easier if you have an online portfolio url on it with your contact details so companies can just contact you after they rationalize to their colleagues/bosses that they want YOU to work or be commissioned.
You’ve taken this route, it’s time to be public with it. There’s no secret art or whatnot because you’re shy. You want a better chance of getting the job you want, don’t be shy about it and show it.
Remember your graduating friends and keep in contact cause they might help you out in the future in their own ‘line’ if you’re already in a studio or production house or web company.
Besides having your name cards and huzzah you’ve finished your final year project, ok good. MAKE YOUR RESUME/CV.
If you’re going for some design house or well, not even a design company, make your resume/cv stand out with your design skills. Something LEGIBLE but different will definitely help you.
Learn how to rationalize and talk to people. Not everyone understands your genius and thus you need to EXPLAIN yourself in common terms. Don’t toss about frou frou terms to everyone unless you know they know what you’re talking about.
In companies, you’ll deal with clients. Clients need to understand what the heck you say, so keep it simple. Show them alternatives, show them WHY you are doing this and not because you just want their money.
They hired you for a reason.
And also, you WILL come across clients who won’t be able to see what you mean because they’re just freaking stubborn and think they’re right even if YOU have studied and practiced for 4+ years in your major. That will happen. Let it go. Let it go. Just do the changes or whatever they ask.
If they get too unreasonable there comes a time when you will think @#$^ it. When that time comes, you’ll either see if it’s better to cut off the client and you don’t need their money or connections OR just suck it up.
Sometimes the monetary cost does NOT balance all the work you do and it is NEVER worth your health.
Because if you’re dead, you can’t spend the money so too bad.
You will improve if you keep on it. This isn’t just for the grad students, this is for the new ones too. You WILL improve if you keep working on your skills.
Learning new techniques and problem solving is a total skill you should have. You’re a freaking designer, you are meant to think ‘out of the box’ but that means you should figure out solutions within that freaking box in the first place before you think out of it.
It’s not easy. It’s never easy so there.
POOF YOU HAVE MAGICAL AWESOME TALENT.
No way man. It doesn’t end just cause you graduated. You might want to go to university or specialized art schools like for 3d or whatever to increase knowledge in a particular skill.
You’re not going to be a designer.
Well, you are if you are stubborn and the stars align to your favour too. But mostly if you’re really super stubborn on it.
Most of your friends might not be a designer or be in the same line of work of what they studied with you. They might turn out into teachers for tertiary schools, shopkeepers, restaurant owners, musicians and such.
This is normal.
Don’t freak out because everyone has to make a living some how and by the time you have graduated you might have an inkling if you want to do this for life. You might have other interests by then.
If you are really what you want to be, good job.
And hey, some people who start out as shopkeepers, lawyers, scientists and such turn out to be designers after!
Nothing is set.
