Getting a job...

[maritsaki]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has any tips on applying for and getting a job as a graphic designer.

After finishing my degree I went straight to starting a design consultancy with three friends of mine and now, three and a half years later it is time to move on. It's the first time I'm looking for a job in this field and was just wondering if anyone has any useful advice...

[Cwilk]

Start in a print company. You'll learn more than most graphic designers by doing this. You'll learn color separations, DPI, output and you'll be able to work near the presses, which is invaluable experience.

The downer is that the pay is not great, but once you have the experience, you'll be able to work your way up much faster.

And I'm not saying work for a print company for a year.....stay there for about 4 or 5 months and start looking for another job while you're there.

Make sure the new company knows that you were working with a print company to gain the experience that most designers don't have.

[Toon]

A strong portfolio goes without saying

[tommylogic]

Brand & Market yourself.. use your creative skills to make yourself stand out in a crowd.

-Be persistent.
-Respond to MANY ads for jobs.
-Direct them to a website you have created to display your portfolio and various services
-Follow up with job responses & emails.. let them know you are very interested
-Try to meet with the key members if possible & sell yourself

The key is letting them know how you are any different than anyone of the 1000 other people applying for the same position. What sets you apart and how are you going to fit in with their current workflow.

[ianm]

make sure you know the right software - i'm having a nightmare getting a job again, and i have 5 years experience. my trouble is that i've never had the need to know quark inside out as i did everything in freehand and now i'm stuck, plus everywhere is going adobe now which is even worse.

my two penneth :D

[zumojuice]

make sure you design your cv - its really does make the difference in standing out and shows you can design information clearly, placing it in titles and colours etc. Don't go made - make it clear concise and well written. Back it up with a proper PDF of samples (a request many jobs ask for) and make that under a 1mb if pos (or not far over). Know you stuff, be open, honest but also show passion and confidence.

Apply for everything, make each one count and relevent (so if it mentions a location or quirk to the job - do that too. Make it seem their job is the best job you've seen and you're makign the effort.

Don't be afraid to take something **** and then move on in a year - or indeed to hold out a little till you get soemthing right to start out - they do exist. Interviews are about interviews you AND the company.

if you find you not getting interviews then you cv/portfolio needs work.

[Mack]

I see alot of Graphic Designer Applications that add to the bottom "porfolio available on request" due to the nature of the work, alot of time you find yourself throwing a bunch of examples on CD.

I think it would be VERY beneficial to make sure you've given yourself an online presence to view your work. It doesn't have to be the original full size versions... but some good quality samples people can view to get an idea of what you do to get in the door. then you can bring your high res work in if they want to look at it more indepth.

Select work that shows you as diverse, that your not stuck in a specific design "nitch" that will go long ways in your more traditional print production locations.

And like Zumo said, don't be afraid to pick up a less desirable position for the experience, and then move on again.

[Cwilk]

PDFs are great to use for portfolio items. I will make mine active too so that the client/employer can click on live links as if it were a website. It'll make you look that much more impressive.

I also agree with Mack. Be diverse in your portfolio. There's nothing worse than a portfolio that has everything the same.