Getting into Graphic DesignI was wondering if anyone had any advise on getting into the door of the graphic design industry without having experience yet. I will be started classes in January! You know, I got graphic design experience by initially working for friends. One friend owned a record store the other a nightclub and I designed ads for them for local gig guides. I say don' t wait to get a "degree" or "certificate" but get out there and do it!!! Small businesses usually don' t have a large advertising budget so will be more likely to hire someone who' s less expensive. Pore through some local papers and see someone that could benefit from your skills. Then, get an idea in mind and approach them. Are they happy with whom they are using? This way you can start to get experience and show future employers that you are a self-starter with a portfolio of work. Good luck! PS: I did ads when you had to use Letraset!! There were no computers and ads were done by hand! I am very interested in the answers you get to your question, as I am wondering the same thing. I do all the marketing and sales for a photographer marketing to schools. Also have done ads, sales books, brochures, newsletters, created sales flyers and such, but without an actual degree, how does one get their ' foot in the door' ? Would it be possible for you and I to talk more as it seems we are in the same boat?
Great advice! Makes sense to me! Unfortunately I don't know too much of any design programs yet to build a portfolio but I am excited to learn. I wish there was a place I can find were I can train while working.
It seems like you have a decent portfolio to show. I would take the advice that was posted by saleslegend. I am still trying just to learn the programs associated with design When you say to ' find someone in the paper that could benefit from your services, get an idea and approach them' - could you give me an example of ' someone' and an idea to approach them with. I' m not sure I understand.
Smaller community newspapers (ie weekly or monthly) are in need of graphics people. Look for companies that are owned by an individual and not a corporation that publishes a group of publications. Be flexible and offer yourself as vacation coverage.
Look at ads in local papers is what I mean. SOMEONE is designing the ads for these people...why not you? In the national magazines, you'll find the advertising coming from ad agencies but the small community papers are full of advertisers for a lot of small businesses. THAT would be the place to start to build your portfolio.... As I said, there were no computers when I designed ads!!!
Let's face it, there are some pretty pathetic ads out there. Go thru the paper and if you see one you could do better or have a better idea for, approach the owner of the company. Maybe he's paying the people at the paper or it's a friend of his and he's not happy with the work. That's what I mean by approaching them!
Before jumping into graphic design, please research the field thoroughly. My girlfriend is a graphic designer and she can't find a job to save her life. She has had experience working with several big companies in NY and Atlanta, but now her career is on ice. She saids many positions these days require print knowledge and/or web design. In some cases, they want you have web programming skills as well. She refuses to learn programming, so her career is on ice. | |
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