At the weekend, I attended the Gray's School of Art Annual Degree Show Opening Night which was as impressive as ever. I had the opportunity to see the work of the graduate design students and it reminded me of when I was in their shoes a decade ago. Studying at Gray's was an incredible experience for me, I had a supportive network of friends, classmates and tutors. I worked hard and graduated with a first-class Honours degree in Visual Communication (now Communication Design), I was featured in Creative Review and received a YCN Student Award. I landed a design job right after university and I cherished every moment of it. Reflecting on my visit to the degree show, I wondered what advice I would give to my younger self back in 2013. I have decided to share some of these insights, hoping they benefit the new generation of designers.
1. Never stop learning.
Despite your current achievements, such as acing your degree show and winning awards, it is important to remember that the learning never stops. Even if you didn't achieve the grade you hoped for, this advice applies to you as well. Take the time to celebrate how far you've come but also recognise how far you still have to go. Back when I passed my driving test, my instructor turned to me and said, "Now, this is where the learning really begins," as I ventured out on the road on my own. The same applies when you enter the workplace, there will be a lot you don’t know yet but you'll be surrounded by experienced professionals who have gone before you. Although they may not be up to date with the latest software you've learned during your studies, their wisdom, attention to detail and technical expertise are invaluable. Pay attention to right down to the small details in your job and take the opportunity to soak in all you can from those who have more experience. Absorb as much information as possible and apply the skills you have learned while studying to real-life situations. Keep in mind that there's always more to learn and one day, you'll be passing on your expertise to new graduate designers.
2. Be a nice person.
Being a great designer is just one part of the job. It's crucial to get along with the people you work with, whether they're colleagues, clients or professionals in your industry. You don't need to become friends with everyone but having good interpersonal skills, effective communication and a genuine positive attitude will make you succeed. I've witnessed talented designers with poor attitudes and interpersonal skills struggle in their careers, while friendly, approachable designers with slightly less experience excel. Don't fall into the attitude of work is solely for work and not for making connections. Being hostile, harsh or negative will drive people away and hinder your career progression. Clients want designers who understand their projects, treat them respectfully and create a positive working environment. As the actor Steve Martin said, "If you work really, really hard and are kind, amazing things will happen."
3. Work hard.
This may seem obvious but it's important to emphasise. You may think the hard work is over after graduating but don’t get comfortable. It's easy to fall into your comfort zone after a few years into a job and produce similar styles of work repeatedly. While there are times when this is necessary, it's crucial to maintain motivation and inspiration. If you happen to lose your creative mojo, you might find yourself settling for mediocrity even when an exciting project comes along. I highly recommend reading Paul Arden's bestselling book, "It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be." It motivates me every time I read it. Remember, the opportunity to do great work lies in every brief you work on. Keep pushing yourself, searching for inspiration and maintain a strong work ethic, that’s what makes the job of designer so rewarding.
4. Know your worth.
When you work somewhere where design isn’t valued, it shows. Clients have been known to say 'work your magic' and 'it'll only take you an hour' when it's a large project. But really, I think as designers, we need to have firm boundaries and know how much we are worth in terms of salaries and respect. We also need to have firm boundaries with our time. How far away the deadline is can dictate the quality that we want to produce and non-designers don't always understand that. I'm not blaming them for that but we need to educate non-designers about the value we bring to the table and the time things take; after all, it's a craft. Additionally, we need client input, whether it's from internal or external clients, it’s important. Some clients say give us free rein, as if that is a gift, it’s not. It creates a design guessing game. There could be 1,000 designs before they 'know it when they see it.’ So the lesson here is that at the beginning of a job, it is crucial to gather as much information as possible and really understand what your client wants. This is where your people skills come in; you need to be able to communicate with your client. It's okay if they don't know yet; it's your job to help them find out what they want, realise what they need and to understand what good design is. Ask to have a sit-down meeting with them or a Zoom call, whatever you need to do to get to the crux of it. Ask as many questions as possible and remind them there are no wrong answers. They want the project to be just as successful as you do so know your worth and ask for what you need to do the job well.
Not all design jobs were created equal. If you really feel you aren't being valued, maybe it is time to dust off your portfolio and CV and keep an eye out for something better.
5. Work on your own passion projects.
Working on passion projects, self-initiated projects, is so useful for developing your skills, experimenting and keeping up a passion for what you do. Final year students at art schools get to do this all year but when you leave and go into the workplace, it's important to continue this practice. Passion projects can be where you really get to push your creativity and skill set by experimenting, that you may not get the opportunity to in your 9 to 5. Don't think, 'Great, I have a full time design job, I'll just focus on that.' Take the time to work on things that really inspire you, that you're passionate about. It can be important for the future and your employer will thank you for it because you are developing new skills. Be careful; your employer may not want you using their computers or software in your own time so it's always good to have your own. Use stock images from Pexels or Unsplash so you're not costing your employer anything. Passion projects are so worth it; you will look back and thank yourself because you pushed yourself, it keeps your creativity going and you have a portfolio of original passion projects to show.
6. Learn all the digital skills you can.
If your employer offers to put you through any digital training, do it. New design software, in particular and any new systems, volunteer for this. If they're offering to invest money upfront to train you in a skill that may be valuable for your future career, do it. It may require extra work, effort and time but I can tell you something: it will benefit you in the long run. Digital skills are what employers and clients look for. There is always new technology that will be needed. Some designers get comfortable and avoid learning new skills because they just want to work their 9 to 5. However, you can only avoid it for so long. I heard the phrase 'evolve or die' the other day and it fits so well here. As designers, we need to keep our skills up-to-date or we will become obsolete as new software and formats surpass us.
What you can do is evaluate and consider whether a skill will be useful in the future. One example from my experience was motion graphics. Not many designers on my team had these skills as they came from print backgrounds so it was valuable to the company and the team I was in. As social media platforms shifted towards a more video-based format, video editing and motion graphics became key skills to have. I don’t know what new desirable skill will be advantageous for the next generation of designers but when you have the opportunity to learn it, grasp it with both hands. Skills like this can really boost your career and set you apart from the crowd in a really competitive job market.
7. Work culture is important.
The value in a workplace and a job goes far beyond the salary and benefits that come along with it or even the type of work you do. Whether you're working with really big clients or doing more straightforward tasks, work culture holds significance. If you're the only designer in your company, it can feel quite isolating. Having a team of designers to collaborate with can provide you with support, opportunities to learn from each other and help spread the workload when a big deadline is looming.
Of course, banter within a team always helps the day pass. A positive work culture can make a job worthwhile and you can gain a lot from your workplace if you have a supportive team. This also ties back to being a nice person. Getting along with your team and having a great rapport with the people around you will make you much happier and in turn, the people you work with will be happier too. They don't have to be your best friends but you need to be able to get along with them. If you're eager to lend a hand, personable and kind, you'll be in a much better position in the workplace. Being rude or disrespectful won't get you anywhere as your team will be less willing to help you when you need it. The culture of your workplace holds significance; it's important and can make the difference between a job you hate and dread and a place you look forward to going to every day.
8. Don't stop researching.
After you've been designing for a while, you may think you've seen everything and will just keep doing what you're doing. Others think they don't have time to research and just need to get on with things. However, you can easily fall into a rut or worse, your design style can become dated. Keep your eyes open. What's the latest trend? What are big businesses and small agencies doing? Who's winning awards? Who is speaking at Adobe Max this year? You don't have to print everything off as evidence anymore but keep a folder on your desktop for interesting things you find or bookmark the sites that inspire you. This will keep your design style fresh as I mentioned before because as a designer, it's important to “evolve or die.” Chances are, your design work will significantly improve as a result.
9. Learn the technical skills.
I learned many skills and software packages in university but when I joined the workplace, I realised I had only learned about 50% of what it takes to be a designer. There are many different things you need to know, especially technical details. That's why I encourage you to be eager to learn while working. For example, if you don't know what overprint is, Google it now. I had a nightmare of a time with overprint on a front page newspaper ad in the early days of my career but that's a story for another time. My biggest tip is to learn how to follow the technical specifications for every format you'll use, whether it's the resolution and size of digital ads or the print specifications for various different print formats. These are the details that are often overlooked but can cause problems when a significant amount of money has been spent on printing or a digital ad has gone live. Good workplace practices are also important. Organise your files, use the correct file sizes and ensure there are no broken links. It makes everything so much easier. It will not only make your colleagues' lives easier but also make them more willing to lend a hand when you have a tight deadline. No one wants to pick up a messy file. If you don't know how to do something, ASK! Muddling through can make things harder than simply asking for help. This is another reason why having a good team around you is helpful. Gather all the technical skills you can and one day you'll be able to pay it forward too.
10. Don’t give up.
It may take you a couple of months, a year or longer to land your first design job but the lesson here is that no matter how long it takes, you will get there if you're willing to keep pursuing it. If design is truly your passion and what you want to do with your life, keep designing, keep applying for jobs and going to interviews. It can be tough to hear that you didn't get the answer you were hoping for after a job interview. Ask for feedback, as it helps you improve and increases your chances of nailing it next time. Design is a competitive field so don't beat yourself up too much if you don't get the roles you apply for. As they say, “rejection is God's protection,” it wasn't meant to be this time but something else will have your name written all over it. Keep striving and keep doing passion projects to keep your skills sharp. Maybe try to get some freelance work or even a little bit of voluntary experience for a cause you care about. Practice makes perfect. Keep persevering, pushing doors and learning from your experiences. Don't give up, no matter what and I promise you it will be worth it in the end.
Visiting the Degree Show this weekend reminded me of the incredible experience I had at Gray's School of Art. With hard work and dedication, I was able to graduate and start my career as a designer. I remember being equally nervous and excited about the future. Looking back after 10 years of working in design, I'm grateful for the opportunities that followed. To young and aspiring designers, I hope this advice will help you in your next steps in your design careers. My final piece of advice is this, don't worry if you didn't achieve the grade you wanted—eventually, no one will ask, even if you did well and secretly wish they would. ;)
Don't miss the Degree Show at Gray's School of Art, RGU, showcasing the amazing work of this year's graduates, open until Saturday 17 June.
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