After you've graduated from college and are ready to start looking for a job, you might be tempted to skip the tedious part of applying for jobs and go straight to the fun part. But before you can get your first gig in graphic design, there's one thing you need to do: break into the industry as an intern or graphics designer. And trust me—this isn't as hard as it sounds! In fact, if you follow these tips on how to break into the industry as a designer or artist, then your career will be off to an amazing start:
Research Companies And Find Out What They Do.
You should research companies and find out what they do. This will help you decide if the industry is right for you, and give you an idea of how long it would take to get in. It also gives you some concrete goals on which to focus your efforts if this career path appeals to you.
If possible, try to find out about the company – what they do, who their customers are, where they are located (if not in Australia), etc., as well as any other information that could help prepare you for working with them later on down the line (how many employees do they have? What kind of equipment does each department use?). If there isn't enough information available online but still want more insight into what kind of work environment exists at these companies then send emails directly asking questions like: “Do you need an internship?” Or “How much experience do interns typically gain after being hired?”
Give Them A Portfolio Of Your Most Impressive Work.
Your portfolio is a collection of your best work. It’s important to show off all the different styles and techniques you have mastered, as well as any projects that are still in progress.
Your portfolio should demonstrate your potential to grow into an even more accomplished designer with plenty of experience from which to draw in the future. If you only have one or two pieces from each category, this might not be enough information for potential employers—and they may not want to hire someone who hasn't yet proven themselves capable of producing high-quality work (or worse yet, could be just starting out).
Find The Right Internship
The first step in breaking into the industry is finding an internship. As with any career, it’s important to find a good fit for your skills and interests. You should look for an internship that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in graphic design, but also one that aligns with the industry or company you hope to work for.
If you're lucky, you won't graduate in a recession. You'll graduate into a job market where demand for graphic designers is high and competition is fierce. The best way to break into this environment is by being flexible, networking with other designers, and being prepared for the worst.
The Skills You Need To Succeed
In order to succeed as a graphic designer, you will need to have certain skills. Here are some key skills that every graphic designer needs:
Creativity: A good graphic designer needs to be creative and have an eye for detail. They need to be able to come up with new ideas and designs that will appeal to their target audience.
Technical skills: In order to create high-quality designs, a graphic designer needs to have strong technical skills. They need to be proficient in using design software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Communication skills: Graphic designers need to be able to communicate effectively with their clients. They need to understand the client's vision and be able to translate that into a successful design.
If you have these key skills, you'll be well on your way to a successful career in graphic design!
Conclusion
Once you have a portfolio that shows off what makes you different from other designers out there, employers will be looking for more than just their usual traits of creativity and talent. They'll be looking for someone who is dedicated enough to put in the time needed to get results—and they'll also be looking for someone who understands how important it is not only to deliver quality work but also to make sure it's done on time.
We hope these tips will help you in your journey to break into the graphic design industry. It can be daunting, but if you keep your head down and work hard, there is no reason why you can’t make it happen!
