Any advice
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- villars
for a new designer?
I'm just finishing my last two weeks interning (to complete my third year of college), then I'll be lost. All the experience I have is from 7 weeks at Pylon Design and 7 at Underline?
- d_rek0
Get a job.
- villars0
Well, yes, I'm meaning to do that :)
I guess I didn't ask my question properly :/ OH WELL.
- ideaist0
Keep working...
It's a hard knock life; street knowledge trumps book smarts any day...
14 weeks of interning = 14 weeks of getting ripped off by the industry...
As d-rek said while I wrote this simply get a job; then when you lose/quit that one... get another... and another... freelance a bit... and then another... repeat...
- d_rek0
haha.. sorry.
I'm in a snarky mood this morning!
But seriously. Get a job ;)
... Sounds like you have a little experience, use it to your advantage. Make sure your book/portfolio is in order and design/print some nice resumes/business cards.Start looking at companies locally/nationally that you would like to work for then reach out to them.
Some schools have career services to help with job placement - you could seek out their help as well.
- villars0
it's alright :)
I'm kind of realizing now that my question is pointless. I geuss a better question would be:
Should I start off FREELANCING or should I start off by working somewhere else?
AND: should I bother having an online portfolio?
- d_rek0
Should I start off FREELANCING or should I start off by working somewhere else?
Yes to both. Freelance if you think it can sustain you right out of school (i haven't met anyone yet who has done this). Finding a good company to work with right out of school is important. If you're young enough and open-minded you can learn a lot from studio/agency life.
AND: should I bother having an online portfolio?
Absolutely. This isn't 1995 anymore. It will be expected pretty much for every gig you have from here on out. Besides, how will you share work you've done with potential freelance gigs, hmmm?- i agree with this, although i think you should really try to work for a company...you'll get much more experience that way.sputnik2
- villars0
Hmm, yeah, freelancing would be difficult to start off with.. I guess I'll have to do it while I try to find a jobbbbb.
It was difficult enough to get placement at 2 places! The college doesn't help the students get them.
I guess my blog-portfolio attempt will have to do then, (which completion is very delayed), since I'm clueless when it comes to building a website :/ I guess websites are convenient and would help with freelancing!
Thanks for answering :)
- hans_glib0
Start working somewhere else.
1: get your portfolio in top order (either online or a book or both).
2: research agencies and make a list of those you'd like to work for.
3: in each case find out the CD's name *IMPORTANT*
4: send them something interesting thru the mail (not just a cv...) so that they'll know who you are when
5: you ring them up and ask if there's a chance to go see themif you're any good and/or lucky 1 or 2 out of every 10 will see you, then it's up to you to sell yourself to them (and the economy to allow them to employ you).
- Should I email them first? I figure people prefer emails first because they can answer at their own convenience?villars
- maybe, but emails can easily be forgotten or not read if they don't recognise the namehans_glib
- designers like nice things. a clever piece thru the mail will get you noticedhans_glib
- calling seems intimidatingvillars
- and addressed to the person by name, NOT "The Creative Director" / "To whom it may concern" etchans_glib
- it is intimidating and it's a bit soul-destroying, until you get the person who says Yes!hans_glib
- soul destroying :(villars
- gramme0
Don't work for anyone who asks you to sign a non-compete which has some kind of subtext along the lines of "all work produced for X Firm remain copyright of the Firm and may not be used in any self-promotional work by employees, at any time during or after their employment at X."
- Because then, you'll be legally prevented from showing your work anywhere outside of a closed-door in-person interview.gramme
- No work to show = no interview.gramme
- Oh? Why not? I thought that's how it automatically works? :/villars
- Oh :S Wow, that seems really dumb? I don't understand why someone would do that? :(villars
- villars0
Thanks :)
I've been meaning to make a mini portfolio book. The thing I have right now is a MASSIIIIIVEEE portfolio case which weighs 50 pounds. :( When I went for interviews, they would laugh at me!
- scarabin0
school taught you how to design, agency experience teaches you how to be a designer.
know how to be a designer before going freelance.