In the first part of this two-part blog Onespacemedia’s Creative Director James Dellar offers his expertise and advice to young designers moving from university into the commercial world.
So you’ve made it! The degree show is complete and you’re really pleased with your final show. You’ve just received your results and everyone is proud of what you have achieved. Congratulations are due but now the hard work begins. Being proactive, creative and resourceful will put you in the best position possible whilst you are competing with all of the other design graduates trying to get a foothold in the industry.
The way you communicate is crucial and attention to detail will go a long way. Do not compromise on quality in any of your communications and please, please, please make sure that your work is error-free. People spot mistakes a lot faster than they spot quality and innovation. Every computer has a spell checker – use it.
The first tool in your arsenal is a CV. It has to stand out from the crowd but remember that your future employer probably doesn’t have time to read your life story – make is simple, one sided and concise. Leave the pointless infographics and over-designed layouts in your imagination.
The second crucial element is your covering letter or email. Do your research, learn about the company, its style, its approach. Demonstrating understanding of projects and markets that the agency operates in will be noticed. Always look to show that you can add value to the agency.
The final tool is an outstanding portfolio. Ideally you’d have both a pdf document and a website. The portfolio should show your best work with a summary to provide context on how you completed the brief. Remember it is difficult to judge work without understanding the brief and the process, and of course any constraints that were enforced. Your work should be the stand out feature, not how well you can clutter a page with random graphics. All of your documents should be built using Adobe Indesign. Considering you want to be a designer, you may as well use the tools of the trade. Showing knowledge of a design package, using a strong grid and showing a good use of typography will help drive your skill set home.
Don’t forget: one of the first things a potential employer will do after receiving your application is look at your digital footprint – your website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Dribbble, Facebook. Are you talking about the industry? If not then you should be. Demonstrating passion, inquisitiveness and showing that your finger is on the pulse helps to demonstrate commitment. Remember that as a staff member you will be an ambassador for the agency so every little detail will be scrutinised.
When you first start out, any work is good work. Whether it’s for family, friends or local companies, showing initiative to get paid work will help your portfolio grow. If you can’t find any freelance jobs then try creating your own briefs to bulk it out. Pick a brand and do something different or make something better. Either way showing a future employer that you are a self starter is a real selling point.
Just to be clear, being a designer is not a nine to five job, you have to live it 24/7 and it’s hard work. The job comes riddled with short deadlines, uninspiring assets and a lack of rich media. You have to work hard to make your work look visually compelling. From the outside, a designer’s lifestyle is an attractive and cool proposition: chilling in coffee shops with your headphones on, skateboarding to work, going for lunches with clients, Instagramming inspirational crap, or attending expensive conferences around the world. In some respects the lifestyle is real but it comes with a price – a lot of hard work. If you’re looking for a hipster-type lifestyle without the hard work then I’m sorry, this isn’t the job for you.
Our industry is driven by delivering results for our clients. The level of passion that agencies demonstrate in ensuring that they add value is a good barometer of quality. Looking for that first job is a daunting task but concentrate your efforts on those companies that you think are aligned with your way of thinking. Don’t get sucked in by the fact that they have beanbags or a pingpong table. Your first position is to learn about commercial design and how to get the most out of a brief for a client. Every designer wants to work for the top brands in the world but not many of us walk into a company to be handed a million dollar project to work on. Think logically, the key to your first position is to focus on your development.
Congratulations you’ve made it to interview stage. Let’s talk about what to wear. Dressing for your first interview at an agency can be confusing – do you go ultra smart with a suit and tie or take a more casual stance? If you’ve signed up with a recruiter then ask for their advice as they probably know the company style. If you are unsure then err on the side of caution and go super smart.
As Baden Powell said, ‘Be prepared’. Of course you can never prepare enough but don’t try and write a script, conversations never work that way. Write a list of all of the key points you want to get across and think of different ways to articulate them. Always take in a print back up of your portfolio, you will learn not to rely on getting a wifi connection in meeting rooms!
OK so you’ve been invited in. Take a deep breath. Stay calm and collected. Greet the interviewer and let them set the pace. They’ll be assessing everything about you from the moment you enter the room. When it comes to your portfolio ensure that you show pride in your work. Stand by your work and your decisions but listen to feedback – being able to listen is a crucial part of being a designer. Remember that we’ve been in your position too so a few nerves won’t be judged unfavourably.
Honesty goes a long way too, think about showing a project that you would change with the benefit of hindsight.
Being able to be critical of your own work is a great way to communicate the way you think.
The last piece you show should be your best work, leave that ace up your sleeve until the crucial moment. Finish on a high and leave the interviewers wanting more.
Congratulations, you’ve been asked to come in for work experience. Now you have an opportunity to show what you are capable of. Even if it doesn’t look like there is a job on the table, it’s great just to get your foot in the agency door. Any experience at this stage is good experience. You want a job, so make yourself indispensable. Have a can do attitude and give everything you have got.
When working with other team members, remember to listen. Make sure you understand the task at hand and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You should focus on evolving your skills but make sure that you demonstrate some passion for the agency – this will help to cement your position as an indispensable part of the team. You never know, with a bit of luck and hard work, the job that didn’t exist when you started may just materialise.
Check out part two: Becoming a designer: stepping up to the plate