Getting Employed: How to Set Yourself Apart From Other Designers
Finding employment can be extremely competitive in the world of design. With so many different firms and hiring processes out there, it can be super overwhelming to know what your future employer might be looking for. Today, we’ll break it down and explore what is needed to set you and your design work apart from others and how to blow your employers away during the job search process. Remember, your design work is valuable, and your goal is to find an employer who recognizes and appreciates that - let’s explore how!
Create a Killer Portfolio
In the world of design, your portfolio is HUGE! We all know you’re a great designer, but the folks hiring you need to be confident of that too. Your portfolio is where you show them that you have the skill and expertise that you list on your resume. Remember that old saying “Show, don’t tell?” Your portfolio is exactly that, so let’s show them your best!
Your portfolio should be there to showcase your best projects, not necessarily every project. The folks over at Yes, I’m a Designer have an article listing some great steps for portfolio building. These guys suggest having 12-15 of your best projects in your portfolio, and this is a great rule of thumb. Remember in portfolio building we’re looking for quality over quantity. Your future boss isn’t looking to hire somebody who can produce a ton of content, they’re looking for somebody who can create great content, so show them the projects that will make them want your work on their websites, posters, advertisements, and more.
Remember that your portfolio is about more than just pictures. I’m sure your designs look amazing and can stand on their own, but the people hiring you are going to be working with you too, so they’re going to want to see how you work. Behance, one of the best-known websites for showcasing work, urges creatives to include written content in your portfolio. Your portfolio is not only your chance to show hiring managers your best designs, but to explain your design choices as well. Sometimes logos that make no sense at a glance become genius when we hear the story behind them. You put a lot of thought, time, and effort into your designs - this is where you want to make that known. Even a design that looks simple can have a ton of unseen elements that went into it, so make those elements known here. Hiring managers can be blown away by not only your designs, but your thought process as well. This is your chance to show off the genius behind your work alongside the work itself.
Don’t Forget About Yourself
The most unique part of your designs is that they’re created by you! You have your own style, ideals, and workflow - make sure this is included in your portfolio. In the wise words of our job-searching friends at LinkedIn:
“A portfolio is the perfect platform to showcase your distinctive design aesthetics and sensibilities”
Every designer has their own style, and when a company hires you, they’re going to be hiring you because they think your style is what they want in their company. Sure, every company is going to have its own brand identity, whether that identity is created by you or not, as a designer, you have the unique ability to combine that identity with your own design style. That’s what employers want - they’re looking for artists who can create something new, fresh, and exciting while still sticking to their company values. If you highlight your personal style, it makes it easier for hiring managers to see how it could fit into their creative network.
A great way to demonstrate yourself in your portfolio is to include your personal projects. Not only will these projects show off your creativity, but it gives hiring managers a great idea of your hobbies, interests, and it can really accentuate your design strengths. Many times hiring managers will go for people who they feel they’ll be able to connect with. By including your personality, style, and beliefs in your portfolio, these people will be able to get a better understanding of you as a person, and who wouldn’t want you on their team?
Network, Network, Network
It’s no secret that connections tend to land people opportunities. I’m sure we’ve all heard “it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.” This is certainly true in the design field as much as it is in other industries.
Fivedica is a website that caters content toward Freelance designers, and they make a great point when they discuss how important networking is in a design field: design, as a practice, involves collaboration and communication. Therefore, meeting people outside of a job search can be one of the deciding factors in landing a job opportunity. Meeting people through casual or generally any non-job-search setting can really show off your abilities to work together and communicate with others. Not only that, but your ability to chat with and generally be a positive presence can go a long way when you’re working with a team. Sometimes, with the stress of job searches and professionalism, we can lose a bit of our personality. This is what makes networking so crucial.
A big part of networking is letting everyone know that you’re a designer. You never know what you may find just by informing somebody of what you do! Almost every industry and large company has a design branch, because in our day and age, creating well-designed content is a necessity. You may talk to somebody in a completely different field who knows of design-oriented positions open in their company or industry. Just letting them know that you’re a designer open for work can be the first leg up into landing an excellent position. Be open about and proud of your work, you never know when it might lead to a great opportunity!
Be Proud of Your Work
Ultimately, the job search can be stressful and difficult, but the most important part is knowing your worth and letting your work speak for itself. You’ve worked hard through your design journey to get to where you are today, and the right employer is going to see that. Nothing gives people more confidence in you than you having confidence in yourself. Use your work, personality, and style to your advantage, and remember that once you find the right company, you’ll easily outshine the competition!
Hey! I’m Maggie Theall
I’m a graphic designer with a passion for creating work that not only looks great, but functions as intended.
Through my design journey, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and learned lessons from every one of them. This blog exists to document my experiences and research, so let’s learn together!
Have similar experiences or want to discuss further? Reach out, I’m always excited to connect with other designers!
