how the hell do you get into the graphic design industry?!!?

caleb_m · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 5

I'm a graphic designer; well a junior inexperienced graphic designer at any rate trying to get into the creative industry; but every oppertunity i've had has been shot down by either a company looking for a degree; or someone with experience coming along. I'm good at what i do; or i at least think so & want to learn more, but would prefer to do it on the job.

Is their any way in all hell i can get into the graphic design industry or should i just reside to working in a bar & give up?

Any ideas / suggestions!?!????

theitguy · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 365

simon247 · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 8

Hi Caleb,

Do you have a degree in graphic design? I used to work for the Design Council, but they require a degree, I'm afraid.

Cheers,
S

caleb_m · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 5

sadly i have no degree, or any really impressive qualifications for that matter apart from a GNVQ, i have some stuff online Here and send it with every job application, but as yet havent found anything

theitguy · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 365

niki · Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 55 Location: london

Hi,

You need to put your portfolio on the web. Most agencies will have a look at it before inviting you for an interview.

agencies wise-

www.movingpictures.co.uk

is a site for graphic,designers, photographers etc. its very good and I've known many people who have used it.

good luck

jag · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 127

If a company requires a degree in order to employ you I wouldn't even piss on their building if it was on fire. I've said it MANY times before. a Degree or formal qualifications are NOT an indication of how good you are in your field. You can sit through a HND and be passionless and crap at what you do but at least you have a degree, right?? The best programmers I've EVER seen and worked with are all self taught. They dazzled me during interviews and the question of formal qualifications never even came up. They wouldn't have interviewed with me anyway if I kept harping on about a useless piece of paper. I sat through a BSC degree that I felt was a waste of time and didn't help all that much. Everything I know now and work with is also self taught.

Do what another poster here said. Post all your best stuff to a website and keep mailing and calling around. Never ever give up. EVER.

stefang · Joined: 12 Sep 2006 Posts: 4

Ive been in london for two months and only had one week freelance. I have a degree and 3 years experience as a graphic/web designer. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get more freelance or even better a permentant job.
I have been trying through recruitment agencies as I dont know the best way to go about contacting companies directly.
Any advice or help would be appreciated. I already have a web site for viewing.
Cheers.

caleb_m · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 5

Thanks for your replys; especially Jag; you Rock dude. I've been cold caling places; usually getting through to a dimwitted receptionest who's pissed off that she has to take my call & it's keeping her away from MSN messenger; solitare & chain e-mails; the flat out why are you calling & who in the name of all hell gave you our number & no we'd never hire you because you dont have a peice of paper with the word "DEGREE" at the top of it; or understanding nice people who dont have any jobs going, altho sadly the latter is a rare occation...I tried going down the apprentiship route but it seems that whole organisation doesnt seem to comunicate with itself with one place telling me their's no such thing as a graphic or web design course; some saying i'd have to do both as one course and another telling me it's real & i can do it, whereas if i wanted to be a plumber or electrition i'd have an abundance of choices - i'm not insulting those carrers & i know it's easy enough because a few of my friends went down that road, it's just not really my kinda thing.

Is their anywhere that can give me any help whatsoever; the job center is useless on that front & if one more person tells me to go to connexions i think i might scream, i had 3 carrers interviews with them last year & at the end of them all they thought i said web design & sent me a load of useless info.

All i need is a chance.

oh and stefang; http://www.ifreelance.com/ might help; it's a subscription site but if your at the top of your game & can back it up it might be helpfull, either that or check the graphic design / fassion jobs every now & then; most of the time they want degrees and / or experience so you shouldnt have a problem

tau · Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1 Location: London

Hi caleb,
keep on ringing, and trying, from my experience just uploading and searching online for advertisments is not enough, and approach the smaller design recruitment agencies, as the big ones only take notice of you if you have experience.

In the meantime, keep on working on your work, make up a design, practice your tutorials, and things will work out.

A great site to upload your work is http://www.ycnonline.com/, they also have some live briefs that you can work on.

From looking at your gallery, I suggest narrowing on specifc skills that your good at.

Also it helps to look at other people in your position and the standards that are out there for people like us. It is inspiring as well as daunting at the same time, but you have to know everyone else has experieced what you are going through, myself included Smile

Here are work that has truly inspired me www.nopattern.com
he does not have any degree qualifications, and the work speaks for itself.

here is a sample of my stuff (this is from the last 4 yrs) so it takes practice and time
http://fh-server.net/net_students/truong/portfolio/index.htm

theitguy · Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 365

stefang · Joined: 12 Sep 2006 Posts: 4

hi theitguy, im happy to share it with you but dont want to publish for everyone to see - it also has password. is there some way i can contact you privately to email you the details

Hamilton85 · Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 1

Hi,

Just wanted to say that's it's great that you guys that have finally made it give the people starting out some advice!

The problem I am finding is that I have to turn down a fair amount of freelance jobs because I don't know HTML, CSS or PHP well enough. I have bought books and tried to learn this way but I still don't feel like I quite get it. If anyone reading this has learnt these confusing languages could you tell me which books, sites were good as I feel a bit lost?

Also one other question....other than phoning and distributing your work has anyone got any really good ideas of how you went the extra mile to get yourself noticed?

Thank you for any help!