What to Expect as a Recent Graphic Design College Graduate

Being in college can often feel like a safe environment where you are allowed to experiment and learn without having to worry about any “real world’ issues. But once graduation day eventually rolls around, it is important that you start to think about your career in graphic design. What can you expect as a recent graphic design college graduate? How can you get started in this increasingly busy and competitive field? Here is a brief primer that can get you started in the exciting and sometime turbulent world of graphic design.

Remember: getting a good job in graphic design requires time and patience

There is definitely the chance that you will be hired right off the bat and get a great job that you love straight after graduation. But the more likely scenario is that you will have to search and struggle a bit before you find your place under the big umbrella we call graphic design. Getting a job usually takes time, and getting a job you really love often takes a lot of time. The important thing is to get started in the search. When you enter the graphic design job market, you will see that certain opportunities will begin to present themselves to you.

Give yourself the time to search

Make it easy on yourself by adopting early on a pragmatic and realistic approach to your graphic design job search. Tell yourself that it may take months, even a year, to find a good job. But remind yourself that this time is not wasted. As you search for a job in the field of graphic design, you will be meeting people in the field, making connections in the industry, improving your interviewing skills, your job searching techniques and also getting valuable feedback on your portfolio.

Get ready to start at the bottom

It also helps to remind yourself that as a recently graduated student, there is a good chance that when you do find a job, it will probably be at the bottom or near bottom. However, remind yourself that the bottom is the best place to start off as a fledgling graphic design artist. This is the space where you have less pressure, where you have the greatest freedom to experiment, and where you can hone many important and fundamental design skills. There is a good chance that your job will be well within your abilities, and that you will have a supervisor who can answer questions that may need answering. In many cases, these kinds of “bottom” jobs are a sort of extension to your formal education.

Where can you get started looking after graduation?

The best thing you can do is to start looking before you even graduate from school. In your final year of study, start to look around for jobs and opportunities in the graphic design field or industry. One of your greatest resources is a friend. Most people prefer working with people they know, or someone that has been referred to them by a friend. Ask relatives, friends and neighbors about any opportunities they may know about. Give them copies of your resume, and put up your portfolio online so that prospective clients can easily view it. If you are a student, take advantage of your school’s career placement and counseling. Start scanning the classified ads to see what’s out there, and take advantage of clubs and organizations that are affiliated with graphic design or the arts in your area. Another great-untapped resource may be the faculty at your school. Speak to professors about your concern and see if they can offer you any assistance in making connections with prospective employers.

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