So you just graduated school, you have your little degree and your portfolio all ready with student work. But how are you going to land a job?
I know a lot of people struggle with finding a job the first few years out of school with limited experience. It’s hard out there.
First things first is you need to assess the type of jobs you WANT to do. Now that’s not always possible especially when you have bills to pay, but if you can, try to find a happy medium between doing what you love and getting money in order to survive. A good way of figuring out what kind of jobs you WANT to do is list all the things you find fun to design.
Do you like branding? Packaging design? Textile art? Time to find/explore your niche(s)!
Here’s just of things you could do for example:
- Branding and logo creation
- Website and blog development
- Social Media marketing
- Product design or Textile art
- User experience/ interface
- Print production
- Digital production
- Animation
- Art direction
- Photo-retouching/editing
Time to do some research. Look up jobs in the niches you want. ┬áYou’re going to want to try to utilize multiple programs and websites to find jobs. ┬áHopefully you will have your resume and portfolio ready for viewing, but if you havenÔÇÖt you should.
First off: If you haven’t already taken the time to look up places you wish you could work at (Google? Cartoon Network? Glamour?) look up all their websites, look at their careers pages. Usually you can find that in their footer. Try to apply for jobs that you think you could do. Don’t put too much into getting anything from these, but why not at least get your name out there a little bit? You never know what could happen.
Websites for jobs:
These are some that I’ve used feel free to use or share more you know of!
Staffing Agencies
I think the one thing that was really never brought up to me as a student was the fact that staffing agencies are a thing. They are companies that help people find jobs that suit their qualifications. There are a lot of creative based agencies all over, and they are different from state to state. My recommendation is to google ÔÇ£staffingÔÇØ and ÔÇ£recruitingÔÇØ agencies to see if there are any in your local area.
Need a quick job?
Try websites like upwork.com, freelancer.com, and fiverr.com to do small quick jobs with clients everywhere!
Apply for jobs that coincide with some of the niches you chose earlier. Check their requirements. Do you have all the necessary skills? If you do, apply!! If you don’t, decide if those requirements are things you want to learn or not. I recommend applying to any jobs you feel like you want because you never know how someone is going to view your application and they might see a lot of potential in your work. These jobs can range from a few hours to a couple months, so try to see what works best for you! These are great ways to get your name out there and start adding more work to your book.
In the meantime:
While you’re applying everywhere frantically, get prepared for the waiting game that will inevitably happen. ┬áStart creating or working on your social media presence! As a designer this will prove useful for jobs as well as getting your work in accessible places. (and also the likes who doesnÔÇÖt like those) You can upload original work you create, or start posting past and student work. Even update and edit your work for a more refined look. Start exploring your style and have fun! You’ll never know what could intrigue a potential employer!
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