What next?

tallulah_crack

I'm looking for advice from professionals as to what to do once I leave college.

I've nearly completed a higher degree in Visual Communications in CIT and am dying to get into the industry but on researching jobs I found the a minimum of two years experience is required. I have done very little freelance work but have an immense passion for good design!

Would my best bet be looking for an intership in a studio? I'm planning on moving to Dublin in June to further my chances of gaining good experience.

So I'd love to know how you've gotton to where you're at today.

Here's a link to some of my design work
www.behance.net/GemmaPower

Thanks!

vanh84

You've some good work there Gemma. In these tight times it's going to be tough but you just need to keep knocking on doors. I don't follow how you need 2 years experience to get a job though, companies do take on graduates!
If you've a good portfolio and are confident, eager and willing to learn (there'll be a lot of donkey work to start with) then something will turn up for sure. Good luck!

p

Don't mind the 2 years experience thing. Apply for any job you think you can do, and follow up all mails. Fight for jobs, and express enthusiasm. For every single rejection you get, request some feedback on your portfolio.

In the mean time, get any job that's even vaguely related to design, do as much free, charity and freelance work as you can to get experience and build up a portfolio.

You work is good, so I promise you that if you do that, you'll get a job no problem.

Chochese

I highly recommend having a read of How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adiran Shaughnessy.

It will set you up for the first year or so out of college!

looksee

I ended up after college working for a jobbing printer for a couple of years producing all sorts of bog standard stuff for a pittance. But, I learned a whole lot of stuff about production for print under the kind of pressure that college cannot approach. (get it wrong and theres 2 or 3 grand down the tubes )

It was an apprenticeship which really stood to me when subsequently I was talking to newspapers and magazines about how they wanted stuff presented and when I was costing jobs for clients.

Try taking your portfolio round some of the local printers, signmakers etc and see if you can negotiate maybe a day or so a week with them. Don't worry that its not high end design to start with, that will come. Good luck!

tallulah_crack

Thanks for all your replies. I'm feeling a lot more positive now! I guess it's just a case of putting together a strong portfolio, applying to as many places as possible and being prepared to start of with the small stuff! Have actually volunteered to do some work for a charity and they seem enthusiastic to take me on board, which is a good start I suppose.

Will definitely check out the Adrian Shaughnessy book, it's been on my reading list for ages!