A Few Tips for the Post-Grad Designer

College graduation… tassel shifted, diploma in hand, confident & invincible. A typical new grad. And of course, we know everything…or at least I thought I did. After all, hadn’t we taken all the courses we needed to fulfill requirements and follow our passion in order to earn our degrees? But the fact is, it takes a lot more than classes to learn what we need to know.

My background had been primarily in print design. The transition between school and the real world of work was not easy. I felt lost and unsure of where to begin so I signed with a creative head hunters group. After a few temp placements in graphic design, I realized Web design seemed more intriguing than print. Another temp job or two and it wasn’t just web design but interactive design I was really yearning for.
My objective with Generation Interactive is to help new young professionals make the transition from school to work smoother. Hopefully this will also help those making the transition from print to interactive design. I will recap and discuss challenges I went through and how I’m learning to overcome them. I won’t be correct on everything; I am just offering my opinion. After all, I am still learning too. Hopefully this blog will give you a place to network and share your successes and failures. Remember, we learn the most from the latter…and from experience – whether our own or that of others.

A few tips:

1. “You don’t know everything” is just one of the many phrases I tell myself. This is the 1st thing to remember. Repeating those words in my head keeps me driven. It makes me want to learn. Designers in general can sometimes have egos; at some point we all do. It’s important to understand that there is way too much information out there for one person to know it all. When dealing with clients and co-workers, it is important to speak only to what you know. You don’t want to make an ass out of yourself or the company you represent.

2. “You are not the best”. It keeps me humble. As you will hear again and again in the workplace, everyone is replaceable… particularly true in this glutted job market. I use this to keep me motivated & from being complacent.

3. “Know thyself”. Know your strengths AND find your weaknesses. Be able to take criticism, constructive and otherwise. The important part of being in the real world is standing out from others. By understanding and accepting your weaknesses you can begin to fix them. This will make you a better designer and make you valuable to the company you work for.