“Great portfolio, but we just don’t have the money right now.”
“I’ll keep your info on file. We’ll get back to you if things pick up.”
“It’s not you, it’s me. Can we still be friends?”
Okay, maybe that last one isn’t from a design studio, but you get my drift. No one has the money. No one has the energy. No one has the chance to take a risk on a young designer. Throughout the last six months I have been searching for studio and in-house jobs — 60% of the time from my bed and in pajamas (perhaps this is one of the mistakes I’ve been making). And though I have received interviews and done well, I find myself losing offers because I am competing against hundreds of other applicants with much more experience under their belt. What can be done?
In How to be a graphic designer, without losing your soul Adrian Shaughnessy says:
“What do employers really want? Ask a hundred employers this question and you will get a hundred different answers, but my guess is that they are all looking for someone they get on with. In the intimate and psychologically revealing space of a design studio, we have to ‘get on’ with the people we work with.”
I take it as truth now that I’ve heard it from dozens of employers over the last year… They want to find someone they’re excited about. In a way, it’s like dating. They want butterflies in their stomachs as they thumb through a prospective’s portfolio. They want to envision you together, years from now, with adorable baby-projects running around the studio. From my experience and others’ experiences told to me, employers want a designer who is hard-working, adaptable, and socially well-adjusted, much the same as we would want in a friend.
This really is the thing that keeps me positive. While I don’t have years of client relations or production experience, I continually aspire to be a good designer and I try to remain friendly and positive while doing it. And, like many of my fellow studio-seeking friends, I am content with following my passion, even if it brings me to the edge of sanity and threatens to push me over.
So here’s to my community of occupationally-challenged designers. Do not lose heart. Remain positive by knowing that there is something about you that is needed by a studio out there. When you both have butterflies, it was meant to be.
-Stephanie Horn
Abby
I LOVED reading this :) great website and great thoughts, steph.. Keep on keepin’ on.
Nov 04, 2009 @ 2:55 PM
Jake Schroeder
Steph,
I think this is a pretty cool observation. I think another aspect of this though is that everyone is “nice enough” at a certain calibre of design (which of course you are), they are professional in demeanor and personal presentation, they have a solid portfolio, etc…
The one thing that I started to noticed in my quest for employment was that, and I think a lot of people get this a little wrong, the sell yourself thing. There is a lot to be said about the “I can do this, I can do that, I did this, I did that” statements, obviously you have to make sure people know you are a serious and well-rounded designer that has the skill set for the job, but I think where I could see the game change was when I would bring an opinion something they did to the office. We are usually stuck in problem solving mode in our jobs like it or not, so one of the best ways to connect I found was to address a problem/situation they have and tell them how you could help with it. If their site sucks, tell them nicely and offer some solutions. If their typography needs help, tell them, and talk about some ideas you have, etc… Of course you can gush too, but a little zesty criticism seems to get fellow designers’ attention.
I think the conversation that creates is a good insight to both the prospective employee and the employer on how the design relationship will probably be. Are they receptive? Do they agree (great!), heartily debate (good), or take umbrage (go)? How do you handle that? Do they have a sense of humor about it, and do you?
Anyways, that’s one person’s experience, it felt less like me asking for a job (which is what I was doing and I hate), and more like I was just jumping into the work. Sorry this is so long.
Nov 07, 2009 @ 12:20 AM
Stephanie Horn
I agree. Having a conversation with a potential employer about my (and their) design ideas is a good way to assess whether a place would be a fit for me. I met up with Kyle Hildebrant of OVO on Friday to garner some professional advice, and he told me that (at least for his place) studios are looking for someone who is passionate and willing to push further and be more persistent than the next guy. That includes speaking well about what you’ve done, why you want to work for company X, and how you can help them better the company.
I think your comment speaks to that. Thanks Jake! Very insightful.
Nov 08, 2009 @ 2:10 PM