I'd wager you might enjoy my newsletter most though. All this “real world” experience has taught me that I don’t think I’m cut out to be a designer, or rather it’s something I no longer wish to pursue because its taken a negative impact on my life. I'm an architecture student, and the worlds are a little different, to be sure... but the TA's I had in undergrad were a huge part of why I got excited about design: people pretty close to my age (they were grad students) who just got to be creative all day and help others solve design problems. Yep, I'm coming from a place where I paid my way through college and life. I'm speaking more towards the more creative and artistic side. Or maybe youâre a geek at heart, and itâs actually the technology that makes you tick. I have a story similar to yours, I took graphic design classes in High School and quickly tired of the 2d composition, and really just of everything about graphic design. [–]clydefrogforever 0 points1 point2 points 7 years ago (1 child), I'm currently studying game production. I tried something and its not for me. Now the big question is what do I do with all this education and training? Find what truly inspires you, whatever it is. I think design is what you make of it. Design is a set of principles we follow to make our work appealing to the human eye. Sorry for obnoxious bold, I just want that point to be seen in this surprisingly large thread. Call me a glutton for punishment. In a few days I'll hopefully have a job, I have a partner who cares for me, friends who care for me, I realized I'm in the same situation as many of my peers and people with much more skill than me. In your post, you described a "tool." But before you quit your design job, you need to be sure exactly what is currently causing you dissatisfaction about your career â otherwise you could find yourself feeling exactly the same about your new bob. Why? After this, we basically started up our own company where I did some business cards, brochures, and a fuck ton of coupon advertising. And students will ultimately view education as totally superfluous. 3D rendering? Even for just a month and take up other pursuits. I received my Associates Degree in Graphic Design (emphasis in print) in ‘09 and was on the track to pursuing Graphic Design as a career and eventually work my way up the ranks to Creative Director or something similar. That will eventually change your perception and bring you a new stream of inspiration and will boost you to some new path. For what I read I think it is that you just don't like working at all. Then again, it'd mean you'd end up working at a nuts startup. I have no delusions of things just clicking, but I would like something that doesn't make me depressed and leave me having those imaginary arguments in my head for days. Designs must convey an idea or message. Think back to when you first got started in the design industry⦠you know, before you got bitter and twisted⦠what did you believe in at the start of your career? Ensure you don’t become a bad graphic designer. [–]polerix 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (1 child). the innovation, thinking outside the box, and fitting all the puzzle pieces together in a design. Hell, I'm in my early 20s and I know this much. And what still gets you out of bed in the morning? You can count on spending at least a year or 3 working more long hours for low pay and still doing rather menial kinds of things. I understand where you're coming from, although from your descriptions it sounds like your unhappiness stems from your bosses and managers as opposed to just being uninterested in design. Freelancing is a whole different beast. After that I applied again, got in and had three great years. Illustration? What's happened now is that all the creativity and inspiration has just been sucked out of me. It's a part of who I am and I can't just turn it off. I worked freelance and found out how hard it is to tell a client "that's a terrible idea" when they're paying your salary. Thanks for the advice, and I definitely have considered all the things you mentioned. But this is a graphic design community, if you want to change careers - that's up to you. Designers create pieces to communicate a message to viewers/readers, and that's a valuable skill. I just don't think I can produce art/design everyday. I was wroooong. Or the wrong due date. They couldn't hurt me. I'm optimistic about the future, even if its not my dream job. Always keep learning and trying new things, or else you'll remain stagnant. We graphic designers have a love-hate relationship with criticism. Lol that's what my dad thinks I do. [–]deadlybydsgn 3 points4 points5 points 8 years ago (0 children). So I graduate in December and I’ve come to the conclusion that what I enjoyed was the innovation, thinking outside the box, and fitting all the puzzle pieces together in a design. This will help you figure out what transferrable skills do you have. On the other hand, there are a ton of fantastic jobs available for qualified graphic designers out there, so I urge you to be ambitious and aim for one of them – the best way to gain experience (and job security) is to work at an agency or company, at least for a few years if you don’t want … You at the very least should have transferable skills that can be used in a different industry. What makes you tick as a creative person? Each great design ever made respects at least one of the following secrets. PS. My portfolio is incredibly weak, and I don't have time to improve or add to it right now. Should you become a graphic designer? I would like more to do the research than design though. However more school is something I couldn't do at this point. Sure, lady." Job posts belong in /r/forhire, /r/DesignJobs or /r/jobs, No Typeface identification. In EVERY career, say artist, engineer, flower vendor, doctor, Hot dog seller, lawyer, etc. Don't let people scare you away from what you want to do in life, just work toward doing what you want to do around the right people, that is people who don't make you hate life. theyre all the same: logos, business cards, tshirts, websites. People switch things up all the time and there's nothing wrong with that. Keep in mind that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. As with any career, there’s a learning curve when it comes to working as a graphic designer. Project management is a crucial role in any design studio, with a salary to match. Same old software, etc. Take what you know about design and apply it to a similar but different field. However, I'm hoping to move after I graduate, and it will more than likely be a much bigger city, [–]sgantm20 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (2 children). Maybe getting a new/different perspective will spark something in you. My ACCEPTED Graphic Design Portfolio for College Application, A little poster I made to practice type and composition. I started teaching adjunct classes over at the design university nearby and really got my mojo back through interaction with other designers teaching, and students. Posting questions, when it’s obvious you haven’t looked or researched for the same or similar questions, will be removed. REDDIT and the ALIEN Logo are registered trademarks of reddit inc. π Rendered by PID 17980 on r2-app-0b81f9791ec89061c at 2020-12-21 17:23:04.325370+00:00 running 406fa40 country code: NL. Instead of conjuring up design ideas and producing the artwork, you'd be spending thousands or millions of dollars on TV stations, web ads, radio stations, and print publications. :P. Best of luck with the ennui, in any case. I left and tried freelancing for a year. Freelancing is NOT design. It's where I started out and had a teacher who made a difference, I would love to do the same, [–]Roobomatic 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (1 child). The last time that I really designed something for my day to day work? Logo design skill are always in demand . End of story now; I ran out of savings to live off of and just need to pay bills, so yesterday I interviewed to be a Barista at Starbucks. The design positions were more light work, such as doing book layout and cover illustration, real easy stuff. If you don't like deadlines or committees, advertising probably isn't a good field to pursue. I would love to do something practical and helpful like that. Specialising in one particular subset of print can be a great way to stand out, like London-based designer/screenprinter Dan Mather. I think most of them wanted to be artists but didn't have the courage to follow through with that whole "starving" part. And you can't start at the top. However, if you decide to look further into marketing, be wary of who you work for and learn as much as you can. It's hard, but catch up on the latest news, what are the big companies, what are the big trends, etc. It's little things to do during the day to help brighten the mood and maybe crack a smile that can help reduce the down feelings. Or the wrong photo. Hang out with different people, get to know new people, go to places you wouldn't think about, do something completely out of your comfort zone. I'm in a similar situation right now. I'm fortunate enough to have family in the graphics business already to somewhat help me understand what the job will be like and how it all functions. Try and leave your work at the office, but I realize that's not always easy. Increasing Creativity Is Vital. Now, I don't mean to come off like a dickhead, but you just graduated 3 years ago. I've been a graphic designer … It really is a multifaceted career!” You never stop learning. A lot of the same principles but not the same work. How To Become a Graphic Designer. I'd still get your degree so you have something to fall back on, but in the meantime I would start volunteering for organizations doing jobs you normally wouldn't have done. While you were employed by the school you could take classes with nearly free tuition so a lot of the adjunct instructors taught there to complete their master degrees for cheap online. good luck. Senior project managers can reportedly expect a salary north of £55,000 in London. Like numbers? The more artistic part has just been something I don’t care to pursue anymore. We as designers are in a unique service industry that isn't suited for everyone, and I'm afraid I just don't have the devotion and passion necessary to pursue this path any further, [–]Roobomatic 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (3 children). They hired you and if they don’t like your attitude, they don’t have to keep you. Creativity isn't usually limited by the motivation its limited by the peers and judgement. Is this what I had in mind when I set out to push myself in school? If there's specific skills (languages/softwares/certificates), learn them and get them. It's like they expected some kind of rock n' roll lifestyle just because they became graphic designers. I would love to do the research on that kind of stuff and figure out how to make great interactive design. If things arenât moving as fast as youâd like, remember that your job is never a trap, unless you see it as one. You've just been out there for a little while, I bet there are a lot of other design related things you can do or try your skills on. Look at this simple data graphic … Its basically like print, but with more variables to deal with, and interactive elements to throw into the mix. On the other hand, maybe you're just in a "life hole" (I've been there). [–]omgdinosaurs 2 points3 points4 points 8 years ago (0 children). If they came back and shit on it, I gave them exactly what they asked for and didn't worry about it anymore. There will always be shitty clients, bosses, and coworkers no matter what field you're in. Don't worry! What attracted you to being a graphic designer in the first place? Deadlines in general do not really stress me out, I actually prefer to know when things need to be done so I can organize a timeline to keep myself most efficient. [–]jadenight 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (0 children). I have no problem rolling up my sleeves and I'm actually quite tactful in dealing with challenging clients (my old boss had me write her emails to them). remember most ppl dont like their jobs. [–]tpahornet 13 points14 points15 points 8 years ago (11 children). The only problem is once I graduate I lose my job and scholarships which have helped pay my rent. consider what it is you hate about what you do, would it be different if you did what you do now with completely different people? "You want your logo to take up the entire front page with a pink spotted background for your truck repair company. You start at the bottom. What I wish I'd known 3 years ago about becoming a graphic designer, 7 things you should do before going freelance, How to stop being a graphic designer, Part 2, read all of my articles on graphic design here, 5 ways to be a graphic designer without losing your sanity ». update - I appreciate all the outpouring of support, I really do, but I would like to discuss more alternatives to a career in design. The only successful designers are the ambitious ones, if you aren't feeling it deep down in your bones, you should look for a way out. The rise of the digital age means people are bombarded with thousands of brand graphics on a daily basis. Something. Obviously there are practical ramifications that you'd have to work out, and I have no idea if this would even be feasible or interesting to you, but it's certainly something you could look into. Failed miserably and was seriously considering switching to something different because I just wasn't earning enough money. Been in printing for 20+ years and I am completely toast. This is of course all dependant on where I end up living and if they have a thriving UX industry, [–]neon_overload 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (0 children). So I Jumped of my high horse and went to a preparational school focused on ID. your job is never a trap, unless you see it as one. (self.graphic_design). [–][deleted] -1 points0 points1 point 8 years ago (0 children). Make sure to emphasize that in whatever new career path you decide. I came to the conclusion that graphic design is what I was meant to do. Have no fear, I have some recommendations there too for more practice tips, tricks, and insights on design … Or stay closer to home with the new field of service design. There’s no more enthusiasm, no more sense of accomplishment, just an empty feeling that leaves me staring at a blank InDesign document. [–]RigbyWaiting 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (1 child), Albuquerque, NM. I have a friend that worked "tool" jobs for a couple of years. Weirdly, I studied ID and have ended up freelancing graphic design. Other visual professions might appeal too, photography, illustration or animation roles are all common paths for graphic designers to take. Rendered by PID 17980 on r2-app-0b81f9791ec89061c at 2020-12-21 17:23:04.325370+00:00 running 406fa40 country code: NL. The options are vast! Freelancing is business. I spent too much time designing the poster that told my co-workers that we were cleaning out the fridge. I've had 3 graphic design jobs, and I can't see myself being happy with any of them. I have been a designer for 10 years, in my mid thirties now and will go ahead and say that Burnso is 100% correct. When I studied it was free for non-swedes too(!) It's something they should have spent a lot more time going over in school. I got paid $11/hr, which is not much at all and certainly depressing considering how much shit I had to deal with at the time. It's time to get a grown up job, [–]elementalrain 1 point2 points3 points 8 years ago (1 child). However, that hasn't stopped me from learning things on my own. If you’re unsure about a creative profession such as graphic design, see what other designers … [–]tpahornet 3 points4 points5 points 8 years ago (0 children). On top of that, I was in one of the most horrible work environments ever. you ALWAYS have to deal with clients, bad bosses and with things you don't even like doing at all, that's just the way it is for everybody. I know this is a super old post but it's pretty close to my heart too. Point is, if you are miserable and thinking "is the rest of my career going to be like this?" ID is awesome. No, I'm not responsible for you giving me the wrong phone number. [–][deleted] 1 point2 points3 points 8 years ago (2 children), Well I graduate in December, so no problems there. I’ve been struggling ever since .. I’ve always loved design, but now I feel like I almost hate it. Eh I'm over design. Our marketing director played golf with tom cruise whenever he was in town for whatever reason scientologists come to Clearwater(auditing and past life regression scams). Yeah, haha, I'm paying my way through school freelancing all kinds of design, but nowadays the majority of people just need graphic design. Animation? Now I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, and I graduate in four months and want to hit the ground running. I think I would be better suited in marketing or web analytics/seo or something I can think through and analyze rather than trying to create. Also, I realize that people change careers. Have you tried photography? Especially in today's world. Change the size and height of your text to make it fit perfectly on your design. While this hotel does not have a marketing department due to budget constraints, I hope to work my way into the small amount of marketing they have and eventually move to another hotel that does have a better marketing department. She deserved it. UX isn't really so much design in any visual sense so much as it is the organization of pages and functions. I’ve done the freelance thing, and also worked as an in-house Designer/Prepress for a local print shop, and now currently work as a Marketing Intern at the University. They cared little about the thing I loved and seemed to respect me even less. My BA is something no where near graphic designing. This is your signature next to "okay as-is, print 10,000." Tables,