02 Jan How to Find Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs
How to Find Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs
Companies and many businesses have realised the potential that graphic design services offer and are looking for graphic design agencies and freelancers to help them stunning websites that help deliver brand identity to consumers.
If you are looking out for a career in graphic design, you are on the right path. However, you have to look for these jobs.
To make it in this field, you also need to be fluent in both front-end and back-end web design.
As much as there are plenty of openings, competition is at its peak, and you need to be aggressive enough to secure entry-level level graphic design jobs.
A graphic designer’s job is also cut out with website content management platforms that make it easier to design websites without using code.
They can customise premade templates without programming language skills. Such platforms include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magneto.
Junior graphic designers communicate through visual mediums to give solutions to branding.
They create images, animations, and other design elements to help communicate ideas, products, interfaces, advertisements, and more.
Entry-Level graphic design jobs can take one of two routes. One can either join an agency or work for a company that produces a product (in-house).
Designers who work in agencies, usually work on numerous different projects to cater to a diverse group of clients.
When starting in an agency, the roles of a graphic designer involves production, where designers spend much time concentrating on Photoshop or Illustrator.
Here they will churn and tweak mockups, photos, and create illustrations.
Subsequently, in-house designers often work on a single aspect of the company’s identity.
This can either be the company’s product, marketing, or advertising.
Their focus is on the visual communication of the company’s product or service.
They will use their graphic design capabilities to write publications on their website, on social media, and most other channels.
If you are starting and looking for entry-level graphic design jobs, here is a simple guide to help you with that.
Before delving into that, let’s see the collective responsibilities of an entry-level graphic designer.
Responsibilities of an Entry-Level Graphic Designer
· Using Illustrator to create or edit illustrations
· Use imagery and text by building compositions for advertising
· Coming up guidelines and brand language to spread brand awareness
· Developing a visual system through the interface (UI), to relay emotion
· Help to implement visual designs in CSS on the internet for clients/companies
Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs
If you decide to use the term “Entry-Level Graphic Designer” in your search terms or phrases, you won’t find many different types of jobs.
If you are keen enough, you will notice that the significant difference between agency and in-house is the medium on which you’ll produce your work.
Often, companies that are just starting will require designers to work full-time as digital designers.
Other companies will still need designers to work partially print publications.
Therefore, designers will spend time using InDesign or other similar tools.
What you need to do as a graphic designer is a step outside the strict search terms, and you’ll find out that there are several ways to search for relevant roles. You can add:
· Visual Designer
· Production Designer
· Digital Designer
· Designer
· Agency Designer
Salary for Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs
The average salary for an entry-level graphic designer is $39,645.
This ranges from $29,674 – $54,421.
What mainly determines the salary is the location.
Therefore, the best thing to do is to evaluate the entire salary range to see what your best option is.
According to the Bureau of Labor, graphic design jobs are expected to grow by only 1% in the next 10 years.
Who Typically Gets These Jobs?
Every year, a survey is carried out on over 20,000 students to try and find out the demand for entry-level internship and the job market.
According to the State of Hiring, there are several everyday things that students and recent graduates have when applying for entry-level graphic design jobs.
Usually, many graduating students are ready to settle for jobs that are not related to their majors.
However, the majority of graphic designers are not prepared to do this.
About 80% of them will only consider graphic design jobs, which can be difficult, especially since not many companies are ready to employ graphic designers permanently.
Only 43% of recently employed graduates are not working as designers or design-related fields.
Graphic Design Job Facts
· The most popular graphics designs destinations include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle
· Most graphic design majors often work side jobs during school
· Some of the 80% have had a paid side job
· Whenever companies are looking for employees, they usually consider those who had side jobs during school due to their working experience
· Only a few graduates who didn’t go through an internship (26%) get full-time jobs
· 54% have taken a computer science course
· When they graduated, most graphic designers will have a debt of between $25,000 and $75,000
· What helps senior graduates (40%) are the previously taken online related graphic design courses
Related Entry-Level Fields
Although it is infrequent to find graphic design majors looking for jobs in their associated majors, few do it.
If they choose to do that, here are a few areas they are likely to concentrate on:
· UI Design
· UX Design
· Product Design
· Industrial Design
· Motion Design
Graphic Design Interview Tips
Prepare your portfolio
Many graduates who haven’t just from school don’t know what is expected of them when they are attending a job interview.
It is essential to have both an online design portfolio and a hard copy.
An online portfolio should have all the links working all your content should be up to date.
A physical collection, on the other hand, should have about 7-11 of your best work on projects.
The pieces should be diverse, showcasing all your graphic design skills.
You should end by displaying your very best piece, which is you should act as your selling point.
Prepare your resume and have copies
The way you present your papers is very crucial and will determine the outcome of the interview.
Before you enter the interview hall, take time to ensure that every information in your resume is accurate with no errors.
You need to go through it a couple of times to confirm that it’s is OK.
Save yourself from the embarrassment that can cost you your job opportunity.
The resume should also be customised for the job you are looking for.
Even if you had recently emailed your resume, you must bring at least three copies to the interview hall, and they should be professionally printed.
Prepare your appearance
The way you present yourself at the interview matters if you want to be taken seriously and win over your potential employer’s heart.
The first impression is not heard but seen.
Since this is a graphic design interview, you should wear attire that shows your creative talent, not a three-piece suit with a long necktie.
What you wear should make a bold statement about you.
Make it pop and not scream in the face.
A trendy colour should do the trick with a bold texture or pattern.
This is a creative position and should reflect on your physical presentation.
Research the company
The worse thing to do is go for an interview with a company you know nothing about.
Of cause they are going to ask you questions about the company and if you know what they are all about.
If it’s a graphic design agency, they are going to have a website.
Before attending the interview, research comprehensively about the company online to ensure you know everything about their location in different offices and what the company is all about.
Take notes if you have to, but don’t pull them out at the interview hall. This will be a bomber.
Arrive on time
If you need this job, then you should do everything to arrive at the interview hall on time.
Arriving late at the interview venue will only show how sloppy and incompetent you are.
Time is essential; you should show them your punctuality by arriving about 15 to 20 minutes early.
This also gives a few minutes to make preparations to ensure you are not caught off guard during the interview.
To gain acquaintance with your interviewers, if they want a handshake, give them a firm one and always look them straight in the face to show how confident you are with your creative skills.
Conclusion
To increase your chances of getting a graphic design job, you should expand your repertoire by covering all graphic design related courses, including marketing and advertising.
It is also good to do an internship while still in school.
The salary range is also vital depending on the location since other regions and countries pay more or less than other ones.
You can also consider jobs outside your graphic design major as you continue applying for your major.
Jobs are hard to find nowadays, and you need an income to sustain yourself and help pay off debts.
Author Bio: Naman Modi is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at NamanModi.com. He is an Award-Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.
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