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5 steps to launching your graphic design career after graduation

Updated on 12 January 2016

As a graphic design graduate, you have lots of options. Whether you want to work for an agency, on the client side, or you’re considering starting a freelance business, there are a few steps that you might want to consider to help get off on the right foot.

Quick, easy, no commitment!

You’ll have learned lots about the theories behind graphic design, studying the influential figures of the past. You’ll no doubt hold some ideals about what graphic design means, and how it should work. But what about the nitty gritty of finding work, keeping clients happy, and having to compromise?

How should you get started and make your mark on the world? Below mentioned are 5 steps to launch your career as a graphic designer after graduation:

Moorepay logo Cutting edge payroll software
  • Powerful and easy to use
  • HMRC & RTI compliant
  • Used by payroll pros
Pipedrive logo The CRM platform to grow your business
  • Great for entrepreneurs
  • Powerful data analytics
  • Manage sales and data
Wix logo Powerful web builder and advanced business tools
  • Great for startups
  • Powerful web page builder
  • E-commerce available
Planable logo Supercharged content planning
  • Great for marketing
  • Better than lists or sheets
  • Manage social media
Webador logo Create a new website in 10 minutes. Easy.
  • Launch your website fast
  • Powerful data intuitive
  • No coding skills needed

Step 1: Earn a degree or diploma In graphic design

Gone are those days, graphic designer were strictly hired on creative portfolio. Now, though most employers are seeking a complete and perfectly rounded education that can be earned only by a reputed college or graphic designing institute. Graphic designers require an education which combines artistic and technical skills. For people planning to go in this field, 5 famous options are Web design, graphic design, illustration, communication and Packaging. Irrespective of the degree they select, students should look for the most accredited program from popular and reputable school

Step 2: Create a convincing portfolio

Impressing resume is most significant aspect of every job search and the greatest asset for a person who is looking for an impressing job in graphic designing is impressive portfolio. However, graphic designers will require a resume; it is only way for the prospective employer to understand the abilities of applicant. It is well done through portfolio demonstrating the array of work and development as a designer. Some years ago, portfolio of graphic design was an easy collection of the designer’s newspaper and advertisements. Now, professional portfolios are highly sophisticated, containing not only print ads, but even includes online advertisements, television commercial reel, website graphics and animation demo.

Step 3: Set your pricing

It is one of the challenging aspects to start your design business to identify what you will charge. And here catch is, this is never resolved. When you are starting out, this is more of a anonymity, but basics of the pricing is to determine how much amount of profit you require to survive, identify your experience, knowledge, and quality that you can command. You should also identify what market will bear.

Step 4: Look for right project and client

You need to identify the clients that work best and what are headaches that you deliberately need to ignore. Moreover, you should also figure out the project that have high margin of profit, and the one you actually enjoy to work on.

Step 5: Establish your online presence

For B2B businesses, social media assist to validate the business. Prospective client will search for the requisite business through Google and so it is important to have an online presence to reach the target market. Online presence will certainly add some good number of the clients to your business.

Reviewed by , Managing Director

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