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Finding your first job as a graphic designer can be difficult and stressful, but if you love what you do, the effort is well worth it once you've found a job getting paid to do what you love. Your first exploration into the field of graphic design will always be a learning experience, whether it is your dream career job or just a summer internship. Even skilled designers with a couple of design degrees under their belt have a hard time finding their first design job. Before you begin searching for your first graphic design job, you need to understand a few things about yourself. Such as your motivations, strengths and weaknesses. You will also need to be able to analyze the style, nature and variety of your design skills. Professionals in the design industry are always looking for someone that creates custom web design rather than just template designs. The job market can be a tricky place to navigate, so do you research on corporations, design offices, and also the types of business that hire graphic design firms. Knowing these few things will help you tremendously during the interviewing process. It will also help you create the best looking portfolio possible. You should only include the very best work in your portfolio - work that you are proud of and think other people will be impressed with. Before you start searching the job market, take advantage of any classes or advisory sessions at your school that will teach you about assembling a portfolio, writing a resume, and marketing yourself. Show your portfolio and resume to your instructors and ask for feedback. Employers are looking for someone that can bring something new and valuable to their company, so spend some time trying to identify special interests, skills or characteristics that you would bring to that work environment. The learning curve is particularly steep in the multimedia industry. New technology and software are being developed on a daily basis, and it is important for professionals in this field to stay on top of the changing trends. Make it clear to your prospective employer that you have the ability to learn new things quickly and that you have a genuine desire to learn new things. Having a resume that catches an employer's eye can be challenging, but so important in the job market today. Your resume should not only contain the proper facts and information, but it should also be created with careful typographic design elements that reflect your skills and ability. An employer wants facts about you, such as your contact information; about your education, such as where you went to school, how long you were there, and in what field you earned your degree; about your work history; and about your connections and references. In addition to having a well designed resume, you might also think about designing your own stationary and business cards. This is just one more opportunity to show prospective employers that you have your own individual style. Find your first job can have a lot to do with networking. While this may be your first experience with networking, it will not be your last. The first step is to make a list of those design offices, corporations or individuals that you want to work for. Check your school’s job board first, as they usually have job leads of real value. If you need a job in a specific geographic location, look in that area for help wanted signs. The networking part comes in here. Scan your school’s alumni lists for recent graduates in your city. Call them up to discuss your interests. Alumni usually know a few people in the design field and are often willing to help a recent graduate get in touch with them. Your prospective employer is most likely a very business professional. Keep your cover letter and resume brief and to the point, and don't be discouraged if you don't get a response right away. Being politely persistent will probably make a good impression on the boss. Sometimes you might even get an interview with someone who has no job opening, but still wants to meet with you. While this "exploratory" interview may not lead to your dream job, it could lead to making other connections in the design industry.
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