My girlfriend has been working shit jobs, but is now interning at a design firm. You get to transfer all of your skills (problem solving, aesthetic appreciation, the ability to work under pressure), but enjoy a new set of creative challenges. So here’s my dilemma and a little background. Scientologists? I'm still not describing this effectively, and I know most of my stress is from mismanaged supervisors. After that I applied again, got in and had three great years. You could also become a designer or animator in motion graphics. No, I didn't quit. It takes time, effort, and patience to move up the proverbial ladder. There's a strong possibility I'm moving after graduation so I'll look more into the schools and their requirements once I know where I'm moving. But thankfully there’s a host of seasoned professionals out there who have shared some of the red flags they know to steer clear of when hiring a new designer. It’s time to stop thinking about alternative design careers, and start taking action. The clients think it's so cool they shouldn't have to pay us on time, or at all sometimes. It really is a multifaceted career!” You never stop learning. 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. But that's how things tend to go in these industries. [–]ReverendEnder 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (3 children). This one’s about motivation. I had it set in stone that this was going to be my life, and I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about it. Anyway, I thought I wanted out of the design industry too, ended up very burnt out and quit. We graphic designers have a love-hate relationship with criticism. Thanks for sharing, and I definitely know that after time things get better as you carve your place in the industry. 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. Senior project managers can reportedly expect a salary north of £55,000 in London. 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. Something snapped in me one day. 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. ilove design but looking at the portfolio of a "well rounded" designer bores me to tears. If you're considering a switch to the digital side of things, UX Design and Interaction Design are huge right now, especially UX. The end goal of graphic designers … Logo design skill are always in demand . So please save the negativity and criticism I see so much on here, I’m really facing a daunting life change. You can only get better by doing great work no matter the brief, and you will only be given better briefs if you prove you can respond creatively. In Industrial/product design, we have a spectrum of possibilities when it comes to career options. So I Jumped of my high horse and went to a preparational school focused on ID. If you had a spark for it before, I guarantee you still have it somewhere in you. 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. Revolutionary Design. [–]-Sparkwoodand21- 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (1 child). The really fun and creative stuff starts to happen as you begin to establish a name and reputation. The anxiety I'm having from designing stuff, especially under strict deadlines, and having to go through committees has just taken too big a toll on me. Funny old world. 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. :P. Best of luck with the ennui, in any case. remember most ppl dont like their jobs. Learn what degree you need to be graphic designer and explore experience requirements, job responsibilities, and essential graphic design … Well, graphic design works the same way. A good designer … This will help you figure out what transferrable skills do you have. Actually teaching is something I considered. The thing is, I don't complain about it - I realize that it takes time. I'm on my final year and hate it to death, however I have found a new interest which is graphic design and that is keeping me occupied while I cope with the remaining year I have left of school. Learn the Basics of Drawing. [–]bipolarpixel 5 points6 points7 points 8 years ago (8 children). Sure, they're out there, but then it becomes a question you need to ask yourself: Is that what you really want? I've had many friends work call centers and seen the life slowly sucked out of them. Tables, and animated gifs consumed my middle school years. What makes you tick as a creative person? If you’re unsure about a creative profession such as graphic design, see what other designers … Finding out how a candidate generates ideas, works through design … It won't be a huge departure from you degree as well. You know that peaceful feeling you get when you’re in a gorgeous, wide open space? While creativity can't always be turned on and off like a faucet (it doesn't work like that for me, anyway), you can train your brain so that you can start getting those creative juices flowing a little faster. Is there an app to make quotes like this on your phone? Point is, if you are miserable and thinking "is the rest of my career going to be like this?" I'm basically fucked now. Thank you, and I am definitely trying to find something that will make a difference and is important to me. Also, entry level positions in marketing aren't exactly a walk in the park. The thing is that I don't care to much about becoming a web designer. Now, I don't mean to come off like a dickhead, but you just graduated 3 years ago. You have no experience working in film or animation, but if you picked up the software and learned some techniques then you could get by pretty easily. Why? Apparently people are still finding this, so I'm posting my latest response to user clydefrogforever which I think wraps up this post: Wow, I'm surprised people are still finding and replying to this. If you have 20 account reps all clamoring to get a project done and you only have 6 artists, someone needs to be able to step in a prioritize so things get done properly. Dan specialises in water-based screenprinting, and has combined his print expertise with a design education from the London College of Communication to work with a diverse mix of clients in the design and cycling industries. I just recently started doing posters/prints and have received a lot of wonderful feedback and has helped a lot with expanding my creativity :), [–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 7 years ago (0 children). if you can make a living and get an ounce of gratification from it, id say thats a successful career relatively speaking. Since you already have an idea of what working a shit job is like, use that experience to try and avoid marketing companies that behave the same way. i think its unnatural to NOT get burnt out at some point. Lettering & typography? But it'd be a different experience, and you may be able to make it your own. Good luck, man. Spending 5-10 minutes each morning doodling and sketching random things, working through a visually complex puzzle, or even doing some Sudoku or some other brain teaser can help jumpstart your mind. If you are interested in taking a course in graphic design, whether you’re a beginner or have 25 years in the field, free is good. As for stress and creativity, your school should at the very least touch on this subject. Failed miserably and was seriously considering switching to something different because I just wasn't earning enough money. We did learn basic HTML - basically in notepad and some in dreamweaver back when all this was macromedia and it was all freehand, some illustrator and photoshop (barely photoshop i had to learn this mostly myself), and flash was brand new too. Networking, finding new clients, maintaining current clients, looking for that next project, invoicing, billing, paying your taxes, etc. Picking up code is easier than it used to be — you can learn online with the likes of Treehouse or in person at code schools like SuperHi. I had a shit design job once, 2007-2009. terrible place, won't name names, but a big company with bad communication structure (think TPS reports) bottom of the barrel clients, horrendous hours and office conditions comparable to a sweat shop ("If you guys are talking on shift it had better be about work, our stats are crashing") absentee creative director and shit art director. have you considered teaching? I am sick and tired of going to interviews just to not even get a call back or if I'm qualified for the position I still don… Career Dilemma: I don't want to do Graphic Design anymore. And now that web design has taken over I am pretty much done for. Other visual professions might appeal too, photography, illustration or animation roles are all common paths for graphic designers to take. [–]tpahornet 13 points14 points15 points 8 years ago (11 children). Also, now I feel completely out of touch with design, since I've just been basically doing crap advertising for so long with absolutely no web. Actually, there's a book called "Design is a Job" that should be required reading. Took a bachelor in industrial design at age 33. [–]exzackt 2 points3 points4 points 8 years ago (1 child). 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. 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. Fortunately, in a stroke of luck, someone I used to work with at my first job had moved on and was a partner at a local ad agency. How can I make Psychedelic patterns like the background of this? Or maybe you’re a geek at heart, and it’s actually the technology that makes you tick. I knew how to use the software and was usually at the top of my class in terms of design skill. After a few years as a stay-at-home dad, I'm dying to design again. or even pornograhy?? I tried something and its not for me. 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. When I'm stressed I can't get that creative process going, and that's why I think something not as creative and more analytical might be better for me. 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. Successful freelance designers are really only designing about half the time- or less. You don’t need to be a skilled drawer, but you will need to know some … [–]tpahornet 3 points4 points5 points 8 years ago (0 children). If you’re not sure, you can (discreetly) ask your colleagues/friends/family for their input. All of this to say: You've been in the field for 3 years! Like I said in my previous post, the really fun stuff where you get to come up with cool ideas and plan campaigns and such doesn't come at the beginning. I stopped caring about everything being perfect. [–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 8 years ago (2 children). Possible to teach with only a bachelor in industrial design at age.! Job, they were unprofessional and blamed their errors on me each day, or at.! My way through college and life of college at a new career path unforgiving industry or interior designer funny,. 8 children ) the subreddit ve always loved design, we have to pay us time... 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