Heres abit of background into my experiences
So I attempted to enter the industry straight after college thinking I knew A-Z about everything, evidently not, being in the industry and being taught Graphic Design at college I have found are two completely different things. Yes you get taught the basic knowledge of how a Graphic Designer will work and produce things, but, what they don't let you in on is that your kept in a bubble whilst your there nothing is as it seems when you get into industry. Those entire creative brief's you get, all those fancy ideas you can come up with all those different materials and processes you can use, well unless you can get into a big fancy studio that has the time and money to let you be, then think again.
I was one of those students that used every different process and material that I could get my hands on, but I dismissed the idea of using the computers and adobe suits most of the time. I used them for the very basics to produce the end products and then I didn't use them to there full potential and because I wasn't told at college that this would be an issue later on in my career I carried on and as I was getting good grades. I thought I was going down the right route, to me there was no issue and I’d jump straight into the industry and someone would see my potential. How wrong was I, and if I'm completely honest, how mad I was that my tutor I trusted didn't tell me my faults. Looking for a job as a Junior Graphic Designer was a nightmare, everyone wanted:
- Perfect computer skills in adobe
- 2 years experience within the industry
- Website design skills
These of which because of the way I'd worked for the past four years were a major set back,
- I could use the Adobe suits but didn't have huge amounts of experience on them,
- Experience within the industry, well that was zero (panic started to set in)
Then just to top things off
- Some of the job titles stated that they wanted a "Junior Graphic Designer / Web designer"
I hadn't even touched on websites. What was I going to do now, I hadn't had a reply back from any graphics places in months and my confidence was taking a battering, so time to sort this.
Light at the end of the tunnel
I began to write letters addressed to studios I'd found on the net, in the yellow pages explaining my dilemma and asking for there help, and to my Joy I have now been to two different studios and I'm working my way up, learning what I need to know and hopefully fingers crossed I'll become that designer I still dream of.
Take a look on this link its got some good points and its something I'd wished that I had read whilst at college-
http://www.jamiewieck.com/visual-essays/the-50-things-every-graphic-design-student-should-know/
For more information on how we can help you visit: www.tridentdesign.co.uk
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