9 Best Ways for Students to Get Their First Design Job

A job search can be quite daunting when you are still at college. However, this is something each of us goes through.

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How to make your job search effective, and how to get your first design role? In this article, we have collected the top 9 tips for students that will help you get on the right track and land a job!

Consider an Internship

Probably the best way for a student to land the first design job is by applying to an internship. Unfortunately, no matter how good your skills are, making a smooth transition from a graduate to an employee is not always possible.

Therefore, you should be well aware of other opportunities, such as an internship.

Send Out Job Applications

You could also go a traditional way to land your first design job by finding open positions and sending out plenty of applications. That’s how most specialists get hired. 

However, it can be a bit tougher for a recent graduate to get a job this way. However, if you have some actual experience and a killer portfolio to showcase your skills – be sure to give it a try!

Polish Your Application

When you engage in a job search, you should be ready to get rejected by potential employers. It is natural, and there is nothing wrong with it. 

Each of us knows how it feels to get rejected over and over again for a long time. That’s what happens to everyone at a certain point. However, one thing you can do about it is to turn your rejections into an opportunity to land your dream job!

If you see your application is not getting through the competition, take some time to rework and polish it. With your application becoming better, your chances of landing a job will increase!

Network

Networking is one of those skills all successful people possess. You will be surprised, but there are literally no issues that couldn’t be solved with the help of the right connections. College is one of the best places to lay the groundwork for your network. Without any doubt, by graduation time, you know plenty of people, including professors, fellow grads, and alumni. 

Now, you can use these contacts you’ve made to spread the news that you are searching for a job. This tip is easy, but you might be surprised by how many new opportunities it can open for you!

Consider Freelance

In fact, freelance is perfect for graduates to land their first projects. 

Many designers (as well as other specialists) start their careers on freelance and succeed, so it is another option to consider.

Work on Your Portfolio

The competition in the professional world is indeed tough today. No matter how good you are, be sure that there are hundreds of other candidates who also want to land the same job. And the only way to make your application stand out is by providing a top-notch portfolio along with it.

One of the biggest mistakes made by beginners is attaching every single project they’ve ever worked on into their portfolio.  Often, students believe that the more projects they have inside a portfolio, the better. However, that’s not quite true. A much smarter idea would be to pick a few of the best examples to make your portfolio look flawless. Quality over quantity, quite simple.

Fill in the Skill Gaps

The industry of design is pretty fast-growing, which is why the only way to stay competitive is to keep developing the skills. Of course, no one will expect you to know everything right after graduation. However, you should realize that college only gives you fundamental skills and basic knowledge of the field. The rest is on you. You should define what skill gaps you have and fill them in order to become a demanded specialist.

Find New Projects

The skills and knowledge you have are both important. However, not less important is your ability to apply them in practice. Thus, if you are a fresh graduate, don’t focus solely on gaining more skills and enhancing the ones you have. Be sure to also get as much practice as possible!

There are always many people searching for the help of a designer, so don’t get picky and try to make the most of every opportunity that comes along your way. Working on actual projects will help you gain the skills you need to land a job, keep it, and grow into a real pro!

The Last Tip: Don’t Give Up

There is no way to sugarcoat it – getting your first job can be hard, and it also can take quite a while. 

Even landing your first interview can turn to be not as easy as you expect, but that’s fine! Although this journey can be long and tiring, it will help you develop and grow into a great specialist. Good luck!

Contribution by Jenine Wing.