Any Graphic Designers? Students or Professionals!

[celticknotnut]

Just wondering who else was out there... I know of one or two from the OTHER boards, but thought I'd ask the question.

I am a former freelancer who could not hack it without the paper to prove it when I tried to get a "bonafide" job and now I'm back in school...

School is cool, but tough since I've already had a taste and I feel like I'm going slowly.

Anyone else in the same boat? Anyone living the designer's life? How long did it/does it take to climb up from the bottom? Starting a new career is scary!

[Photobug]

I have worked as a graphic designer for about 7 years on and off. Right now, mostly off, though I do a little freelance here and there. The market it absolutely glutted with fresh-out-of-design-school people who will work for whatever wage is offered them, so it got very difficult to get work around here (the Northeast) if you expect a decent salary. People are starting to go back to having in-house designers, though, so jobs will slowly become available until the economy takes another downturn (when they do away with all the in-house positions.) :rolleyes:

Ad agencies are also a good place to look, but they do tend to look for degrees these days (unless you have a killer portfolio). Also, be aware that a lot of ad agencies tend to hire young people who they think will be more "with it" as far as design trends go, so if you are over 30 it gets really difficult to break into advertising.

[Blewbary]

I'm a graphic designer that works for a small non-profit organization. I'm their only graphic designer, so that makes things fun. I am pretty autonomous and I like that. I get variety here, and that is a good thing. Variety being website design, magazine layout, trade show booth design, brochures, posters, CD lables, video graphics, etc. I'll have to admit that I do get bored at times, but I don't mind.

I've been here for about 6 years. I was hired as a second designer here, but we went through some layoffs about 3 years ago and I survived since I was more flexible and web saavy than the other lady.

I'm in small-town-USA, Michigan. The job market around me stinks. I'm very lucky to have gotten a job in my field right out of college. I'd have to move to Grand Rapids or Chicago (or any big city) if I really wanted to take my career somewhere, but I really don't want the kind of stress that ad agencies or design firms offer at this point in my life. I'm happy to be in-house.

I used to take on freelance work outside of regular office hours, but I found that I didn't like to work two jobs a day.

I agree with Photobug. Ad agencies are where most of the jobs are. I've found http://www.creativehotlist.com/index.asp a great place to look for jobs as well. If you're skilled in both Mac and PC platforms and in more than just print, or web, or interactive multimedia, you are more marketable. I was taught Mac in college, but I work on PC now. I'm still a Mac girl at heart, though! :)

[Kiley]

My sister is looking for a graphic design position, she just graduated with a BA in graphic design from OSU. Any tips or advice?

[ruledbymercury]

DH is a graphic designer and is currently interviewing for three different companies. One is a tradeshow exhibit/booth design company, another is a small independent sign/print shop, and the third is an art & framing company. The pay isn't spectacular, but it's decent. He's just starting out (1-2 yrs experience), and does freelance projects and web design on the side.

I think having a web design background helps a lot as far as marketability too. DH started out thinking he wanted to get into programming, but decided partway through school that he loved graphics way more and really had a talent for it. Web design is like the perfect marriage between the two, so it's his happy medium. A lot of places are looking for people who have backgrounds in both, so that has helped him a lot.

Good luck to all you graphic designers out there! :D

[ruledbymercury]

Update! My husband was offered the job designing trade show booths this morning and accepted! :D

If you live in an area that has a lot of conventions (we live in the Orlando area, so our city fits that category pretty well), these types of companies are an excellent way to find a steady, permanent job where there will always be plenty of graphics work to do!

[shortcake]

ruledbymercury - congrats to your DH!

I'm a graphic designer turned mostly homemaker, but do freelancing when I can. I also do child photography. DH is currently job-hunting (he's a biologist) so once I know where we'll be living I will be figuring out how hard I want to market myself as a freelancer...or whether I want to try to get a part time job and do daycare for my kids. A lot depends on the cost of living where we end up!

Anyway, thought I'd join this thread to see what you guys are up to.