BECOME A GRAPHIC DESIGNER (DEGREE OR NOT?) | PART 2
OUT IN THE WILD | AFTER UNI
Once I graduated, it was time to look for work. I've curated a portfolio with the best pieces from my university projects into an A2 portfolio folder and started applying. London is a big city, and there were enough jobs around – I've done about 30 interviews and got to the final round a handful of times. However, only one of them has landed me a job, a temporary one-month duration. It was time to look into other alternatives.
The obvious one, of course, was freelancing. I've done some projects for family and friends while still at uni, but I needed to get paid properly. After trying out many ways to get clients, I've slowly started attracting real work. It was underpaid at first, and certainly not with the ideal clients, but it was something. Every job was exciting and felt like a step forward.
I soon learned that I needed to specialise in something if I wanted to raise my pricing. Sticking to what I enjoyed and knew best, I decided only to offer branding services. However, many clients were also coming to me needing a website. I've had my website on Squarespace since 2016 to showcase my portfolio and I knew my way around it and loved using it. So, I've added Squarespace design to my services and nurtured these two skills ever since.
A yoga brochure design for my portfolio.
Making motifs for patterns.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO UNI
Personally, I went to uni and got my degree, but with the knowledge I have now, I'd have likely chosen a different path. The student loan money was great for upgrading equipment, but I wouldn't say that the degree was worth spending £27,000. I agree that most such jobs require formal education for those of you who want to take the traditional route of working for a company, as most require a design degree.
However, I found that the money you can earn as a freelancer (or a design studio owner) is much better than a traditional junior to mid-level designer job offers. Plus, you work on your terms, only take on clients you want, and choose working hours that suit you.
Of course, there are downsides, too. There are no paid holidays, and it can be harder to keep a consistent income as you're sourcing your clients yourself. However, I adore being my boss and the 100% flexibility it gives me regarding working hours and the clients I choose to work with. And let's not forget that I can take holidays whenever I want (rather than when it's available from my employer) and even work from different locations if I want to.
Trying out different media for illustration (with my resume in the background – looking for a job at this point).
My second set of business cards – still with my old branding.
NON-UNI EDUCATION
In my opinion, you certainly don't need a university degree to become a professional graphic designer. However, you still need to put in a lot of work in terms of learning – but it can be much more targeted than a degree course.
For example, I've started with the Skillshare courses in my case. I learnt most Adobe design software programs with the help of this fantastic platform at a very affordable price. Once I started earning from my business, I levelled up and invested in more expensive, specific courses from designers I followed and admired.
The truth is you never stop learning as a designer. The industry moves forward very fast, and you need to constantly upgrade your skills to keep up and stay on top of the game. There is also the challenge of marketing your business and finding ideal clients, so the learning spans in all directions and is more of a question of prioritising. With each new skill, though, you become more of an expert. You can provide more value and charge higher prices to get compensated for your work.
More lino printing on a Gelli plate textured rice paper background; still played with mixed media after leaving uni.
I also loved designing patterns for a while.
SUMMARY
I took the traditional education path because that option was most convenient for me at the time. However, that was just the very beginning for me. After I graduated, the courses I took were more helpful in navigating life as a freelancer and studio owner – as someone who works on their terms. They solved very particular problems I was facing as I went along. They each helped me with something that I could have eventually worked out but would have wasted a lot more time doing so.
The clients I worked with haven't asked me whether I have a degree in design. All they seemed to care about was my design aesthetic and the ability to get them what they wanted. There are many, many designers nowadays who don't have a traditional education in design and are doing some spectacular work. The only thing that counts is what they can deliver.
So, in my opinion, you don't need a degree to become a designer. You need to learn and work hard to create a conceptual portfolio that attracts the right clients to you. Still, your learning will be much more zoomed-in without wasting time and money on things you will never use. You don't even need student loans as the investment can be very small to start with (i.e. Skillshare) and still have tremendous value on your learning.
On the other hand, if you want to experience going to design school and want to get a degree anyway, go ahead. It did take some time and did require us to write many essays and complete some creative assignments that didn't seem to matter quite that much, but overall, it was three years well spent. Just remember, it's not necessary to get it done to have a thriving career as a designer.
So I hope I have shed some light on the two main possible design paths; the choice is yours now. Follow your intuition and try to specialise as soon as you find where your heart is. Create some beautiful projects to show your skills, and things will quickly start taking off.
If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments below. I wish you all the very best on your journey!
Kat x