Should you pursue a Graphic Design Career?
Everybody loves the arts, but many are afraid of a career in the arts.
People tend to believe that artists spend their lives on the streets without food on their plates or money in the bank.
Our families and well-wishers do not want us to suffer, so they advise us to keep creative interests as hobbies.
However, such notions are outdated, and things are entirely different nowadays.
Graphic designers are the modern equivalent of artists, and it is a profession hugely in demand, with adequate payrolls.
In fact, market research and statistics show that more jobs for graphic designers are going to come by as the years roll on.
Considering that most of the mundane and mechanical works are going to be subjected to automation, this is the era for creative individuals.
So now you have reasons to believe that a graphic design career will not leave you in ruins.
However, choosing the perfect career path does not end with the parameters such as job stability and income.
Do you have the right attitude necessary for the work?
Will you be happy with all the other aspects that come bundled in a graphic designers job description?
These are things to consider.
We will be going through such questions to help conclude:
Should You Pursue a Graphic Design Career?
Are you passionate about the Arts?
Have you ever wondered why people tell you to follow your passion?
It is not because it will make your work fun; that is where people get it all wrong.
Work is rarely fun, that is why it is called work.
However, people tell you to follow your passion so that even when the work is hard and complicated, you do not succumb to frustration or anxiety.
If you are doing something that you love, you can give it 110%, which increases your chances of becoming better in that field.
The graphic design career path is hugely competitive, so you always need to give 110%.
It helps if you are passionate about the work.
Are you good with Software?
Graphic Design nowadays focused on the use of modern software.
We are talking about professional-grade tools that will help you produce quality content.
However, using all these software options can be challenging.
We all know that Photoshop, one of the more basic software in professional graphic design, takes a long time to master.
There are many advanced courses on how to learn Photoshop.
So just imagine how complicated other software can be.
These are all tools and can be mastered with patience and curiosity.
If you have both these qualities, then getting mastery over these tools will be a breeze.
Do remember, that you need these programs to materialise your ideas and visions, and so you need to know how they work, what are their limitations, which software is better for what type of work, and so on.
Do You Like to Learn on a Regular Basis?
Creativity is change.
In fact, creativity is a form of rebellion against the mechanical and predictable.
To survive in this career, you need to be ever-evolving and improving yourself which requires you to learn all the new trends, discoveries, and inventions.
New software is released, new design styles are coming in trend, and you need to keep yourself well informed in all these areas.
Also, good design is like visual mathematics that subtly appeals to the human psyche, so you also need to know something about those subjects.
Overall, if you are planning to build a graphic design career path of choice, you better be enthusiastic about learning.
Are you willing to go Freelance?
There is more money for a graphic designer if he or she chooses to do freelancing.
Besides more money, there is the liberty to choose the project that you will enjoy doing.
However, freelancing is not that easy as it seems.
You are your own boss, yes, but that means you are the one who will have to specify the budget, handle invoices, manage clients – multiple clients, and be responsible for it all.
Success in freelancing demands you to grow a business-like mind, thinking more attune to marketing.
If you find this aspect to be troublesome, you can always apply for a job in a company.
Are you okay working to Help Businesses Grow?
As a graphic designer, you have the liberty to create any art you want, but not all of them will pay.
Depending on which organisation you are working in, you could be creating comic strips, contributing to a movie, creating character art for games, and so on.
However, the most common type of job role will have you create logos, icons, and images for branding a company or one of its products.
With the average graphic design career position, you will be tasked with targeting a specific audience and “talking” with them through your work.
If you can make conversions, i.e., sales/money for your company, only then will your work be considered reasonable.
Now the task is not that difficult as it may seem, but the question remains, are you comfortable with such working conditions?
Are you a Team Player?
Graphic Design is, most of the time, a collaborative project.
Rarely will you find yourself in the shoes of Da Vinci, located in your room, stroking away the next Mona Lisa?
More often than not, you will have to talk with clients and employers, as well as art directors, advertising managers, copywriters, and not to mention other designers.
The goal of hiring your specialities is because the company or your employer wants to make some profits selling their products.
Whatever the copywriter has written, whatever you have drawn, and the way of the advertisers’ approach, everything should be in sync and harmony for sales figures to rise.
To make this happen, you need to work well with others on your team.
Are you okay working around people with casual attire?
For some people, not being compelled to wear mundane, personality divorced, black and white suits are heavenly.
However, others find it difficult to work (concentrate) while in their casual dress.
Most people feel like it is time to PARTY!
If you are not amongst these people and embrace a creative, vibrant, and colourful work environment, then you will like working in a graphic design studio.
Most of these studios do not impose dress codes, and your colleagues will undoubtedly be coming to the office wearing their trainers.
Do you consider yourself to be Flexible?
As we already stated, a graphic design career path is anything but stagnant.
Every single day will bring a new project, a new problem to solve (you can call it!), and a new creative challenge.
You will need a flexible mind to be able to handle all your client’s requests.
Also, graphic design covers a broad field of work.
If you are a freelancer, you might sometimes land a job where you have to design posters, whereas another client might want you to create labels for Ramen.
So you see, flexibility is crucial.
Even if you are an employee of a company, a change in project type is to be expected, and you need to be flexible or have a diverse skill set already.
Are you a Good Writer? If not, would you like to better yourself in the field?
Often clients will ask you to come up with a copy.
Now being a graphic designer, you must be great at visualising your ideas, but are your equally good at articulating them?
This is a skill that will help you up to your game on others, and having extra skills is always a good thing.
Now if you have answered affirmatively most of these questions, then the graphic design career path could be the right choice.
If you lack in some of the aspects above, then the career might become a bit challenging, but all the skills necessary can easily be acquired if you have determination.
With that being said, let’s look at some of the benefits that a graphic design career will bring you.
- As already mentioned, graphic design is a career option that is only going to grow as time passes.
- It involves brain work, which in turn will keep your brain’s plasticity intact.
- You do not want a rigid, narrow-minded brain, do you?
- More and more websites are being created every day.
- Your skills can help these webmasters by provided them with necessary infographics, custom logo design, and other graphic content.
- This area is something that cannot be compensated by using website builders.
- You can start blogging about your work and reach out to thousands of people.
- Your life will revolve around people who have similar creative inspirations as you.
- As you work, you will be inspiring your colleagues as they will be encouraging you.
Conclusion
We hope you found this blog post to be helpful, and if you do decide to venture into this profession, we hope for your success.
Do share this with your friends if any of them have had thoughts about a graphic design career path.
Also, if you are looking for an opportunity or a job vacancy in this area, you can follow this link.
