HELP! Advice needed for careers!

[kal-el1990]

Hi all,

Ok so here's the deal! I'm in a job I hate and have been wanting to get into the design industry for some time but haven't been able to as of yet.

I'm after some advice really, I'm thinking of starting a small website to try and get some work (even if it's not much) to help get more experience.

Good idea? How to make it work?

Any tips would be massively appreciated!

 

[redmarvel]

I'd start by joining web sites for the design industry (Linked In?). See what's already out there. See how it's working for others. Make some connections.

 

[kal-el1990]

Thanks for the tip! I'm hoping that some of the guys here who are in the industry can help with some advice also!

Ive got some local work that I'm doing to try and get my name out and I just keep calling round design companies, no luck with that so far though!

 

[StarvingArtist]

Have any of your work online?

 

[kal-el1990]

I don't really have much graphics work online yet as like I said I'm in the process of getting a website up. I have a deviant art account (karate1990.deviantart.com) but that's mainly my just general art stuff. Still take a look and I'll put some graphics stuff up on there later

 

[Anita18]

You NEED to have a portfolio. No ifs ands or buts. Nobody will hire you if they don't know what you can do. I'm still working on my actual personal portfolio site (naturally if I'm going to be going into web design, I'll have to have my own domain and code the thing myself) but my main portfolio piece is right in my sig. Many people have told me it's a great example, but I need more. 3 websites is barest of bare minimums. You also can't really cold-call any design companies, they'll definitely want to see your work first. Best route to take would be to mock-up a resume that's really really really visually awesome and send that to them.

I've found some pro bono gigs from http://www.volunteermatch.org/ Obviously you won't get paid, but at least you'll get some actual design experience without being totally scammed like those crowdsourcing design sites. Doing crowdsourcing contests isn't real design, IMO. You whip up something pretty and hope for the best, while true design means having a conversation with your client and solving whatever problem they have.

Have you thought of going back to school? I'm taking classes part-time at a community college and the classes here are really not bad. (It helps that some of the instructors here also teach at the renowned and $$$ design school nearby. ) You'll get a portfolio and you can still work. It really helps if you've got a flexible work schedule like I do. My boss has been pretty awesome about the whole thing.