The Difficulties of Being Young...

There is a catch twenty two in the business world. This exists even more so in the design and marketing field. Most employers want to hire someone that has some reasonable experience behind them but still has fresh ideas and a youthful perspective on the current market. But to get experience you need a job but to get a job you need experience. How then are the recent graduates supposed to walk out of college into the business world and make an impact? Even more importantly land that coveted first job?

Some might say that if you are truly gifted no amount of experience can rival you. I don't think that is the case but that is not to say that being good is a bad thing. It is great if you are naturally gifted with design/marketing. You should feel extremely lucky. Realize that employers don't just hire you based on your experience or your portfolio alone. They look at the whole spectrum of talents and abilities you bring to the table and then make a decision from that. This may sound like a "Duh" statement but when you go in for those interviews, lead with you best foot forward. If you have a great personality, flaunt it. If you art a gifted artist, so them your masterpieces. If you work harder than anyone, make sure they are aware of your dedication. Sometimes these things can be shown in your resume and other times you need to find a different way of doing things. Even the little things matter so be sure to include show them off too.

Graduation came with a feeling of unlimited possibilities and this might be partially true. What I have discovered that though your professors may try to teach you everything they think you need, the reality is that there is so much to learn, they have only skimmed the surface. This is why employers want some experience behind you. The more you are exposed to the real life elements of the business world the more you learn. What could be the most beneficial component to a recent graduate is not necessarily what you know but who you know. It helps to have a friend that is willing to open that door to let you get your first big break. Most of time, people you know have been where you are (trying to land that job) and want to help you in any way they can.

Some post graduates move away. They go in search of the big city life where there is promise of making it big. Realize that you are not the only one with this thought. There are some advantages to moving to the big city though. Obviously there are more opportunities and possibilities but there are more ways to meet people too. Get involved! Meet people and befriend them because you can only look for so many possibilities. But having a few extra eyes keeping a look out for your perfect job can't hurt.

There are a lot of hardships that come with being young and trying to make it in the business world. But when you do finally make it, you have that feeling of accomplishment that makes the struggle worth while. These are undoubtedly one of the hardest moments in your life. Persevere.

Who Are We? (part:6) ...

This weeks designer needs no real introduction. He is by far the biggest name I have chosen to highlight since I began this dive into the graphic design history. I would have to think that at some point in every designers education this man would be brought to the forefront and honored for his contribution to our field.

Alan Fletcher is a graphic design god of his generation. He is from the earlier tradition of graphic design where computers where just a vision of the future and everything was created by hand. Those of us today who are either about to graduate or our careers are just starting to blossom probably have no real understanding for how this approach to design really took place. I am part of that group. From what I understand though, it was not easy and extremely time consuming.

Alan Fletcher's honors and positions are too many to list which should explain why when he died in 2006, The Daily Telegraph described him as "the most highly regarded graphic designer of his generation, and probably one of the most prolific". If you want to see just a few of his great accomplishments, check out his page on Wikipedia. One work of art that I would highly recommend to any graphic designer, or artist for that matter, is the book that he published in 2001 called "The art of looking sideways". It took him 18 years to complete this book and it is obvious that this was his life. There is an interview about the book on YouTube if you want to know more.

I am going to leave you with a quote from his book about design that I have always liked. "Who ever said pleasure wasn't functional?" - Charles Eames

Check back this week. I have some great post coming, I just need to do a little more reflecting on them before I can post them.

Who Are We? (part:5) ...

It is that time of the week again. This is the fifth installment of our weekly dive into the graphic design community. This weeks subject is a pretty big player in the New York scene and it is my guess that if you live within 100 miles of the big apple, you have almost had to have heard of him.

Michael Bierut is a partner of Pentagram, a design firm in New York City. His influence on the design community is obvious through his hundreds of awards and his commitment to leading multiple associations in a direction of betterment. He is a teacher, a writer, a public speaker, but first and foremost a designer. He has held positions as the president of the AIGA chapter in New York and now is president emeritus of AIGA National. He works with the Yale School of Arts as a senior critic in graphic design and has a weekly broadcast on Public Radio International called "Studio 360." All this only begins to brush the surface of what Michael Bierut has done for the Graphic Design community. To learn more about Michael Bierut check out Pentagram. There is a lot of really great work on their site and a great little bio that offers a more in-depth look at who he is.

As always, let me know what you think of this weeks player and if you have any suggestions as to who next weeks spotlight might be. I'm always looking for new people to research and talk about.

Are You Visible?...

One of the hardest parts about starting and maintaining a career in the graphic design field could be keeping yourself a visible player in your community. There is a lot of talent out there and as every semester ends more designers flood the stage with new and intriguing concepts on design. So how do you keep your head above water and allow yourself to be noticed. This is a good question because it pertains to almost everyone that is designing. Whether you are a free-lance designer trying to make it on your own or you are working for some big name design firm, you run the risk of falling out of view to those that matter most to your career.

Sometimes the littlest things like always being on time are what get you noticed and other times you have to push to stand out. One piece of advice that I would like to throw out there to you my readers is to participate. I think you all know this but you can't just sit on the side line and wait for someone to ask you to join the game. You need to be an active member of what is going on around you. This could mean many things. Joining AIGA seems to be a good place to start. This is a great way to keep up to date on what the designers in your area are doing not to mention a great medium to extend your designer network. What happens if you don't have an AIGA chapter in your town? Well, you could call up everyone you know who is a designer in your town and just get together for some drinks and talk about what each other is doing (basically that is what AIGA does but on a much grander scale).

I've said this before and I'll say this again, your network is the most important component to your career (check out my post from 9-19-07: Your Network: The Life Blood of your Career, to see what I mean). Knowing people and keeping up with them is the best way to remain visible. You never know when they might have something for you to do that could get you some attention.

One last idea that might work and that I have done a couple times is simply create a direct mail marketing plan for yourself. It sounds ludicrous but if you think about yourself as a product (when you are trying to find a job ... you basically are) it just makes sense. So make a postcard and mail it out to the design firms and in-house design shops. Even if you don't hear anything back you are still making yourself known. Who knows, they might have an opening that you might be perfect for that they might not have been advertising. I'm not saying it is a sure fire way to get a job but if you go in for an interview down the road and they remember those postcards, it could be that little element that pushes you to the front of all the other applicants.

Just remember that no one will no about you if you remain a spectator. Constantly be asking yourself ... AM I VISIBLE?

Who Are We (Part:4)...

Ok. I know I promised that every Monday I would post about someone in the Graphic Design community that I thought was worth knowing. I APOLOGIZE for faulting on my promise. It has been a difficult week (and it is only Tuesday!) but this week's highlighted designer is worth the wait.

Anyone out there who has had any formal training in graphic design has almost had to have had a little bit of history in the subject. You most likely have heard of Milton Glaser. Now to those of you from the Big Apple. This guy is like a hero. His designs not only re-ignited the worlds affair with New York but his " I 'heart' New York" campaign revitalized New York City, basically bringing it out of the modern dark ages and giving those that lived there a certain sense of self pride. Not many people can say that about their work.

Milton Glaser didn't stop there. He has since gone on to accomplish what most of us in the design community can only dream of. So if you are interested in Milton Glaser, check him out. He is truly an inspiration and a design role model. As always, I would like to hear from you as well. Let me know what you think about Milton Glaser or if you have any other people you would recommend that I check out.

It is a Mac-World...

This past year we have seen Apple Inc. gain fame and fortune through a couple of the new product launches. The iPhone has basically revolutionized the mobile phone industry and the new operating system, Leopard, is relatively new but introduces us to some pretty new concepts on desktop organization and work flow. With the Macworld Conference and Expo coming up next weekend, those of us who drool over the notion that Apple could be announcing new products or upgrades are licking our techie chops.

So what does Macworld have in store for us this year. The big rumor running around is that Apple is going to announce a new notebook line that is ultra-portable. Super thin and extremely light is the idea with a small 13" screen. I'm not sure if I would be interested in buying one, but I can see the demographic that would be and I don't see any other companies chasing after them (not yet any way). There is also mention that there will be demonstrations on new iPhone applications. The new applications are a direct result of iPhone users wanting more from their revolutionary phone. There are bound to be a few surprises but if there weren't no one would really get this excited over a trade show. So keep an ear or an eye out for the unknown this year. We will have to see if this year lives up to the hype that last year's show delivered.

Who Are We (Part:3)...

For the New Years, I thought I would highlight one of my role models in the graphic design community. He is known throughout the world for his role in developing the modern thought of graphic design and more than holds his own in the business world. He has been recognized by AIGA for his numerous achievements, his commitment to bettering the community that our profession revolves around, and obviously his incredible skills.

I hate to keep you in suspense but I thought it appropriate to outline this weeks Who Are We?? candidate before clueing you in on who this remarkable person is. Joe Duffy of Duffy & Partners is possibly one of the most influential players in the marketing and design field. If you haven't heard of him, well... you haven't done your research. His vision in branding is superior to all others and is most likely the reason for the success of his firm. Any design student from the midwest knows about Joe Duffy and every other student should. He is sought out all over the world for the almost guaranteed success of any branding project he is involved in. His designs speak for themselves but the clients speak even louder. To have clients like Pepsi, Bahamas, and Fresco in your rol-a-dex could only mean you are better than the rest.

If you don't believe me, than check out Joe Duffy yourself. If you never have heard of him, look up his firm's website, I swear you will not be disappointed. Let me know what you think. Well, until next time and keep an eye out, I plan to keep to my new years resolution!

Welcome Back!...

Happy New Year Everyone! It is 2008! So with the New Year starting up I thought it would be appropriate to discuss resolutions and goals. It is a tradition that at the beginning of every New Year we make a promise to ourselves to better who we are. Either we try to kick those bad habits or lose those few extra pounds, what ever it is, usually it is something that we have been meaning to get around to but just haven't found the motivation. Normally these resolutions revolve around our personal life but they don't have to. What I am saying is that instead of making a resolution to only better your health or personality (because that is usually what people do ex: lose weight, be more out going, be more honest, quit smoking, etc...), make a career resolution as well.

I think people tend to neglect their profession in ways that they may not notice. I know I am guilty of doing this. We all are in pursuit of that perfect job. Some of us out there have been fortunate while others are still fighting, but I think we can all benefit from a promise to ourselves to complete that project that has been sitting on the side at work for as long as we can remember.

Me, personally, I have made a resolution to put myself out there and increase my presence in the graphic design community. To do this I am going to be taking on more free-lance jobs, I will be posting a new website that accommodates my pursuits, I am going to become more active with AIGA, and I will be making TWO POSTS A WEEK! (just in case you can't get enough of me.) I am sure that there will be other ways for me to bring myself to the forefront and they will present themselves to me as I trudge through 2008.

I am curious about what you might be thinking as far as a work resolution for this New Year. I would like to hear what everyone is thinking or if you have any ideas for me. Any ideas would be great.

P.S. - I just started a new blog. There is not a whole lot of me talking but I have been posting my art on that site. Check it out! I will be starting 5 new paintings this month so also keep an eye out for those as well!