How to Land your First Graduate Job in the Design Brand Industry
Congratulations! Class of 2023! you’ve just graduated and are now prepped and ready to take the creative design world by storm.
Not quite? Well, that’s understandable. Landing that very first job is one of the most challenging parts of one’s career. You’re still determining how the job search process works. Still learning how to network, market yourself and what career path and job option to pursue.
After many years of helping candidates launch their careers in design, we understand the stressors graduates may face. It’s daunting for everybody – so don’t worry.
We aren’t Fairy Godmothers, but we do have some tips that might just sprinkle a little magic on your job hunt.
Take Initiative: The Creative Hustle is Real
Alright, let’s start by embracing the art of the hustle.
Now that no lecturers are around to hold you responsible, you’ll need to supercharge your self-motivation and drive in order to get your career off the ground.
Your journey will likely start with an internship. Some are paid and others are there simply to get experience with no long-term offer. Either way, they’re definitely worth it and an excellent way to get experience and a chance to shine.
Your aim is to get the agency’s attention and show them that you’re not just another pixel on a screen. Whether it’s through email, a witty social media DM, or carrier pigeon (ok, maybe not the last one), you’ll stand out best by showcasing fierce passion and deep knowledge. So, keep honing your craft even after you’ve taken off the cap and gown.
Research the agencies you’re eyeing, learn about their work, culture, and clients.
Design brand agencies rarely enlist the help of recruiters to find a junior. That means it will most likely be your own leg work that lands your very first role. Gabriele will often help graduates later down the line once you have a load of good internships behind you; then we’ll have a more mature portfolio to help us get you into that first Junior Designer role.
Sitting around and hoping for an agency to magically discover your existence won’t work- unfortunately. You’re going to have to reach out, shake hands – virtually and in real life. It’s all about taking initiative: Going further than any other person is willing to go, in order to set yourself apart from the crowd.
Harness social media: It’s more than cat videos and challenges.
Now you’re a fully-fledged member of “the real world” it’s time to view social media a little differently.
No longer is it just for sharing memes and stalking your ex, it’s now your greatest tool for making industry connections and finding roles. In fact, we strongly advise leveraging its power to help your job search.
Studies have shown that three out of four hiring managers will search for a candidate’s social profiles, so it’s worth honing your accounts to help you with your career goals.
Sites like Instagram and Linkedin are treasure troves of networking opportunities.
Firstly, segment work life from play. Creating an open, work-focused account that acts as a portfolio. It’s a cost-effective alternative to creating a personal website. Everything else, keep private.
We advise following your favourite design agencies, their creative directors, and even their office pet if you must. Engage thoughtfully, share your own design journey, and drop the occasional *wow-I-just-learned-something-cool* comment to show your interest.
Always do your Googles.
You should assume that employers will look at your social media profiles before inviting you for an interview.
At the very least, a potential employer will Google you, so get yourself workforce ready by performing an online information audit.
Google your name in incognito mode (so your search results won’t be affected by your browsing history) and check what comes up. If you find any inappropriate posts or photos, access the relevant account to remove them, or tweak your privacy settings.
You’ll still want hiring managers to find you, so keep some information public such as your employment history, location, and professional skills.
No matter how stringent your privacy settings, people will always be able to see your profile photos on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, so make sure you’re happy with these.
Create a Portfolio: Your Creative Playground
If you’re a Creative in the design game, you should have a portfolio that screams “I’m competent and ready to make your clients look like a million bucks.” Whether it’s an Instagram page, website, or a physical book, your portfolio should showcase your range, skills, and personality.
Include your university projects, freelance gigs, and even that poster you designed for your best friend’s start-up. Each piece should tell a story about your design journey and what you bring to the table.
Beef up your CV
If you don’t have an abundance of experience, your resume should reflect examples of your soft skills —such as communication, punctuality, honesty, self-motivation and other traits that reveal your quality as a person and a desirable employee.
One top hack is to play back any keywords mentioned in the job ad.
The average recruiter spends just seven seconds reviewing a CV, so you want to make it punchy, and impactful. Include only the essentials – no headshots or addresses necessary – simply statistics and keywords that will catch the eye of your dream employee as they skim through.
Contact Your Dream Agencies: Slide into those DMs… Again
Imagine this: you send an email to your dream agency, eagerly awaiting their response like a kid waiting for the ice cream van. But, life happens, and that email gets lost in the digital jungle.
So, what do you do? You follow up! And then you follow up again.
Politely remind them of your existence, express your continued interest, and maybe even drop a line about a recent project you admired from their portfolio.
Persistence shows you’re serious and that you’ve got the tenacity to handle agency life.
Landing that first job isn’t about waiting for the universe to align; it’s about making your own cosmic dance. Take the initiative to reach out, embrace social media as your networking playground, curate a portfolio that dazzles, and don’t be afraid to remind your dream agency about your awesomeness.
Your journey from graduation cap to agency desk is bound to have a few plot twists, but armed with these tips, you’re ready to pen your very own success story.