What do you wish you knew when you graduated?

Here's the discussion post Staci and I were talking about at the meeting on Tuesday.


If you are on linked-in you can join the AIGA discussion group that is then e-mailed to you when updated (daily). Awhile ago this post came up:

What do you wish you knew when you graduated that you know now?

The first important insight item that I would like younger designers and even seasoned professionals to understand is exactly what we are doing here. Networking. Its a huge advantage to know someone, to have worked with them in the past and to have done a good job while working with them. Long story short :: Network to get ahead. And be a cool, talented, down to Earth person while doing it. - Todd Bricker, Owner of Design Refresh

 

If a strong-willed client comes to you with a lot of terrible ideas for the design project you are working on for them, don't waste your time and energy trying to talk them out of it. It takes much less time and effort to make a quick comp giving them exactly what they think they want, and then present it side-by-side with the piece that they actually need. 98% of the time they will immediately see the error of their ways and start treating you like the expert they hired you to be. - Lynne Kelly, Managing Owner and Creative Director of Design Metamorphosis

Learn how to write. Learn how to articulate your point impressively and like an adult. So many people in my age group (most of whom are coming out of school right now) can't even put a proper sentence together or spell correctly. When you have to describe yourself on paper, write a cover letter, write copy, or write a proposal, your writing ability WILL say something to its reader about your level of professionalism and education. - Gabrielle Gozo, Freelance Graphic Designer at L.F. O'Connell Associates, Inc

 

Relationships are the most important thing in your career. Call it networking, call it friendship, but people will make the difference in your career. Mentors, co-workers and clients. Find those kindred spirits and build those relationships.

Give more than you get. Your job as a young designer is to prove yourself and improve in the process. You will be exploited; that's good business. You should make more money for your bosses than what they pay you. In turn, you help build a mentor's business and you learn and grow as a mature professional. All early jobs are in a sense paid apprenticeships.

Choose your employers wisely. If you're going to work for another designer make sure that you can learn from them. If you aren't learning from them, it's not a balanced relationship. If there isn't mutual respect, quit. Find people who are worthy of your trust and your time. When you've proven yourself, your employer should trust you to meet with clients and maintain those relationships. If your employer is threatened by you, it's an unhealthy relationship.

Client relationships are tricky. They are first professional. They can be friendly, but this is business. You must respect them, their aesthetics, likes and dislikes, their ownership of your ideas. Cultivate that mutual respect, earn their trust. If a client relationship becomes adversarial, you're in trouble. Practice honest self-evaluation. If you've been accommodating and professional but are being treated poorly- negotiate, compromise and complete the job. Next time they try to hire you, make sure you're too busy to take on their project.

Maintain your sense of play. Creativity is manifest in playful juggling of ideas and concepts. Always envision your creative source as infinite; you will have access to a bottomless well of ideas in your creative life. When you're stuck, go out and play. - Bill Dawson, XK9 Design

 

You can find the rest of the post here: http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=95409&discussionID=12166065&split_page=1