Some things I’ve learned over the years

Today I’m thinking about a couple of things I wish I’d been aware of when first starting out in a Graphic Design career 23 years ago.

1.) The ability to articulate the strategies you have employed in the creation process, and to explain the reasoning behind design decisions is essential if you want to be taken seriously. Effective communication skills can be just as valuable as being able to put together quality work in the first place when it comes to establishing your reputation as skilled and knowledgeable.

This can be a very difficult facet of the professional identity to establish for an introvert. But once I realized I was selling my career short by avoiding public speaking whenever possible, I forced myself to speak up in design review meetings. I practiced using the appropriate terminology. I studied the non-verbal communication signals of my colleagues and became aware that I needed to stop figeting, mumbling, and avoiding direct eye contact. Even now I still rehearse by talking to myself while driving as if I were presenting my work to a client or interviewing with a company president.

2.) There will always be people who consider professional designers to be similar to those who do arts and crafts as a hobby. There are otherwise respectful and sensible people who figure I spend my days “playing in Photoshop” or “making things look pretty” and accordingly place a low monetary value on all design work.

I realized eventually that it’s up to me, and other competent and thoughtful designers, to change the way our work is viewed in the world. Establishing Graphic Design as a valid and profitable career path is an ongoing battle. Making a point of comporting myself in a businesslike manner has been a good tactic so far. Attempting to educate those around me on the importance of good design by recommending well-written articles is also helpful.

So as my skills have developed and my aesthetic has become refined, my overall insight on the world I have chosen has also begun to mature. My journey of learning, self-improvement and becoming a better representative of the design community will continue: probably even after I retire in another twenty-something years!