Getting a job in the design industry is all about building up experience and making connections. In this episode we talk about how we’ve landed the creative roles we’ve had so far, and share advice for portfolios, job hunting, and nailing an interview.
Networking and making connections is one of the best ways to find a job in the design industry. Reach out to people who work at companies you’d like to work for on social media, or at meet ups, and make a genuine connection to find out what it’s like to work there. Remember though it has to be genuine, or they’ll feel like you’re using them.
Portfolios are more relevant than CV’s for the design industry. Think quality over quantity when it comes to figuring out what to include in it, and make sure you choose work that has an interesting process behind it to talk about in an interview.
Don’t wait for a company to be hiring to reach out to them. If you admire their work, get in touch and tell them how you’d be a great addition to the team. If there’s no position for you at the moment, they’ll be likely to remember you when one does open up.
00:30 – Intro & catch up
04:20 – Femke’s first job in the design industry
06:30 – Alternative application process
08:45 – Portfolios
10:50 – Charli’s job history
13:30 – Worrying about getting a job
17:30 – Process is more important than style
19:00 – The skills you need to be a designer
21:10 – Should you have case studies?
22:40 – Using your work to tell the story of your process
25:30 – Quality over quantity
27:40 – How to talk about your work in an interview
28:50 – Internships
31:10 – Networking online
38:30 – Where to search for design jobs
42:40 – Last words of advice
