I Couldn't Even Get an Internship.... Here is What I Did Instead!

 So, this post goes out to all the budding designers out there looking for their first job. Sooner or later, you may be asked to take part in an (unpaid) internship. 

Back in 2010 I was caught up in this quandary. All the local shops around were "mom and pop" operations. I must have called or visited every one of them I could think of....only to end up empty handed.

Have you run into a situation like this? You just want to get a foot in the door....(keep in mind that in the early 2010s we were going though one of the worst recessions nationwide, so that made things even tougher.)

A "mom and pop" kind of venue, as you may have guessed, is family owned and operated, and they're not likely to want to hire someone they've never heard of, no matter what kind of education they've had, or talent. And yet, you have no idea if you're going to be able to get a "real" job without any experience. The ultimate catch-22 am I right?

Well, I'm here to tell you that I have been in your shoes and I know what a frustrating situation this can be. But I also want to tell you not to give up your God-given talents just yet.

My husband told me that if I couldn't find a job, I was just going to have to create one instead.

So I started out looking into avenues. Freelancing came to mind....although, yeah, there's that "experience" thing again...Once you build a little experience in the form of good reviews from clients, which are great forms of social proof that you are dependable....you're golden - but how to get there?

Ask some of your friends and family for help. Do some work for them, even if it's "busy work" - after explaining the situation to them, they will understand better and be glad to help. Ask them to give you some good ratings.  Be willing to do this for free for a little while. It will definitely serve a purpose to keep you from being in that "too new....never been used, no track record" condition that makes people leery.

Another thing that you can do is, perhaps, start a blog, kind of like I'm doing right here! You may not know this yet, but blogs can be worth a fortune....if done right, that is....If your writing is stellar talk about your experiences studying graphics, about the software you use, things you're learning...once you build up enough traction in search engines, you can think about monetizing your blog, one way is through affiliate programs (check to see which graphic art programs do have them) or ad revenue. It's a long game, and freelancing might be quicker to build up, but that's something to think about. 

(By the way, as of late in 2018....the graphics department at the school I attended has closed down. I am unsure if there was a lack of opportunity, who knows, maybe I wasn't the only one that struggled to lock down a job post-graduation....)

But even if that's the case, don't let that bring you down. People are looking for design work all the time, not everyone has talent, or the time to get it done and they will gladly pay for the labor, so keep your chin up as you scout out opportunity! Good luck!