Have you been thinking about switching your profession and perhaps work remotely? If so, becoming a graphic designer could be just the thing. This profession is in high demand at the moment, and the trend is likely to continue.
However, one should also consider that due to the popularity of graphic design, the market is a bit oversaturated. Veteran designers have established themselves and have a reliable network of clients. The new talent that enters the market will also have few problems if their work quality is outstanding. But what about those who may not be as gifted or lucky?
Well, if you are set on pursuing the idea, there are certain things you can do to improve your odds of succeeding.
Set on a Niche
If you are taking a route of learning the craft from scratch without attending a design school, think about what you would like to work on in the future. Having a flexible skill set is great, but you will struggle to cover multiple niches with a lack of experience.
For example, you could design your own shoes, t-shirts, face masks, hoodies, or other custom merchandise. POD stores are looking for graphic designers who can bring fresh design ideas to their products.
Ecommerce as a whole continues to grow. About 2.05 billion people have made at least one purchase online in 2020. The trend is understandable given the ongoing pandemic when even those who never shopped on the internet before had to change their habits. The growth is projected to continue in the future as well.
Of course, you do not have to limit yourself to just creating custom merchandise. Taking an entirely different approach and becoming a Twitch TV streamer is also an option. If you like to interact with an audience while showcasing your work, then the idea could be worth considering.
Lastly, there are multiple platforms that offer various freelancing gigs to design logos, social media content, or book covers.
The important thing to note here is that you need to settle down on an idea and stick to it to gain experience and become one of the best in the niche.
Work on Your Network
Landing your first client is often thought of as the most difficult part. Hardly anyone is willing to give a newbie a chance when there are so many established professionals who have a portfolio and references to back them up.
However, those who have been working as freelance graphic designers also faced the same problem – finding their first client.
At first, you should not focus on making the most amount of money. Instead, get the first job you can, even if it pays a couple of dollars. In fact, even a free gig will do for your first time.
The goal is to have someone you can use as a reference. For instance, if you are looking for gigs on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, a five-star review is worth more for the future since potential clients are more likely to hire graphic designers who have proved their worth and earned positive feedback.
Also, keep in mind that no matter how small a job is, it is still an addition to your portfolio. Clients will ask you to show them your portfolio.
Find Reliable Work Tools
You will need to invest in some work tools. For a graphic designer, a computer and a tablet are pretty much all that is necessary. In some cases, the latter is not even necessary when you are working with software that requires a mouse and a keyboard to do the work.
As for concrete suggestions on what you should get, it comes down to a budget. If you can afford a more expensive laptop or a personal computer, go for it. On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget, you will need to go with a cheaper option, though that should not be a problem because most graphic design software is not on the high-end of how many computer resources it needs.
A similar thing applies to a tablet (in case you get one). There are so many different options, and it would be worth your while to ask for some recommendations from other graphic designers and research reviews you can find on the internet.
Keep up With the Industry News
While there may not be that much significant industry news for graphic designers, it is still recommended to keep up with the most important trends. Many companies wants to hire web designer to build their website.
You do not want to miss a release of new software that revolutionizes the work or a new device that makes the work easier. Nor would you like to not know about available free resources.
Failing to adapt to changes puts your career in jeopardy. Where you fail, other graphic designers will gain an advantage and overtake you.
