10 years ago, I was fresh out of college and had no idea what I was in for. I had no clue what the design field was really like. I’d had an internship at a design firm locally, but I was still green when it came to the industry. If you’re like I was ten years ago, you’re probably like “Okay, I have this fancy degree (Or maybe not – If not it’s ok!) Where the heck do I start?

Believe me, I know just how you feel, because I was there. You have 2 options. Let’s talk about those 2 options and the best way to get out there.

Get a Job

Yeah, that’s easier said than done. It took me 2 years after graduating before I got a full time job in the field. It was terrible, but I worked on freelance design projects when I could get my hands on them.

It was tough, because in the city where I live, there’s 1 large University and a large technical Community College. The Community College actually had a better design program at the time. Anyone out of there was a real threat in the job hunt. Most design jobs were already taken, and when one opened up, there were hundreds of applicants.

The Pros of Getting a Design Job Out Of College

For one thing, you get the experience you need for running your own business. If you’re observant and nosey like I am, you could pick up on a lot of the administrative tasks that come with running a design business.

You also get real world clients, sometimes big ones, to add to your portfolio and body of work. Trust me, if you’ve worked with some of the larger companies in town, it’s easy to land good paying clients when you go out on your own.

You also build your confidence level. Confidence is super-important when working with clients. Otherwise, they’ll jerk you around, scare you into lowering your prices, and you’ll doubt your own capabilities.

The Cons of Working as an in-house Designer

You might get steady pay, and benefits, but there are a few downsides to working for someone else. Let’s take a look at a few of those.

• You make as much as your employer allows.
• You work on the projects they allow you to work on.
• You have to get a long with co-workers.
• You have to ask for vacations and time off.
• You have to be in the office, whether you actually have something to do or not.
• You live by their rules.
• You live your life around their schedule.
• You get to deal with office politics.

Freelancing

You can always start freelancing right out of college. It might be a little more difficult than if you worked as an in-house designer, but if you can survive the first six months, you should be in the clear.

The Pros and Cons of Freelancing As a Career Choice

The positive side of things tends to outweigh the negative. You get to be your own boss. You can set your own schedule. There’s no cap on how much you can make. You can get all of your work done on Monday and Tuesday, and take the rest of the week off if you’d like.

Once you’re established, you can pick and choose your clients. This means that you don’t have to work with people that you really can’t stand. The whole playing field is on your own terms, which I like personally. I’m kind of a control freak. I’ll take a vacation when I feel like taking one.

The downside is that you are responsible for everything. From accounting, to customer service, it’s your problem. Here’s a brief list of just a few things that go into running your own business and flying solo.

• You can’t focus 100% on design alone.
• You have to handle administrative tasks, too.
• You have to sit through meetings with clients.
• You have to handle planning.
• You have to take time out for invoicing.
• You even have to clean the office occasionally.
• You have to run errands, like running to the post office and paying bills.
• You have to answer the office phone every time it rings.

It’s you, and for a while, it will be all you.

Doing Both

Believe it or not, I did both for a couple of years. I started and built up my own design business while working full time as an in-house designer. This was extremely hectic, but it can be done. It takes a lot of organization, dedication, and late nights. I hope you don’t like sleeping. I had a family to support, so I couldn’t just quit my job. For around 18 months, 6 out of every 7 nights I only got about 4 hours of sleep.

That’s an entire guide by itself. That is coming in future weeks, so if you already work in-house and want to transition to owning your own business, be on the lookout for that guide.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve decided which route to take, you’ll need to promote yourself. This mini guide is meant to help you decide which path to take. If you don’t know your goal, how will you know when you’ve reached it? The next guide will cover self-promotion and everything you’ll need.