Thread: What employers look for in design grads!

Just found this blog post from late last year which may still be useful to current students/recent grads:

Creative Review - Question of the Week 01.09.09

Think CMF - capable, motivated and fit (fit in well, not how attractive!) - that's a big chunk of it.

Capable - I have met about-to-be graduates who aren't sure what crops and bleeds are. . . or Pantone colours. . . or what programme to 'do drawings' in. . .

Motivated - especially important if they are like the above - a willingness to learn

Fit - don't throw sickies ever, employers are not stupid - they will remember when they write your reference. (Unless they want you to go in which case they will say how wonderful you are - whether you are or not - just to get rid of you!)

Great reply Kate! :icon_thumbup:

I completely agree Kate.

I think so many design graduates don't have a real passion for design and this is reflected in their work and attitude to getting a design job. I rarely receive a CV from a design graduate that doesn't contain glaring spelling mistakes or doubles spaces or some typographical no-no. Even when I visit end of year design shows, the standard of basic things such as mounting work is really bad.

There are so many resources on the internet that there shouldn't be any excuses from design graduates that they don't know how to do the basics.

As well as the things already mentioned by other posters, my advice to any design graduate is that you must:
1. Know how to use Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
2. Be able to create clipping paths, masks, etc
3. Have a good understanding of how website are created
4. Have a decent understanding of creating print-ready artwork
5. Be able to spell
6. Be willing to learn
7. Have a good attitude
8. Be prepared to work long hours
9. Have pride in your work
10. Be able to work without constant supervision

It's a really difficult transition from the leaving the safe cocoon of the final year of a design degree to having to look for a design job in the real world. The graduates who can do all of the basics will hopefully progress, the other graduates who don't want to learn and put in the effort won't be able to make it in the design industry.

Originally Posted by sthomas

I completely agree Kate.

I think so many design graduates don't have a real passion for design and this is reflected in their work and attitude to getting a design job. I rarely receive a CV from a design graduate that doesn't contain glaring spelling mistakes or doubles spaces or some typographical no-no. Even when I visit end of year design shows, the standard of basic things such as mounting work is really bad.

There are so many resources on the internet that there shouldn't be any excuses from design graduates that they don't know how to do the basics.

As well as the things already mentioned by other posters, my advice to any design graduate is that you must:
1. Know how to use Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
2. Be able to create clipping paths, masks, etc
3. Have a good understanding of how website are created
4. Have a decent understanding of creating print-ready artwork
5. Be able to spell
6. Be willing to learn
7. Have a good attitude
8. Be prepared to work long hours
9. Have pride in your work
10. Be able to work without constant supervision

It's a really difficult transition from the leaving the safe cocoon of the final year of a design degree to having to look for a design job in the real world. The graduates who can do all of the basics will hopefully progress, the other graduates who don't want to learn and put in the effort won't be able to make it in the design industry.

I agree with all points except number 8 - if less people were willing to work long hours then it wouldn;t have become the "norm" and we'd all be able to spend more time in our homes that we spend so much time at work to pay for to not spend in time in, and with our loved ones that we see less than our work colleagues. It's one part of the design industry that really gets my goat, if designers agree to deadlines they can't meet, and do it often, then maybe they should re-think their deadlines when speaking with their next client and stop letting people think things can be done quicker than they can be - the end client doesn't care that you worked til daft o clock, you'll get no thanks for it (rarely, anyway), and then they'll expect things to always be done that quickly so the cycle continues. Grr.

Sorry, slightly off the point of the OP there.

Just to add something - one of the main reasons i got my in-house graphic design job is my personality and how well they thought i would fit in with the team. Personality is a MASSIVE factor when getting a job and one factor that is pretty damn difficult to change, but something you should be very aware of - if you appear to have an ego too big to fit through the door, you won't be liked. :icon_tongue_smilie:

I admit that while the whole design industry 'working late' thing is not good, unfortunately it still does happen. I just think that design graduates need to be prepared that they can't automatically expect to leave work at 5.30pm if, and when they get their first design job.

Apart from lots of design agencies expecting designers to work late to get work finished, there are also occasions when deadlines have to be met by clients that are based abroad. I've worked in agencies where an important client based in California makes a last-minute change at 11.00am (US time) which means that the designer in the UK is still working on the job at 7.00pm.

I think that as long as design graduates are flexible and are willing to put in the occasional long hours to get work finished then the majority of design agencies would appreciate that. However, if working late is something that always happens, then it's probably the right time to find a new design job.

Originally Posted by sthomas

I completely agree Kate.

I think so many design graduates don't have a real passion for design and this is reflected in their work and attitude to getting a design job. I rarely receive a CV from a design graduate that doesn't contain glaring spelling mistakes or doubles spaces or some typographical no-no. Even when I visit end of year design shows, the standard of basic things such as mounting work is really bad.

There are so many resources on the internet that there shouldn't be any excuses from design graduates that they don't know how to do the basics.

As well as the things already mentioned by other posters, my advice to any design graduate is that you must:
1. Know how to use Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
2. Be able to create clipping paths, masks, etc
3. Have a good understanding of how website are created
4. Have a decent understanding of creating print-ready artwork
5. Be able to spell
6. Be willing to learn
7. Have a good attitude
8. Be prepared to work long hours
9. Have pride in your work
10. Be able to work without constant supervision

It's a really difficult transition from the leaving the safe cocoon of the final year of a design degree to having to look for a design job in the real world. The graduates who can do all of the basics will hopefully progress, the other graduates who don't want to learn and put in the effort won't be able to make it in the design industry.

I have to say a big thank you for this post. Im nearing the end of my final year and will be sending CV's and portfolios to different design agencies around my area. I have everything you mentioned above )and a good personality) apart from number 4. We have never been taught about bleeding etc in uni, well we did once but it was never really expanded upon. Do you know any good websites where I could learn about bleeds etc?

thanks.

We produced a video on bleed last year - have a look - bleed in printing.

Here's a comprehensive guide to setting up crops and bleed:

Designing for Print – Setting Up Crops and Bleed