Professional Designer. Yay or Nay?

pro·fes·sion·al /prəˈfeSHənl/
Adjective
Of, relating to, or connected with a profession.
 
Interesting debate. Personally I think that the term professional should indicate in combination a minimum level of technical ability, creativity and definitely should require either or both of a minimum amount of hours per weeks spent in design and whether you're making enough to at least pay your bills. Please don't ask for specifics.. I wouldn't want to start putting figures to things, because I don't think I could!
I think 10 years is far too high a figure for the professional boundary, but I understand that it was just an example. I think 10 years would definitely qualify you to call yourself an expert though.
In response to the original question, I'm part-time freelancing and part-time (11 hours p/w) employed. Although I would say that for quite a few weeks I'm doing full time hours freelancing on top of my part-time employment, I've just gotta work on making it regular!
 
Sean Lee-Amies said:
In response to the original question, I'm part-time freelancing and part-time (11 hours p/w) employed. Although I would say that for quite a few weeks I'm doing full time hours freelancing on top of my part-time employment, I've just gotta work on making it regular!
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I'm similar in that I have one or two longer-term contracts that give me a good level of work every other week, so it's just about securing one or two for the other weeks.
 
I've been a Designer both employed and freelance for 23 years and I've never heard of The Chartered Society of Designers (CSD).
All sound a but stuffy to me.
I made myself a hat with "Proper Designer" on it and a badge made from a bottle top.
Seems to do the job.
 
Do you wear that in all client meetings to invoke a feeling of confidence in your abilities?
 
Scotty, I'm not going to to be happy until you've posted a photo of you wearing the designers outfit, consisting of no less than a hat and cape :p
 
I've been full time employed as a designer for 5 years, so would say I am professional. I'd probably say I became a professional after getting through my first jobs 3 month probation period!
I'd say I am a professional freelance designer / developer also as I bought my mac, studio equipment and software using only money earned from my freelance design work. It doesn't count if you buy it with your student loan :p
 
Sean Lee-Amies said:
Do you wear that in all client meetings to invoke a feeling of confidence in your abilities?
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I do as it happens.
I can feel the mood change if I take it off and then lift when I put it back on again. "Yay.......Boo.........Yay.......Boo"
I like to play with clients this way.
A cape? Hmmmm. Now we're talking. :nod:
Who'd like to join me in........ Designers Against Evil?
 
Hahaha, we should have a DF fancy dress meet up in our special designer outfits :D best one gets a free drink :p
 
scotty said:
I do as it happens.
I can feel the mood change if I take it off and then lift when I put it back on again. "Yay.......Boo.........Yay.......Boo"
I like to play with clients this way.
A cape? Hmmmm. Now we're talking. :nod:
Who'd like to join me in........ Designers Against Evil?
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I'm in, so long as one of tthe tasks is to rid the world of rip-off designers/illustrators, and crowd sourcing.
 
balders said:
So if it's your job then your a professional? I disagree, maybe after 10+ years in an industry then you can call your self a professional.
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This is an interesting statement. Formally speaking, if you are doing a job on a regular basis, you can be considered a professional. But "professional" also means performing the job in a professional way (skills, experience, work ethic). In other words, you can be a professional without being professional... does it make sense?
The time required to become proficient in what you do is in my opinion relative to how you spend that time. If you begin working in an serious ad agency right after school, you are surrounded by experienced designers, and you are a fast learner, then in three years you might overtake bunch of freelancers with more years of activity, more talent, but not enough experience.
What do you guys think?
 
It would seem that there is potentially two uses of the same word, in the same context. This could explain the variety of views on the subject. I completely agree with what you're saying Gianluca, about being a professional without being a professional. The two uses of the word would revolve around business activity within your profession, i.e. are you earning enough to pay the bills, and then separately, how well you do your job. Perhaps there's a third view, which is trying to take both aspect into account, instead of purely one over the other.
Perhaps another sign that this industry could do with a bit more regulation in some way. This also kind of relates to the whole issue of people calling themselves things like "Creative Directors" who are straight out of highs chool, for example.
 
I don't think there is a right/wrong answer to this, it's very subjective.
I still feel that if it is your job and you're paid to do it, you are a professional, regardless of how good you are. There are shitty professionals in all aspects of work, but it's still their profession, even if they aren't professional in their work.
Easy to see why this is such a confusing thing to get an answer for.
I really don't think time has anything to do with it. I've only been trading for just over 12 months and I would consider myself a professional designer.
 
I think it would more apply to total time in that profession, perhaps a combination of education and active working time. Do you think someone who has 'just' left uni or college should call themselves a professional?
 
Honestly if they leave straight into a full time job in the industry then yeah I'd see nothing wrong with them calling themselves a professional designer.
Someone who's 'just' graduated from med school should probably be called a professional in the medical industry, so why would it differ for design?
 
Yeah, you have a point. I wonder if it works the same for designers who choose to go straight into full-time freelancing?
 
I'd say so. If you jump into freelancing and you're paying all of your bills and sustaining yourself then I'd say that you warrant being a professional.
I think the issue is that the definition of the word professional is somewhat lost these days. Everyone assumes it to coincide with quality or experience, but to me that's not true. That would just be a good professional and experienced one.
Just like you have young professionals, inexperienced professionals etc.
 
Sean Lee-Amies said:
It would seem that there is potentially two uses of the same word, in the same context. This could explain the variety of views on the subject. I completely agree with what you're saying Gianluca, about being a professional without being a professional. The two uses of the word would revolve around business activity within your profession, i.e. are you earning enough to pay the bills, and then separately, how well you do your job. Perhaps there's a third view, which is trying to take both aspect into account, instead of purely one over the other.
Perhaps another sign that this industry could do with a bit more regulation in some way. This also kind of relates to the whole issue of people calling themselves things like "Creative Directors" who are straight out of highs chool, for example.
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I actually know someone who got a "Creative Director" position right out of college. It was laughable by many people because she barely graduated from the design program and her design skills weren't good. But she found a company to work for that gave her that title.

Funny side note, she ended up contacting me regarding an opening at my workplace at the time and instead asking what it entailed and if she would be a good fit, asked what it paid because she "wasn't getting paid what she was worth" at her current job.... :rolleyes:
 
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