The 5 key questions that I have researched over the past 10 weeks are:
Who am I – who are they ?
Where are they – How will they find me ?
How will I promote myself – what do they want to hear ?
Who else is out there – how good are they ?
From this research here are 10 short but informative statements that identify my distinctive ‘positioning’ as a Graphic Designer:
1. My ambition for when I graduate, is to join a successful design company and indulge in editorial layouts and typography.
2. I would prefer to work in an open environment which contains a wide range of skilled people, for example, illustrators, photographers.
3. I would like to jump at the opportunity to work part time as freelance Graphic Designer, this would be alongside a full time job.
4. I hope that one day I have to courage to work primarily as freelance Graphic Designer, or to start up my own business.
5. I intend to go abroad, hopefully to New York but maybe Australia as I have family over there, and work for up to a year to gain experience and recognition.
6. I consider my skills in software such as Photoshop, Illustrator etc, to be of a high standard. I also tend to grasp new software fairly quickly.
7. I would like to gain a wide range of local, national and European based clients, containing successful businesses as well as the small ones.
8. My main source of communication would be e-mail, as this proves the most successful and fastest method of communication across borders.
9. I will continue to host an Online Portfolio as I feel this is one of the best ways to promote myself, and will keep it updated with new projects.
10. I intend to be over ambitious throughout all of my career.
How will I promote myself – What do they want to hear?
Whether I become a freelance graphic designer when I graduate, or go into a business, I need to learn how to promote myself and get myself noticed. I will need to let people know who I am, and the areas on Graphic Design I specialise in.
If I was to become a freelance Graphic Designer, I would need to be constantly getting in contact with businesses and building up relationships with potential clients. General chats on the phone, as well as organising face-to-face meetings where I could potentially hand out my business card and gain contacts. Getting my work out there in exhibitions/fairs etc would also prove useful in getting myself noticed. I could not only sell my products, but also my services.
When applying for a job, something that I will need to take great consideration of is my CV. Having a well laid out creative CV could not only be what determines whether I get the job or not, but could also be something that if it's not what they're looking for, can pass along to someone who is looking.
The Internet is now very popular, and is even the main source of contact for some businesses. It is a great place to show your work through an Online Portfolio (website), which is something I am currently working on www.heatherbradley.co.uk. Not only does it allow me to show my work, it can include shopping facilities, which if successful, could allow me to create a profit from it. Having a well laid out and attractive webiste could allow me to gain clients. In terms of promoting this website, it would be something that would be on the back on my business card.
Making myself a member on websites such as Behance.net (http://www.behance.net/HeatherBradley) and other websites where I can create a portfolio, allows me to get noticed as designers/business members search on there on a weekly basis looking for employees.
In terms of a business card, this again would have to be well laid out and look attractive. It should somewhat show my skills and encourage designers to want to see more.
These are all things I should be beginning to do now, not just when I graduate. Building up an image and gaining contacts is something that would put me in a better position, not only when I graduate, but also when looking for work experience throughout this year and the next.
If I was to become a freelance Graphic Designer, I would need to be constantly getting in contact with businesses and building up relationships with potential clients. General chats on the phone, as well as organising face-to-face meetings where I could potentially hand out my business card and gain contacts. Getting my work out there in exhibitions/fairs etc would also prove useful in getting myself noticed. I could not only sell my products, but also my services.
When applying for a job, something that I will need to take great consideration of is my CV. Having a well laid out creative CV could not only be what determines whether I get the job or not, but could also be something that if it's not what they're looking for, can pass along to someone who is looking.
The Internet is now very popular, and is even the main source of contact for some businesses. It is a great place to show your work through an Online Portfolio (website), which is something I am currently working on www.heatherbradley.co.uk. Not only does it allow me to show my work, it can include shopping facilities, which if successful, could allow me to create a profit from it. Having a well laid out and attractive webiste could allow me to gain clients. In terms of promoting this website, it would be something that would be on the back on my business card.
Making myself a member on websites such as Behance.net (http://www.behance.net/HeatherBradley) and other websites where I can create a portfolio, allows me to get noticed as designers/business members search on there on a weekly basis looking for employees.
In terms of a business card, this again would have to be well laid out and look attractive. It should somewhat show my skills and encourage designers to want to see more.
These are all things I should be beginning to do now, not just when I graduate. Building up an image and gaining contacts is something that would put me in a better position, not only when I graduate, but also when looking for work experience throughout this year and the next.
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