Lessons Learned In My First Year As A Designer
DATE: NOVEMBER 20TH 2023
TIME: 4 MINUTE READ
SUBJECT: TIPS
Hi there, it’s Brennah :) I’ve been a Junior Designer here at M+M since graduating from Eastern Washington University, and have been loving every second of it. It was both exciting and intimidating jumping into the field right after school, but I’m grateful for all I’ve gotten to experience so far.
If you’re in school for design or about to step out into your career, it can be scary, and I’ve been there. Sometimes the most helpful thing to do when you’re feeling uneasy about the future is to learn from others and hear their experiences, so I’ve put together a list of the 10 lessons that this first year of my own career has taught me.
There’s no reason to take yourself too seriously
I feel so lucky to work in such a creative career and have so much fun doing it. There’s so many projects to get excited about. I remind myself that I GET to do this for a living. Have a good time, make some mistakes, and laugh a lot.
This is the time to ask ALL the questions
I’ve made it a goal to be a sponge this year and soak in as much new information as possible. Don’t hesitate. Learn from others. Find people who are willing to help teach you and go from there, whether it’s your co-workers, people from networking events, or creators you like online, etc.
Asking for help shouldn’t be scary
I’ve forced myself to learn so much just by jumping in and saying “I need help.” People that care about you will always be willing to help you. Though I did learn a lot in school, it is impossible to learn everything you need to know in just a couple of years. If a question can’t be answered by someone in the office, I go straight to Google, and that’s fine! The design field is alwayssss changing, so you have to keep up with it somehow, ya know?
Be willing to say yes
There have been so many times in my first year that I’ve been nervous to take on a project because “I don’t know how to do that”, but I just roll with the punches. Say yes to taking the lead or simply just being a helping hand. I take every opportunity I can to be a part of every project.
How to communicate effectively with clients
While I’m usually sitting at my desk working and not in meetings, I’ve still taken time to hear how the team chats with our clients, understanding their needs and clearly explaining the process. I’ve learned the importance of a suuuuper thorough client meeting to set you up for success. I feel as though my little bits of eavesdropping will benefit me in the future ;)
So. Many. Hotkeys
I’ve picked up on so many methods of speeding up my design process through watching my co-workers work, asking questions, and looking things up. It’s also normal to forget a hotkey or tool after using it once, so making an effort to consciously use it even for a day helps solidify it into my workflow.
Get comfortable with pivoting
Take in all the feedback, reflect on it, and learn from it. Everyone has different opinions on your work, so you’ll always be either scratching it, changing it, or editing it (but always hold onto old versions just in case you end up going back!). I just keep movin’ and get to the winning version eventually!
Trust yourself
I often have to remind myself that I’m capable of creating great things and that I’m here for a reason. It’s so easy to start comparing yourself and imposter syndrome is so real. To this day, I still am hesitant to show my work to my team if I’m not confident in it, but getting feedback early on can be really helpful. Even if it still needs a little TLC, my team is always there to cheer me on and give out high fives.
Work with people you admire
The people you work with matters SO MUCH. Find people who support you and care about you. Make an effort to get to know the people you work with, learn how to work with one another, and find what makes their day better. I found a group of women that I admire as designers AND as people, and I am so lucky I did. Each person has their own design process and I get to learn something unique from everyone, everyday.
This is truly what I enjoy doing
This first year has solidified that I made the correct decision going to school for design, and that feels so good. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to get just a little taste of so many different projects and see all that goes into each one. Every day brings new tasks and new challenges that keep me learning and improving.
While everyone’s experience in their first year is different, I’m hoping that reading through my own experience was helpful. Jumping into a career can feel quite overwhelming, especially if you don’t feel 100% prepared, but showing up with a positive mindset and embracing opportunities to learn will get you into the groove of things in no time. Wishing you the best of luck!
