It is not
uncommon for students to land their first job right out of a graphic design degree in Singapore
through a lucky break only to realize a few months or years later that you are
ready to move on. Chances are that the second time around, you may not get that
lucky and may have to work harder to find yourself a job that you love and
enjoy.
Now that you have
some experience up your sleeve alongside a reputed graphic design degree from Singapore you must know how to leverage
this to your benefit and land a killer job. Here are some approaches that you
need to consider to find professional success.
·
Highlighting your
Accomplishments over your Capabilities
While knowing
how to use Photoshop or Illustrator is a skill set, using your experience with
these programs to land an expensive contract is what is considered to be an
accomplishment. Highlighting everything that you have achieved is a great way
to set yourself apart from the myriad of other designers who come with similar
training and technological know-how. Especially in an era when these skills are
a given in the field of graphic arts and design.
·
Elaborate on your Role and
not your Title
While you may
have held a rather ordinary title in your previous job, you can creatively
categorize yourself by highlighting specific skills. While doing so, make it a
point to be truthful about your capabilities. For instance, you may be
considered to be a Multimedia Graphic Designer in your previous job, but if
your core focus was on UX designing, highlighting this can help you set
yourself apart for software companies that are looking for more niche
experience.
·
Create More than One Resume
Instead of
writing a new resume for every job opening that comes your way, consider
creating up to 5 different drafts that highlight different sides of your
current job profile and experience. Just as mentioned above, you could use one
resume to highlight your experience in software and another to focus on your
experience as a designer. While the jobs that you are talking about can be the
same, but the descriptions can focus on varied experiences and projects that
are relevance to the company you are applying to.
·
Stick to the Basics
Many graphic
designers make the mistake of going all out in trying to create a visually
appealing resume that they believe will further highlight their aesthetic
sense. However, what works the best is to stick to your basics. Especially if
you are applying for corporate jobs you want to pass on a resume that is clean
and yet not dull.
Finally, make it
a point to work on an online portfolio right from the start. Your website or
portfolio should be able to highlight some of your best work in a way that your
skills are well represented. There are a number of online platforms that help
you host portfolios at no cost to the designer.
Summary
This article
discusses the various things to consider when trying landing a job in graphic
arts.
