It is common to go through rough patches when you are getting your career off the ground. For junior graphic designers, it is important to understand what challenges you’re facing and what you can do to overcome them. The set of problems for junior designers are different from the problems a senior designer or art director may face. Sure, there may be overlap, but here are some challenges that are unique to those that are early on in their design careers.
1. Bad habits from school
Getting rid of bad habits is challenging but not impossible. When you’re in school, it is easy to pick up and keep bad habits like sleeping late and waking up late, sitting on a couch instead of a desk, or procrastinating until the last few hours to get something done.
2. Not knowing what environment and style of working you prefer working in
Do you do well with a lot of structure? Do you prefer working on your own and then meeting with people or do you prefer working around people all day? While some of us need to work to maintain a livable income, it is also important to have awareness of what types of environments suit us. Over time, being in an incompatible environment can affect our job satisfaction. In extreme cases, it can start to affect mental health.
3. Not knowing your design niche
Early on in your career, you may not have a clear idea of what design niche you want to hone in on. While it isn’t necessary to hone in on one, it helps to set you apart from other designers. Whether it’s branding or packaging or font design, knowing your niche can give you insight as to how you, specifically, add value to a team or to a client. It’s common to not know what your niche is at the start of your career, but it’s also a great time to start to explore what it might be.
4. Deprioritizing community
Transitioning from school to work is a big change. The schedules might be vastly different. This is especially true if your first junior graphic designer job is a 9-5. You have a different relationship with the people that you see everyday. You will most likely have a boss. It can be tough but also exciting. Having a sense of community can help when the transition is hard to cope with. You may want to isolate and fall deeply into a routine, especially if you feel drained at the end of the day. However, don’t forget about your community. They are there for you as much as you can be there for them.
5. Thinking instead of doing
If you are coming from a school environment where every environment is meant to share ideas and knowledge and to be creative, it can be intuitive to think things through until it feels right to act. In some cases, that may make sense. However, there are also some cases where acting instead of thinking makes sense. Creative endeavors are one of them. Sometimes acting and failing can teach you more than thinking and succeeding on the first try. Try not to be afraid of failure!
Pursuing a career in graphic design is not for the faint of heart. It is a lot of work, with long hours, and plenty of people setting high expectations on you. However, the work that you produce and the passion that you feel for it can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences. The challenges you face as junior graphic designers can cause you to lose sight of the rewards of pursuing graphic design as a career. Even so, if you view it as an opportunity for personal growth, you can surprise yourself with what you can overcome. You’ve got this!