Talented, creative people do not always receive the exposure and recognition they deserve. It can take a lot of hard work to show the world just how much you have to offer as a designer.
In fact, professional progress in the field of design typically owes as much to success at attracting attention as it does to skill. The following seven options are consistently among the best for young designers to use to breakthrough.
- Enter Design Contests
Designers tend to prefer solitary work to the kinds of competitive activities that often attract people of less-creative temperaments. There are quite a few opportunities for young designers to compete against others and gain exposure, though.
One company hosts an online portfolio for students who rise above the rest in its design contests, for instance. Winning such an award will always be a great way to attract the attention of people who matter.
- Attend Conferences
Networking is a key to success in many professional fields, and design is undeniably one of them. Young designers typically lack access to the networking opportunities that professionals leverage to rise higher in the field.
One proven way to get started is to attend conferences where there will be many other designers. There are many conferences worldwide each year that bring together both leaders in the field and up-and-coming design specialists.
- Rework Existing Designs
Young designers sometimes assume that others are only interested in their most original creations. In fact, begin able to refine and improve on an existing design often proves even more valuable.
An effective way to attract some positive attention is to rework an established design, even if the work is unsolicited. It might not take long at all to elevate an existing website or user interface design, for instance. Showing the results to the owner could yield a project commission or some other sort of future work.
- Leverage Social Media
Influential designers today are often especially active on social media networks like Instagram. It might not be realistic to amass a huge following right away, but young designers can leverage such platforms effectively themselves.
Simply being active on one or more social networks will inevitably produce some exposure for a designer. Making connections with others in the field will pay off in the future, as well.
- Help Out Some Nonprofits
Worthy nonprofits are almost always looking for help, and design work can be truly valuable to them. Volunteer to create some new digital assets for a local nonprofit, and you will almost always gain some exposure.
- Offer Freebies
Most designers are always working on projects, not all of which end up being commercially viable. It can easily make sense to gather up some past output and offer it for free to the world at large. That can generate a lot more traffic for a website or social media page, along with the associated exposure.
- Write a Book
Even young designers who have plenty of professional development ahead of them often have much to say about their chosen field. Write an e-book that delves into the design from a fresh, interesting angle, and you can use the buzz that results to shine a spotlight on your work.
It can be challenging to break into the industry as a young designer. Try some combination of the seven approaches above, though, and you should end up making plenty of progress.