You always find the 19yr old out of high school that was raised on Photoshop with his own section displaying his portfolio. You drool over his dual monitor setup and large wacom tablet, or read about his large studio apartment that he is moving out of and into one closer to the ocean for inspiration. His first word was pixel. Then it hits you like trying to pull through the last evening before you meet with a client to review your work, are you cut out to be a graphic designer? Do all designers have as many doubts as you?
I have summarized the suggestions for Freelancers into order of importance from my experience and knowledge struggling through college and out of it in the real world.
1. Your Portfolio - speaks the loudest, and by the way is it online?
2. Networking & Connections (online and in person) Create a list of your professional contacts and create a mailing list. Which leads to keeping in contact with them. Send them a postcard or E-Newsletters with images of your newest projects for other clients. Remind them that you exist and that your still working in your field.
3. Education
- Do you have the knowledge to provide quality service? Do you talk to fellow students? Check out what other students are doing as far as design, what unconventional avenues they are going down.
- I once asked a friend of mine in Prepress what her cards were going to be for and she said a pastry design company. How unique is that? Find your niche.
4. Expenses
- Can you cut costs for clients and yourself?
5. Working experience
- It definitely matters who you have worked for.
6. Integrity
- If you don't show this you wont get good reference.
7. Finding a place to be creative
- Often I have muddled through stacks of scribbled notes in my books hoping that an idea would miraculously come to me. It didn't, I had to uproot and find new ground like the pilgrims. Spread out at a coffee shop or better yet Borders. One very inspiring place that I have discovered is Huntington Library in Pasadena. It is a great place to grab a sketch book and hang out in the Chinese and Japanese gardens.
8. Ask for work
- I have found that teachers are your best mentors and want to help you find work. If they are working professionals and teach during the day time, they may even pass on work to you. This is given you build a relationship with them and get noticed. Ask a lot of questions.
9. Scheduling
- Allotting time to be creative when your naturally creative. A lot of us are not aware of our inner creative clock that keeps us on an unnatural schedule with the world. Just be aware of your feelings.
And I will probably add more to this list over the course of the evening.
10. Design Events
- What are they? AIGA (which I did not find successful, its a lot of students grappling at professionals attention and slumming over coffee wishing they were successful while in school) and then we have the big time Adobe Max and Photoshop World, where you will be bumping shoulders with professionals in a good setting. Think about the setting you will be in. Is it social? Or is it business and learning oriented? At a convention you will be bombarded with great association because the people there shelled out a lot of money to be at it and are not just there to get chummy. Real world advice is great in a lax environment, but connections and work are better.
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