$ DOWN to BUSINESS a designer’s guide to landing a job without losing yourself
DOWN to BUSINESS a designer’s guide to landing a job without losing yourself
TABLE of CONTENTS $
1
9
INTRO 3 JOBHOLDERS LETTER 5 STATE OF THE MARKET 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PRODUCT 11 MAKING THE CUT
13
17
27
PLACE 15 NETWORKING AND
PROMOTION 19 THE RESUME 23 PROMOTION GUIDE 25 THE FUTURE
PRICE 29 SALARY STATISTICS 31 AVERAGE SALARY 33 LOCAL QUOTIENT
DUNBAR’S NUMBER
APPENDIX 35 SURVEY RESULTS
3
TO THE potential
JOBHOLDERS Many of you, like myself, are facing one huge predicament in the coming months: unemployment. While some have been lucky enough to land a
full-time position before fashioning their cap and gown, many of us are in a situation that looks kind of like this:
U.S. PO100% PULATI A ON 3.12 B ILLION P EOP PLE you are here
$
$
U.S. POPULATION LABOR FORCE UNEMPLOYED
49.4% you’d like to get here
9.1%
Even before the economic downturn (a term that, 3 years later, I’m pretty tiered of hearing) many people assumed that graduating with any type
of art degree was useless. I’ll admit, I was a bit weary of the starving artist
stereotype, so I chose to couple my BFA in Graphic Design with a marketing
degree from the business school. Interestingly enough, I’ve seen that b-school
graduates aren’t leaps and bounds ahead of my fellow BFAs academically, but they do have the upper hand when it comes to searching for employment. Even with a solid understanding of the job search process, the b-school approach to interviewing left me feeling a bit artificial. I’ve put on the
suit and played the part, but always felt like I was acting a part instead of
being myself. That’s why I seized the opportunity to redefine the job search and outline a relatable plan for entering the workforce. With any luck,
this exploration will help you and I stay out of the 9.1% of unemployed Americans and rejoice with the gainfully employed.
POPULATION GROWTH (MILLIONS)
350 290 230 170 110
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
50
NO OFFICIAL RECORDS 1900
FARMING
MANUFACTURING
SERVICE
INDUSTRY SEGMENTATION
38% 31% 31%
5
THE STATE OF U.S. EMPLOYMENT Employment statistics have changed dramatically over the past 100 years. Technological advancements, economic turmoil, and dramatic population growth have transformed the job market, pushing a majority of the population away from traditional trades towards jobs in the service industry. The days of scouring the Sunday paper for jobs are long gone, and it is imperative that we update our job search techniques to match this new environment.
8% 6% 4% 2%
1950
2011
FARMING
MANUFACTURING
SERVICE
3% 19% 78%
i’ve got
OTHER (formal) design training
what do you mean by formal?
extensive
sorry
experience
this guide is probably
professional
or accredited
alternative
training
7
NOT
for you
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There is something so intimidating about looking for your first job. Landing a position marks the accomplishments of your undergraduate career while serving as the final, official step into adulthood. That being said, I still get
a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of messing up an
interview. In the past, rejection letters have felt like personal attacks, using
overly polite terminology to soften the blow of defeat. I’ve since realized that I need a more positive, constructive outlook on the job hunt. Instead of looking at each job as a prize to be won, I’ve adapted a marketer’s mentality and
started defining my job search in terms of the traditional 4 Ps of marketing: product, place, promotion, and price. Today, starting the search for employment is like entering an extremely
competitive market where supply is high and demand is low. With hundreds
of applicants all competing for each open position, it isn’t enough to aimlessly throw your resume at potential employers. You must develop and manage your personal brand in order to be sure your information reaches the right people. That is where the 4 Ps come in.
This guide serves as a crash course in personal brand management, and you already have all the tools necessary to get started. You are the product, your existing social networks define your place, your resume/portfolio serve as promotional pieces, and your salary and benefits serve as your price. By
gaining an understanding of all 4 areas of your personal brand, you will
be able to develop a cohesive brand image and effectively target the best positions for your skill set.
It’s time to change the way we approach the job hunt. Instead of drafting
a resume and hoping for the best, we must take the time to build a strong
personal brand that will effectively target potential employers. We must stop
looking at ourselves as applicants, and instead see ourselves as products that can fill the needs of potential employers. It’s time to get down to business.
PRODUCT Let’s start by taking a step back and looking at the job hunt as a whole. Even if you know very little about marketing and sales, it’s easy to see that the
job search process is essentially a sales pitch. By looking at yourself as the product and potential employers as your target market, you can begin to
develop a strategy to make yourself more appealing in the eyes of recruiters. No company would introduce a product to the market without first doing
research on their target consumers. In the same way, it is important for you
to look into a company’s history, values, and culture before applying for an
interview. You need to be sure that your skills and experiences make up the
kinds of product attributes that match what employers are demanding. This preliminary research will also help you realize which companies match up with your personal interests and values. If you’re not excited or interested
when researching a company, you probably won’t be excited or interested in your work either.
While understanding your target market is important, it is crucial that you
also develop a clear understanding of your own personal product attributes.
First, define the basic skills necessary to make you competitive in the market, and then focus on what makes you different from other potential employees.
If you are able to clearly define your unique talents and skills you will be able to gain a competitive advantage over your competition.
Defining your unique place among competition is crucial to your success. By understanding and playing up your best attributes you will make it almost impossible for potential employers to pass you by. If you devote time to
figuring out what both you and your potential employers have to offer, you are more likely to make a great first impression in an interview.
9
5
1 AN ARM AND A LEG 4-5 years of college tuition, housing, study abroad, books, & supplies
2 ELBOW GREASE
3
6
8 final exam weeks, hundreds of credit hours, studio projects, group projects, research papers, & countless assignments
3
1
3 RUBBING SHOULDERS
7
2
4 career fairs, 2 networking events, career classes, interview prep, & alumni relations events
4 A LEG UP 2 summer internships, countless extracurriculars, 4 leadership positions, & 1 part time job
Gave Got
1
4
5 AN OPEN MIND 2 random roommates, students from hundreds of countries & cultures, new schools of thought
6 HEART AND SOUL Passion projects, community service, late nights, long critiques, failures, & successes
7 A STRONG STOMACH Hundreds of lessons in criticism, strength, courage, drive, & gumption
11
MAKING THE CUT so to speak Competition in the job market is growing fiercer by the minute. With more and more high school graduates moving on to complete higher level
degrees, a college diploma has become more of a point of parity than a point of differentiation. Translation: a degree is necessary to make you competitive, but it won’t help you stand out. To overcome this dilemma and stand out to
potential employers it’s important to develop a
clear understanding of your personal strengths. Much like marketing a product, you’ll want to understand and emphasize the unique skills,
experiences, and qualities that make you better than other applicants.
Start by defining your general product
attributes. As a designer, you most likely have a knack for visual design and an ability to
develop unique solutions to problems. Maybe
you excel with group work and have a passion
for understanding new cultures. Whatever your key product attributes, it is important to gain a
clear understanding of yourself and point your
search towards positions that are right for your unique skill set.
With your personal product attribute defined, you can start searching for positions that
speak to your strengths. While not every job
description will fit you to a tee, it is important to keep an open mind and look for positions
of interest. If the interest is there, you are more likely to do the work necessary to tailor your
promotional materials later. This will be covered more thoroughly in coming sections.
After defining your direction and pinpointing
potential positions, move from finding general
attributes to more specific characteristics. Before applying for a position, carefully study the job description and search out information about company history and culture. You’re going
to want to tailor your marketing efforts and
specifically target each potential employer, so research is imperative. Define specific events and experiences that make you the perfect fit for each job. Look critically at the skills
gained during your undergrad and select solid examples to help strengthen your personal
brand. These will help make up your unique
selling points and show recruiters how you can bring immeasurable value to their company. Taking the time to tailor 15 resumes to
15 different job postings may seem time
consuming, but it is much more effective than blindly throwing resumes out to hundreds of open positions. By understanding what you
have to offer you will be more likely to stand out among the competition.
13
PLACE It seems like the term networking has been used in excess lately. The onset of social media and social networking has pushed the practice of making
connections out of the boardroom and into the daily lifestyles of mainstream
Americans. There are more ways than ever to connect with people from your past and present in order to build stronger, more meaningful relationships in the future.
Traditional business practices emphasize the importance of expanding
your network. Cold call emails and job fairs are intended to broaden your professional horizon and bring about potential career opportunities in
the future. While beneficial in theory, the truth of the matter is that many
people don’t have the time or motivation to build and maintain any more
relationships than they already have. The what’s in it for me mind set often
kicks in, leaving your new professional connections less than interested in helping grow your career.
Instead of working to expand our professional network we should look to the social connections we’ve already established for help. Old classmates, colleagues, and friends may be the link you needed to land your dream
job. Social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook make it even easier to pinpoint these gold mine connections by pointing out mutual friends and professional links between users.
It’s a well known fact that most people will help their friends and
acquaintances get ahead over people they’ve never met. With over half of
the positions available never posted on job boards or company websites, it is important to tap into our existing networks and look for relationships with professional potential.
a theory that relates the quality of each
NETWORKING and DUNBAR’S NUMBER
relationship to the amount of time and effort
you spend maintaining it. This proportion forms
a ripple effect, dividing your 150 closest contacts into groups of 5, 10, 15, 100, and 150. While
Have you ever met someone at a career fair or networking event and known instantly that
you’d never hear from them again? There may
be more to blame that pure disinterest. Professor
evolutionary biologist
from the University
of Oxford, formulated the theory known as Dunbar’s Number that
may help to explain
the reason behind this
potential professional contacts.
high
Your closest contacts, or kin,
may actually have very little in common with you. These relationships are usually formed early in life, and
result in an unexplainable high
EMOTIONAL VALUE
disinterest.
According to Dunbar, it is almost impossible for humans to hold meaningful relationships with more that 150 different people (give or take).
It is a cognitive challenge for the human mind to keep track of more than 150 contacts, and
it is too time-consuming to invest our limited
time into relationship building. This means that professionally, as well as socially, you need to carefully consider what it is you expect your
professional and social networks to accomplish,
and whether joining a network or circle is going to be worthwhile. If you are looking to enjoy
benefits from increasing your network size, you may need to reconsider what the term ‘benefits’ means, and how you will gain them once your network reaches 150 people. While there has been no clear way to compare the value of
these 150 relationships, Dunbar has constructed
15
must look into your wider circles to track down
PROFESSIONAL VALUE
anthropologist and an
may hold the most emotional value, you often
low
Robin Dunbar, a British
those in the circle of your closest 5 relationships
low
bond that neither time nor distance can break. There is most likely a common
interest linking you and those in a weaker group of relationships. These common interests often translate into the professional world, making your outer ring of contacts the most valuable place to look for professional connections.
Those in this circle most likely feel a strong
enough connection with you to vouch for your skill level and character, giving you access to exclusive positions.
low
ACQUAINTANCE ‘we should get coffee,’ with no intention of ever meeting up
EMOTIONAL CONTACT AND PHYSICAL INTERACTION
WEAK ‘we should get coffee,’ and meaning it
MODERATE monthly lunch dates
STRONG weekly lunch dates
high
KINSHIP couldn’t get rid of them if you tried
KINSHIP VS FRIENDSHIP The difference between friendship and kinship is that kin won’t fall apart with time and distance, “you can abuse your kin and they’ll still come back to you,” says Dunbar. Dunbar argues that having lots of kin means having fewer friends. Kinship is more about similar social groups, and geographical locations, whereas a friend, defined by Dunbar, is a person with whom you can have a personal reciprocated relationship where you are willing to do each other favors.
17
PROMOTION In 1990, the World Wide Web went public and changed the way we do absolutely everything, including the way we look for jobs. Today it is
almost unheard of to look for an open position in the print classifieds,
making websites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder increasingly popular. Employers expect every email to include an electronic resume and link to a portfolio, and few appreciate the value of physical pieces sent through the
mail. This brings me to third and arguably most important P, promotion. Your resume and portfolio are often the first impression on an employer, and they must convey your personal brand as effectively as possible.
As a designer, it is crucial to treat your resume as a chance to showcase your typographic skill. Take as much, if not more care in planning its overall
visual hierarchy as you do in developing descriptions of your experience. A candidate with little experience and an expertly designed resume may have
an advantage over someone with subpar design and excellent credentials. The same goes for the presentation of your portfolio. Your web, electronic, and
physical portfolios should feel cohesive and show a wide variety of your best work. It is crucial to tailor your resume and portfolio to match each potential employer’s company culture. This extra step shows you’ve done your
research and have a personality that will mesh well with current employees. One of the most difficult aspects of self-promotion is the fact that it is constantly changing. Many of today’s trends, such as LinkedIn and
VisualizeMe, point towards a future that totally eliminates the need for a
physical resume and portfolio. Graduates must concentrate on keeping their promotional efforts current in order to keep ahead of the competition.
Resumes are no longer considered a formality. Potential employees are expected to present one before landing a position
HISTORY of the RESUME
Resumes feel more personal than professional. Candidates include height, weight, age, and marital status as pieces of crucial information
1482
Resumes are basically a formality. Scribbling a few of your qualifications out on scrap paper is considered a sufficient resume
Expected inform from personal characteristics to and qualification start to look mor resume of today
1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s
....
450 YEARS LATER
Leonardo Di Vinci writes the first resume
D t W e p
mation shifts
Check yoself before you wreck yoself... background checks become commonplace among employers
1970s 1980s 1990s
o interests ns. Resumes re like the
Fax machines enter the scene as the hottest new technology of the late 80s. Sending resumes becomes much easier and more efficient
Interactive resumes are the newest, most unique way to present your skills and qualifications while showing personality and creativity
.com boom drastically alters the way we do almost everything
Email trumps the fax machine as the most efficient, effective way to send your information to potential employers
The face o changes o youtube re become p potential j
Sleeker, more modern versions of the VHS portfolio become popular. More internet, less VHS
Social media begins to connect us professionally as LinkedIn hits the internet
.... .COM BOOM SUDDENLY PUSHES US THE EQUIVALENT OF 450 YEARS FORWARD, SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT
Disco and digital typesetting hit the scene. Word processors help elevate the level of professionalism expected
The World Wide Web goes public. Welcome Monster.com and Careerbuilder to the scene
2000s
Our first of many embarrassing uses of technology: the VHS portfolio is introduced. Tacky
Backgr 1985. G making a breez the ide brandin
of the resume once again as esumes popular among job candidates
n
Infographics start to take over traditional resume layouts, hinting at big changes for the future of the resume
frostm@indiana.edu | (219) 308.8227
Permanent: 12108 Wallace Street Crown Point, IN 46307
EDUCATION Indiana University | Bloomington, IN
May 2012
Kelley School of Business GPA: 3.6/4.0 Bachelor of Science in Marketing Direct admission to the Kelley School
Henry Bradford Hope School of Fine Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
EXPERIENCE Assistant Art Director| Bloomington, IN
October 2010 - Present
Mediaworks Advertising - Collaborated with production coordinator to prioritize multiple short and long term projects - Communicated with clients to define project parameters, identify deadlines, and present final proofs for approval - Designed advertisements and developed concepts for more than 10 print and web projects per week
round checks are so Google takes over g background checks ze and introducing ea of personal ng and SEO
2010s
Meghan Elizabeth Frost
Current: 1415 N Jordan Ave Bloomington, IN 47406
Affiliate Marketing Intern | Greenwood, IN Affordable Style
May 2010 - August 2010
- Developed relationships and recruited key affiliates that increased revenue within the affiliate channel - Utilized social media to identify potential affiliates, inform current affiliates, and spread program news - Designed ad banners that referred over 10% of affiliate revenue
Graphic Design Intern | Bloomington, IN Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace
September 2008 - July 2009
- Utilized national branding guidelines to establish and design a local brand identity - Redesigned brochures and newsletters to produce a cohesive set of distribution materials
ACTIVITIES
President of Recruitment Alpha Omicron Pi -Led 150 current members through the six-day formal recruitment process -Coordinated weekly events for over 200 potential new members -Introduced new procedures that increased potential member return rates by 10%
Public Relations Committee | Bloomington, IN Habitat for Humanity -Collaborated with 5 local professionals to increase brand recognition for the ReStore -Developed ideas to increase campus and community involvement with both the affiliate and the ReStore -Designed a series of bimonthly advertisements for Bloom Magazine
Peer Tutor The Computer in Business
SKILLS
Software Adobe Design Suite CS4 (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver); Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access); SPSS Statistical Analysis
Languages Spanish - Conversational
TRADITIONAL RESUME LAYOUT This is what I like to call the ‘corporate resume.’ Many large firms have HR departments that are responsible for hiring multiple positions. They have a system in place for reading resumes and may not want to waste time learning to read a unique layout. Also, large HR departments may print off your resume in black and white, making color unimportant and possibly a hindrance. Know your company culture. Send a unique resume to each employer so the format and information aligns directly with the job description.
Meghan Frost frostm@indiana.edu | 219.308.8227 Current 209 E Brownstone Dr Bloomington, IN 47408
Permanent 12108 Wallace St Crown Point, IN 46307
Kelley School of Business Bachelor of Science in Marketing Direct admission to the Kelley School Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Minor in Art History
E X P ER IEN CE
A CT IV IT I ES
Mediaworks Advertising | Bloomington, IN Assistant Art Director
Alpha Omicron Pi President of Recruitment
October 2010 - Present Prioritized short and long term projects for clients in multiple fields, including manufacturing, nonprofit, retail, and tourism
VS
Indiana University | Bloomington, IN
GPA: 3.6/4.0 2007-2012
Communicated with clients to define project parameters, identify deadlines, and present final proofs for approval Developed concepts and produced final designs for up to 10 print or web projects per week
Affordable Style | Greenwood, IN Affiliate Marketing/Graphic Design Intern May 2010 - August 2010 Designed online advertisement banners that referred over 10% of affiliate revenue Developed relationships and recruited key affiliates that increased revenue within the affiliate channel Utilized social media to identify potential affiliates, inform current affiliates, and spread program information
Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace | Bloomington, IN Graphic Design Intern September 2008 - July 2009 Utilized national branding guidelines to establish and design a local brand identity Redesigned brochures and newsletters to produce a cohesive set of distribution materials Solved visual problems in existing newsletters by developing new templates View online portfolio at www.meghanfrostdesigns.com
Introduced new procedures and increased potential member return rates by 10% Coordinated weekly events for over 200 potential new members Led 150 current members through the six-day formal recruitment process
Habitat for Humanity Public Relations Committee Collaborated with five local professionals to increase brand recognition for the ReStore Utilized a creative brief to concept and design a series of bimonthly magazine advertisements
The Computer in Business Peer Tutor Assisted thirty students in learning to utilize both Microsoft Access and Excel
A D D IT I ON A L IN F O R M AT IO N AIGA Indianapolis Member
Skills Letterpress Conversant in Spanish
Software Adobe Design Suite CS4 (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver); Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access); SPSS Statistical Analysis
MODIFIED RESUME LAYOUT This modified version of the ‘corporate resume’ is more appropriate for traditionally creative companies. These companies may be a bit smaller than corporate giants, and recruiting staff may be less inclined to ignore resumes that deviate from the traditional layout. They may also be more familiar with what to look for in a designer, so be sure to make typography a top priority in your design. It’s important to keep your format easy to follow, but it is not necessary to stick to the traditional layout of the corporate resume.
RESUME and PORTFOLIO GUIDE AB
AC
Physical, Handmade Portfolio Small/Boutique Agency
Physical, Store Bought Portfolio Medium Agency
Smaller, design-centric agencies will be very interested in your craft, process, and overall aesthetic. Your choice of physical presentation says something about your skill and personality.
Medium sized agencies will still be interested in your physical work, but may care less about the form the portfolio itself takes. It is less important to have an outstanding, handmade case than it is to house outstanding work inside of it.
BC Handmade or Store Bought Portfolio Medium Agency
A B C D E
-
Physical Handmade Store Bought Electronic Resume
With medium sized agencies this move is usually your call. Take into consideration the culture of the company and bring the portfolio that best fits their personality. Fun and free spirited? Go with the handmade option. Corporate feel? Stick with something more traditional.
A
B
E
C 23
D
Portfolio Resume
AD
AE
Physical & Electronic Portfolio Medium and Large Agencies
Physical Resume Bring to All, Send to Small
Electronic portfolios are quick, convenient, and appealing to larger HR departments. Many will still want to see and touch your physical work for an idea of craft and process, so be sure to bring a physical portfolio to the interview. Traditional forms may be best.
It’s important to always bring a copy of your resume to an interview. Interviewers may not bring their own and will expect you to supply one. It’s also helpful to bring one for yourself so you can reference it in an emergency. Small agencies may appreciate a physical copy sent before the interview. They may take paper choice, design, and craft into consideration before deciding to offer you an interview.
BD
BE
Handmade & Electronic Portfolio Medium Agency
Handmade Resume Small Agency
Medium-sized agencies may still appreciate the creativity and craft of a physical, handmade portfolio. Take cues from company culture to decide which type to bring along to an interview. PDF and web versions of your portfolio are a must with almost any company, so be sure to send those along first.
Larger agencies with big HR departments may not understand how your paper choice compliments your typeface, or how your handmade envelope includes letterpressed monograms. These special touches are best left for small, design-centric agencies that will appreciate your extra efforts.
CD
CE
CD is a throwback to our good friend AD. A store bought portfolio will best fit a more corporate culture, where HR is less interested in craft and more interested in skill. An electronic portfolio is a necessary component almost anywhere because it is easily viewed and passed between departments.
By store bought resume, I mean resumes built from a template. You’re a designer, or you at least aspire to be one. Templates are unprofessional and basically scream inexperience to anyone that looks at them. Take the time to make your resume a typographical masterpiece. It is most likely you’re first impression as a designer and you want to make sure its a good one.
Store Bought & Electronic Portfolio Medium and Large Agencies
Store Bought Resume Nowhere... Ever
DE Electronic Resume Medium and Large Agencies While your scouring the internet and classifieds for potential positions, you’re going to be sending a lot of cold call emails. It’s important to have a professional, electronic resume to attach to all cold call emails. This resume should be linked to your website, and any social media outlets you use to promote yourself professionally.
will the
RESUME&PORTFOLIO become
OBSOLETE ? and read up on current industry information all without logging into any other website.
Advancements in technology have given us an
By acting as a one-stop shop for job hunters,
lifestyle. If you don’t want to buy a physical
alternative to online communities like Facebook
unlimited number of alternatives to a traditional
LinkedIn has introduced a new, professional
book, you can purchase it on your Kindle, or
and Twitter.
atlas, you can pull up a map on your Garmin,
The success of LinkedIn has sparked the
nearly every physical convenience of modern
networking sites and ignited an interest in
a faster, clearer, and more accurate solution to
professional experience. As techniques and
iPad, or Nook reader. If you can’t find your 1993 or TomTom, or even your iPhone. It seems like
innovation of numerous other professional
life now has an electronic alternative that offers
creating dynamic, interactive ways to display
our daily problems.
communities are perfected, we may begin to see
In the same way, numerous printed promotional pieces have gone electronic, making many
While the shift to electronic profiles may not be
portfolio. Today there are a number of options
portfolio may never become entirely obsolete.
and skills online. LinkedIn, the current leader
for the character and craft of a physical portfolio
question the future of the physical resume and
too far in the future, the physical resume and
for exhibiting your professional experiences
Some professionals believe that an appreciation
in professional social networking, offers users
will never be lost on true designers.
the opportunity to post their resume, skills,
interests, and websites to a personal profile.
After setting up an account, users can connect with other professionals and seek out warm
contacts through listings of second and third
25
traditional resumes and portfolios disappear.
connections. Users can also search for jobs
Brandon Graphic Designer Class of 2011
Laci Design Specialist Class of 2009
Mike Associate Art Director Class of 2006
Abigail Graphic Designer Class of 2008
ou
to f
2/
3
RECENT GRADUATES surveyed believe the traditional resume and portfolio will soon be replaced by modern technologies. For more information on survey results, see page 35.
$ PRICE The last, but definitely not least important P to consider before entering the job market is price. Corporations are beginning to realize the value of great
design, and have increased average annual wages to match a designers’ true value to the company. Even before starting to search for a job you should become familiar with the average wages of professionals in your field.
Undervaluing yourself will undervalue the entire design community, and
overvaluing your contribution may take you out of the running for a position. Start by looking at wage averages in your area. Depending on your skill and experience level, you can expect to start at a salary similar others in your city. Also, by becoming familiar with the standard compensation level in
your area, you can avoid accepting an offer that is considerably lower than the industry average. Remember to take other aspects of your offer into
consideration. An exceptional benefits package, starting bonus, and even
amount of vacation time may account for discrepancies between your starting salary and local salary averages.
If you’ve done your research and still find your salary offer is too low,
don’t be afraid to negotiate. Be sure that you can provide concrete evidence
supporting your request for increased salary. Many new graduates, especially those who are women, shy away from negotiating compensation. They fear that if they ask for more money they will appear greedy, and may possibly
lose the job to someone willing to accept less money. The truth of the matter
is that companies only offer jobs to those they truly want on staff. If you can
provide solid reasons for your request, you will most likely get what you are asking for. A clear, well-supported negotiation may also reflect positively on your ability to negotiate in a corporate setting, giving you a leg up before even starting your first day on the job.
27
PART ONE financials
HIGHEST LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT IN THIS OCCUPATION:
HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THIS OCCUPATION:
EMPLOYMENT
% INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT
25,360
22.23
24,920
4.94
21,410
5.24
8,570
0.60
25,360
22.23
24,920
4.94
21,410
5.24
16,180
3.27
6,510
2.45
TOP PAYING INDUSTRIES FOR THIS OCCUPATION: 1,680
0.08
70
0.04
COMPUTER AND PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING
230
0.15
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION
40
0.04
MONETARY AUTHORITIES
40
0.19
FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BRANCH
AMUSEMENT PARKS AND ARCADES
29
SPECIALIZED DESIGN SERVICES
MEAN HOURLY $
NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE, BOOK, & DIRECTORY PUBLISHERS
ADVERTISING, PR, RELATED SERVICES
PRINTING, RELATED SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES
MEAN ANNUAL $
$24.18
$50,300
$20.28
$42,180
$23.63
$49,150
$26.92
$56,000
$24.18
$50,300
$20.28
$42,180
$23.63
$49,150
$19.24
$40,010
$18.93
$39,370
$36.45
$75,810
$31.68
$65,890
$30.81
$64,080
$30.78
$64,020
$30.32
$63,060
* Labor statistics supplied by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
MISC. MANUFACTURING
PART TWO
high
annual mean wage
$66,020 to $51,220
ANNUAL MEAN WAGE OF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
$50,720 to $44,910
$44,590 to $42,700
$42,640 to $39,860
r
$39,710 to $36,860
low
$36,770 to $25,690
31
WAGE EXPECTATIONS Salaries in the design field have seen consistent increases from 2000-2011, with increase percentages ranging between %0.07 and %2.2. As businesses continue to realize the value of design, graduates will be able to leverage even higher expectant salaries. Most importantly, never be afraid to negotiate your starting pay. You’ll never make more if you don’t ask.
* Labor statistics supplied by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
PART THREE
high
local quotient
1.16 to 1.54
LOCAL QUOTIENT OF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
0.99 to 1.11
0.92 to 0.97
0.76 to 0.91
0.64 to 0.75
low
0.45 to 0.63
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LOCAL QUOTIENT DEFINED The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.*
* Labor statistics supplied by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
PART FOUR survey results In order to better understand the current job
market for recent graphic design graduates, I
developed a survey geared towards those who
graduated from BFA programs in the last 5 years. This time span includes those who graduated during the major technological revolution, as well as those who experienced the economic downturn of 2008. Fifteen recent graduates
from the Indiana University School of Fine Arts BFA Graphic Design program relayed their
experience with job placement and networking
in today’s ever-changing society. Responses were
used include job listing websites, blogs, Moster. com, and Craigslist.
A large majority of respondents found success when networking within their existing social groups. This brings us back to the idea of
Dunbar’s number and the professional potential that exists in your existing social circles.
Those who indicated that they’ve searched
outside of their existing social groups had less direct feedback than those searching within.
Respondents indicated that cold calls usually
ended in referrals or informational interviews more often than position interviews.
collected in an online survey, then analyzed and compared in order to better establish an idea of the job search environment for graduates.
Responses from this survey were meant to help
build a picture of networking practices in the job market today. For purposes of this survey, the term traditional refers to networking practices that have been commonly used in the past 20 years. These types of activities include cold
call letters/emails, career fairs, informational
interviews, and prearranged networking events. Respondents to this survey also indicated that
word of mouth and networking within existing
social networks were useful in finding positions. Nontraditional practices include those that have gained popularity in recent years. A majority of
these practices are focused around technological advancements and the onset of social media
and social networking sites. For purposes of this survey focus was placed mainly of social media
websites, but additional nontraditional avenues
35
How did you find your first professional position post-graduation? 50.0% Referred by Friend or Contact 37.5% Company Website 37.5% Job Search Website 12.5% Sent Cold Call Email
SURVEY ANALYSIS This survey was used to help gauge the effectiveness of traditional and modern networking techniques. Results were collected in August and September of 2011 from respondents in five different states and seven different cities. Percentages reflect the opinions of those who have entered the job market at some point during the last five years.
Have you ever searched for job leads in your existing network of friends?
Have you ever reached out to a professional you did not already know?
80% Yes 20% No
73% Yes 24% No
Which traditional networking tools have you utilized in your job search?
Which nontraditional networking tools have you utilized in your job search?
64.3% Cold Call Emails 28.6% Career Fairs 28.6% Informational Interviews 21.4% Networking Events 21.4% None
60.0% LinkedIn 46.7% Twitter 40.0% Facebook 26.7% None 6.7% Google+