From the course: Graphic Design Careers: First Steps

Additional design skills to learn

From the course: Graphic Design Careers: First Steps

Additional design skills to learn

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- Let's take a moment to go beyond the basics of design and discuss some other key things that will help you on your career path. Brand strategy is a critical part of design and yet designers aren't typically trained in communication or marketing. Branding is a complete system that communicates a brand's message and therefore impacts all aspects of your design project, from packaging to marketing. Emotional connection and consistency all play a role in good brand design. Where and how you work are important considerations and require different skill sets. Do you want to work for yourself or an agency? Or do you want to be part of an in-house design team? If your dream is to land a spot on an in-house design team, this is very different from working as a freelancer. You'll want to be armed with really great interpersonal skills and find ways to thrive in a corporate and at times more bureaucratic environment. On the other hand, if you plan to run your own design business, knowing how to earn passive income while you are focused on more intensive design projects may be a major part of keeping your business profitable. And one last thought and this is really important. Remember that as with any fields, having related skills that keep you well-rounded will help set you apart. Here are a few examples. Having solid photography skills may help you land a project creating social media designs. A good working knowledge of web design will keep you current and relevant and expand your design skills beyond prints, and an understanding of art direction may help open doors to opportunities for promotion at your company. My parting words of advice are keep an eye out for ways you can expand your skills, have the courage to try new things and always be learning.

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