Every job I have had in my design career, I have gotten because someone else knew I was a designer and knew I was looking for work. Every. Job.
First design job: I worked in the shipping department for a small software company. My boss’s wife had a graphic design studio. I got a job there because they knew I was studying to be a designer.
Second design job: A woman I knew from my job at the software company was now a successful freelancer. She hired me to help her on one of her projects because she knew of me and knew the owner of the graphic design studio I had then worked for.
Third design job: My college advisor knew I was looking for work and connected me with an employer.
Fourth design job: My brother-in-law, who was 12 at the time, knew I was a graphic designer. He was seated on a plane next to a man who would become my next boss. My brother-in-law was a curious kid and struck up a conversation and then bragged to this stranger that I was a really awesome graphic designer and it got me an interview.
That forth job led to me eventually owning my own agency.
Fifth design job: Another agency owner that I had shared a client with hired me after I closed my agency.
Freelance work: A neighbor has connected me with people who needed my services.
When I started out in my career, I thought networking meant seeking out the most talented and influential people in the community and trying to get their attention. That idea was so terrifying that I never even attempted it. Meanwhile, I was building my own network without even realizing it. I bet you are too.
Who do you know right now? Do they like you? Do they know that you are a graphic designer and you are looking for work?
I had amazing opportunities because of who I knew and how they regarded me. The more people you know, the more potential for opportunities.
What if you went beyond your unintentional network you’ve already started? What if you did seek out influencers?
How do you build a designer network?
If you are anything like me or most designers I’ve talked to, you would rather do almost anything than approach a stranger and try to pitch yourself to them cold. So don’t. Make it about them, not you.
People love to talk about themselves and I think this is especially true for designers. Maybe it’s because we feel unseen by the general public or unappreciated by clients. Find out who the creative director, art director, or senior designers are at any agency you like. Send an email or LinkedIn message asking if they’d have time for you to buy them coffee (or meet via video call). Let them know you are just starting out and you want to meet people who’ve been successful so that you can learn from them.
Professional designers are busy so don’t give up if you don’t get an answer right away.
Follow up after a few days. My inbox used to fill up so fast every day and sometimes a new designer asking for help just got lost in a sea of meeting notifications and clients asking for that same file I already sent them 15 times.
