There is no shortage of colleges that offer a student the chance to earn a graphic design degree. In the past it has been thought that if you acquire a degree in this field, you will have a high likelihood of finding a job. Is this true?
It seems like almost all job markets are highly saturated nowadays with the amount of people going to college. The exception to this rule might be anything in the medical field. There are certain degrees that are considered sophisticated, or saturated markets. What this means is that there are a million people going after the same job as you, and they have the same qualifications.
When this happens, the people doing the hiring are more likely to hire people based on who they know, where they went to school, how legitimate their training is, how specialized they are, and how they are different from everyone else. Sounds like trying to secure a job in the performance art.
Sophisticated or Saturated Markets are Not Your Friend
The trick to getting a job is to not put yourself in a sophisticated or saturated market. If you choose to get a degree in graphic design, don’t immediately move to a city where there are a million other graphic designers seeking out the same position as you.
You want to start in an area with less competition. Seek out the clients that need your services that others don’t think of right away. Once you’ve established your graphic design skills and actually gotten work in a less sophisticated or saturated market, you’ll have put yourself ahead in the game.
The reason is because when you’re actually working you’re more likely to establish connections in the world. You’ll also build a more credible resume, and ultimately be more likely to get hired for that big job than some young designer straight out of college.
Job Options For This Degree
Often times a student will have a very particular idea of what it is they want to be doing with their career. It’s the reason they went into the field in the first place. The reality of the matter is that it probably won’t end up like you think it will. You may secure a graphic design degree, but it doesn’t mean you’ll only get hired as a graphic designer.
There are many other jobs you can secure with this degree including being a web developer, a multimedia artist, a marketing specialist or manager, an industrial or commercial designer, and many other things. The pay is pretty good for all these options, so it looks like your degree choice might pay off.
In conclusion, though job markets are saturated in most every field around the world, there are things you can be doing to ensure that you secure work. The trick is to avoid what others are doing and keep an open mind. You might find yourself in a job you didn’t expect that is a thousand times better than the job you thought you wanted.