Want to Let Your Creative Side Loose With a Career as a Graphic Designer?

Are you eager to jump into the real world but aren't quite sure about which way to leap? The answer to the question might lie in your creative skills. If you're always doodling during class and think of yourself as an artistic person, a role in graphic design could be your golden ticket!

In Australia, the graphic design scene is booming. Whether talking about entertainment, advertising or the glitz and glamour of the fashion world, your skills will always be in high demand. So, what's the deal with graphic design? What do you spend your days doing? Well, it's not all about pushing pixels! In this role, you use your skills to tell stories and shape the way people see brands.

The best part is that the professional flexibility you get is off the charts. You could end up working in a swanky agency as part of the in-house team or even run your own freelance company online right from your bedroom. How far you go is up to you.

The pay on offer is solid, too, with entry-level positions paying upwards of $73k per year, and there's heaps of room to climb the ladder. Training to get you up to speed is in plentiful supply, with uni degrees and TAFE courses there to get you where you need to go. Come with us now as we look at what life is like in these kinds of roles and what sort of person you need to be.

Have You Got What It Takes to Thrive in Graphic Design?

As you consider your options as a high school senior, you'll ask yourself loads of questions about your strengths and weaknesses. We've all got them, right? With this in mind, let's break down the traits you'll need to crush it in this creative field.

• A Creative Mindset: A bit of an obvious one, but you'll need a passion for design and flair. A clue that you have this trait is if you're a daydreamer who loves to show who you are through writing and art. It could be that you've got a talent for creating epic TikToks. They're all signs you have that creative touch. 
• Tech-Savviness: In the modern graphic design profession, you'll be living on programs like Adobe Creative Cloud and Canva. That's why being familiar with tech and the ability to adapt to new software is a must.
• Detail Oriented: The smallest details can make or break your designs, so you'll need a keen eye for detail in everything you do.
• Great Communication: You usually work as part of a team while also talking directly with clients in graphic design roles, so being a good communicator will be useful. Don't forget you'll also communicate with an audience with your designs.
• A Thick Skin: You've also got to be able to take constructive criticism - even when it’s not delivered that constructively! Feedback is part and parcel of this job, as it allows you to make crucial adjustments, so having a thick skin and not taking things too personally will help.
• Great Time Management: A fact of life in the professional world is that deadlines are real and need to be met. As well as being a great creator, you’ll also need solid organisational skills to juggle the multiple projects you’re likely to have on your plate.

Don’t worry if you’re not yet ticking all of these boxes, as most of these skills can be learned and then developed. Still interested? Let’s look at what your daily role might look like.

What’s the Day to Day Like For a Graphic Designer?

So, you’re pretty sure that you’ve got what it takes to become a successful graphic designer. What next? What’s the job actually going to be like once you’ve finished your training? That’s what we look at in this part of the blog as we delve down into the daily responsibilities you’ll be tackling.

As such, it all starts with a concept. You’ll be given an objective from your client and set to brainstorming ideas either on your own or as part of a team. Concept development is a key part of the process regardless of whether you’re working on web designs, posters or logos.

Getting your voice heard while also being careful not to trample on the ideas of others is crucial for all those creative juices to result in something worthwhile. Good teamwork is essential.

Client Meetings Are a Regular Thing

Get used to the idea of client meetings on a regular basis, as they’re needed at the outset for their requirements and objectives to be given over, as well as to iron out any tweaks in the draft designs you provide. Active listening is crucial at this point.

Using Software to Bring Your Ideas to Life

As we mentioned earlier, getting to grips with software platforms is important as you’ll spend many hours using tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign. This is what you’ll use to bring your sketches into sharp HD colour!

Design Revisions Are Part of the Process

No design is every 100% perfect the first time around, meaning you’ll spend time refining your work based on client feedback or your own inspirations.

Admin Stuff

Any office-based job is going to have some dull parts to it and graphic design is no different. It’s not glamorous or exciting, but answering emails and other admin tasks are part of the job - particularly if you happen to work as a freelancer.

Learning & Development

Graphic design is a dynamic industry and no mistake. Trends change and new software get released all the time and it’s something you’ll need to stay on top of. That’s why you’ll spend part of your day researching or taking tutorials on new techniques and software processes.

Portfolio Updates

Your portfolio as a designer is one of your biggest assets, and you’ll be putting effort into updating it with your latest creations on a daily or weekly basis.

Still With Us? Let Wandr Help You Get More Insight

Now that you know what sort of person you need to be to make it in the graphic design world and have an idea of what the job is like, you should have a better idea about whether it’s for you. If you’re still with us and it sounds like the thing for you, you’ll want to know more - and that’s where Wandr can help.

Our discovery and learning platform offers Skillin’ It, Essentials and Career Kickstarter courses in graphic design that let you get a better feel about what it’s like to work in the industry. Letting you confirm this career direction is for you while developing marketable skills, our video-led, interactive learning gives you an up-close view of the sector.

At Wandr, we know how tricky it can be to find your way after high school, but our platform has been designed to make the process simpler and less stressful. We give you a way to explore a range of different fields without the need to commit.

Graphic Design Not For You? No Problem!

If it turns out that graphic design isn’t for you, you’ve got an array of other industries to explore. Amongst the thousands of courses we have on offer, you could perhaps try out beauty and makeup, photography or even fashion if you want to utilise your creative talents.

Our courses let you make your decision based on real insight, not fiction, so you get the reassurance of knowing that you’re training for a career that suits you and your abilities.

The Wandr Platform Is Here to Help You Find Your Way

Growing up and making your way in the world can be scary - we know, as we’ve all been through it! However, with the Wandr learning and discovery platform to guide you, it doesn’t have to be. Our interactive, video-based career content covers literally thousands of topics and is available for a monthly cost that’s easy on the bank of Mum and Dad!
To learn more about us and the advantages of our platform, such as the ability to get 1-to-1 coaching from real industry experts, visit us today at www.wandr.au. Alternatively, why not have a chat with our friendly team by calling 1300 611 404 or emailing support@wandr.au? They're ready, waiting and eager to help however they can!