how do you "sell yourself"?

[apresico]

Right now, I have no job because I just can't get the experience. This is an awesome place to do it, but I want to freelance in my home town. I just don't know where to start. Should I make flyers and pass them out to different companies/businesses? Or is that too direct? The internet is a great place to do this, but I need a starting grown before find clients on the internet. I have done a lot of free non profit work, and have done things for free for the advertising of my banner on a site. I just haven't really been able to find paid work. I did a work term and got a box of chocolates to be there for 2 months. I am starting to feel bad, because I think I have great potential, but I need a start..I need to sell myself as they say. How do you guys do it? What do you do locally or what did you do to start?

Employers here want at least 1-2 years experience. They want you to have been paid for work. I was paid for a few things though, just not a lot because I'm just not finding things. I need to advertise, but where do I start?

[Qbikaris]

Google some on "freelance webdesign" or anything related to freelance but go for the option to only search pages from your country . I've come across some great fora situated in belgium/the netherlands on which there are a lot of freelancers and the people who search the freelancers don't have requirements like 1-2 years of experience.

What else could you do... I'm not too sure writing to companies would help you any further. Maybe place an add somewhere.. go to your local job centre or even check some job sites.

And the fact that jobs require experience.. well.. even though they write that down in their article, I wouldn't back off because of that, just be confident and contact them.. they might just like your work better than anyone elses

[Neupix]

First thing's first: Get yourself some business cards and stationary. Begin writing physical letters to companies who you feel may need some design service, include your card and send them off. I say physical letter because email often comes across as spam. Also, give your cards to family/friends to pass out... use them to get the word out to their friends!

Second: Build up your portfolio. Employers/Clients don't care so much about experience, as long as you can do what they cant. Make up fake companies and design stuff for them.. nobody ever said your portfolio had to be full of real-world material.

Third: Keep applying for the jobs in your area. I am a student (only 19) and I spent weeks in april just applying for design jobs. I did this even if my qualifications weren't what they wanted, and even if it wasn't for a summer job. Guess what happened? I got an awesome job for 4 months with a company who wasn't even looking to hire a student.

Fourth: Network with people. This one is a little more difficult, but if there is a design convention or something else to that nature in town, be sure to check it out. It is also easier once you find that first job, because often times the people you work with will become good friends, and friends that are in the industry are always a good thing!

Anyways, those are my tips for you.. hope they help some. I am just beginning to do the first one myself, so we will see how it turns out.

[apresico]

thanks.Most of them I know, the design convention is a great idea. I should try looking for those. I want to get extremely popular. I am doing so many different things right now to keep up with new and innovative things.

[killerplatypus]

I agree, you have to be really aggressive and can't give up either. That "first" job is the most important. Funny story actually, I have been designing since sophomore year of high school. I get to my junior year of college and I get this great internship with this place called studionorth.com. My 2nd day there I was late 5 mins and I got fired on the spot. Sheesh. But it all worked out at the end. I went back to my skate shop job and in walks a rep for another skateshop scoping out the place. We talk a bit and I tell him I design sites, flyers, yada yada and next thing you know, he wants me to show my portfolio to him. I do so, we get the paperwork going, I bust my butt and deliver a great website and the best part is the word of mouth. He has other clients that need sites and my name gets passed along. This is how I paid my way through college. That and gambling.

But point is I know how you feel being in that slump. Like that starving artist sort of deal. I say, just keep designing and don't worry about the money. It will all come in later on. Sooner or later, someone will come along and notice your stuff and ask you "so what do you do?" and that's where you take them down.

[takethetrain]

this is a really helpful thread! i hope more people respond to your question

[apresico]

thank you guys! everyones answers are really great. I am working hard, I am passing out posters, business cards, and flyers around, and I really hope I can bump into the right people. the sad thing about my work term (the one I only got a box of chocolates for for 2 months of work, not a penny no money at all) at the time they had a designer and only needed one (they had also just laid off 100 workers). But, the sad thing is I saw my cousin a little while ago, and her friend is a designer. she got a job with the place I had my workterm because the designer who was there quit one year after I was there...they said at the time I was there that they would hire me if they could. its in the past I guess...

some other people had gotten jobs in my class, but it was because they were extremely lucky that their workterm hired them. this place sucks for graphic design jobs. I live in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. This place is really bad for any sorta jobs actually it seems. I was thinking about moving to Edmonton Alberta or the States. I am not sure on what to do at all anymore. I really want to stay here though. I love this place. I really just want to start my own business here, and when I start making it for myself, I want to help other designers here get started.

[Neupix]

thank you guys! everyones answers are really great. I am working hard, I am passing out posters, business cards, and flyers around, and I really hope I can bump into the right people. the sad thing about my work term (the one I only got a box of chocolates for for 2 months of work, not a penny no money at all) at the time they had a designer and only needed one (they had also just laid off 100 workers). But, the sad thing is I saw my cousin a little while ago, and her friend is a designer. she got a job with the place I had my workterm because the designer who was there quit one year after I was there...they said at the time I was there that they would hire me if they could. its in the past I guess...

some other people had gotten jobs in my class, but it was because they were extremely lucky that their workterm hired them. this place sucks for graphic design jobs. I live in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. This place is really bad for any sorta jobs actually it seems. I was thinking about moving to Edmonton Alberta or the States. I am not sure on what to do at all anymore. I really want to stay here though. I love this place. I really just want to start my own business here, and when I start making it for myself, I want to help other designers here get started.

Eeks! Don't move to Edmonton - move to Calgary. It is a much nicer city and the Arts are really starting to boom. I am from Calgary, and I know from experience that there are plenty of design based jobs here. Critical Mass, iStockPhoto (Evolvs is the parent company) and many small design firms are always on the hunt for new people. There is also a large amount of freelance work available, as the number of Entrepreneurs owning small businesses is the largest in Canada. Did I mention Calgary is also one of the cleanest cities in the world? hehe

Anyways.. I am sorry to hear there is not alot of work in the East. Either way I would highly recommend moving out West. Ontario has too many designers as it is - so I wouldn't consider moving to Toronto/Ottawa.

[apresico]

good advice. I hear it was quite good in Calgary. I'll certainly look into it. I want to try the best I can to get a job here first, then I will go there if I can't find one here. Just really want to stay here in my hometown. I will definitely visit though if I do find a job here! My friend and I are thinking about walking across Canada! That would be a great adventure for sure

[exo]

I don't know if you have craigslist.org in your city, but they're a pretty good resource for freelance jobs.

If you are really serious about being in a design firm though, you'll need to go to a design school and learn the principles of design. You should also look for intern positions. Right now I have an art rep who places me in different studios and I apply for freelance jobs over craigslist. But I think you should really get into a good design program that will prepare you for working profesionaly in all the different disciplines of design.

[Neupix]

I don't know if you have craigslist.org in your city, but they're a pretty good resource for freelance jobs.

If you are really serious about being in a design firm though, you'll need to go to a design school and learn the principles of design. You should also look for intern positions. Right now I have an art rep who places me in different studios and I apply for freelance jobs over craigslist. But I think you should really get into a good design program that will prepare you for working profesionaly in all the different disciplines of design.

Great suggestion - I will have to definitely check out craigslist for some job postings

[apresico]

cool, I will check that out as well. nice tips everyone! everything is going a little better at the moment at least. I have a job interview with www.m5.ca (m5 marketing) in my home town. They do stuff for GM, central dairies, etc. not sure what else right now. I am also I design member on this now and I was offered a few freelance opportunities. I also found a government sponsered program in my hometown that is for assisting students in getting experience after school. It pays 60% of the employers wage susidy for up to 10,000 dollars for 52 weeks.

It would be awesome to use the program to my advantage right now. Everyone is helping, thanks!

[Neupix]

cool, I will check that out as well. nice tips everyone! everything is going a little better at the moment at least. I have a job interview with www.m5.ca (m5 marketing) in my home town. They do stuff for GM, central dairies, etc. not sure what else right now. I am also I design member on this now and I was offered a few freelance opportunities. I also found a government sponsered program in my hometown that is for assisting students in getting experience after school. It pays 60% of the employers wage susidy for up to 10,000 dollars for 52 weeks.

It would be awesome to use the program to my advantage right now. Everyone is helping, thanks!

Glad to hear that things are going well with you, and that you don't have to make the large jump moving west Best of luck with the interview! To prepare be sure to review every piece of work you may have already submitted for them to see, and the pieces you may be bringing along with you. I remember with my first interview I was surprised by having to quickly explain my design decisions in detail, and got caught off guard with some of my earlier work.

[Inxi]

Posting on forums like this, making things for friends and they tell about you..

[apresico]

I got a job after! yay! its kinda crappy though, but at least I get to do some ads and stuff sometimes...I am a little bit upset though because they have me doing sales workto,and they have another designer who is doing all of the work and he won't give me anything when i ask...how would you guys deal with this person? should I just talk to my boss about it? they keep giving me work that is unrelated to graphic design. I am being sponsered under a government program that pays 60% of my wage subsidy. This program though is used to help a designer get experience in their field of study.

I was actually interviewed before for the same place when this designer who works here now applied as well. I was competing for the job with him, and we both were setup to have second interviews. his interview was first, and then they called me and cancelled without even letting me come in to show my skills with InDesign. he was hired over me, and they cancelled my interview, but he was only here for a month. They decided to hire me to, but they are giving me sales work and getting me to help with the design when its needed. Should I make a complaint?

[seawise]

It is a hard question really. At the very beginning, your complaints may be misunderstood. They can think you are just complaining without even try to understand what you are complaining about.In my opinion let them know you first. Do your best even at the very irrelevant jobs that they give you. After proving yourself, your complaint would be taken very seriously by them. Just wait the right time to do it. Hope it helps.

[noxer]

in my opinnion nothing beats freelancing.. is my ultimate reason for designing... i want people to ask me to do their job because they love my style... and i don have to mold to their requests and be upsetbecause they think that green is to pale...but hey...we all got to eat