Becoming a Successful Graphic Designer

As students prepare to enter the world of work, there are many decisions that they need to make about what type of career they want: Freelancing? Working in a design agency? Setting up their own business? They also need the practical advice about how to work with clients, how to organize themselves, billing, etc. Through interviews with people at all levels of design, the author provides down to earth and straight forward information that is relevant to today's students looking to start a career in design.

Neil Leonard is a visting tutor at Brighton University, the University of the Arts, and Southampton Solent University. He is the founder of Design Your Career and runs bespoke conferences and workshops for emerging designers about building their careers and businesses.

Introduction
Chapter 1: Career opportunities
Too many choices?/ The transition from education to work/ Interview: Holly Karlsson, Shillington College/ Work, work-experience, internship or go solo?/ The 'traditional' design agency
Publishing/ Branding/ Advertising and marketing/ The digital world/ Working for agencies as a freelancer/ Interview: Jessica Hische/ Working directly with clients
Interview: Jamie Sergeant, This is Crowd
Chapter 2: Getting out there and getting noticed
Standing out from the crowd/ Self-promotion/ Your portfolio/ Web presence/ Social media and promotion/ Interview skills/ Networking/ Curriculum Vitae/ The right opportunities
Interview: Cameron Sandage
Chapter 3: The workplace
The Studio/ Interview: Caroline Aufort and Elodie Mandray, Acmé Paris/ Interview: Dalton Maag
Roles within the design studio/ Interview: Joshua Ogden/ Design roles explained
Service providers/ Non-design roles/ Managing a design business
Chapter 4: The work of a designer
The job cycle/ From brief to outcome: an overview/ Finding the right clients/ Pitching your services
The Brief/ Working with the client / Pitching your ideas/ Interview: Jessica Walsh
Chapter 5: The essential skills
The necessary attributes/ Developing your knowledge/ Drawing and sketchbooks
Design for print/ Interview: Janine Vangool, UPPERCASE/ Design for screen
Motion and time-based work/ Photography
Chapter 6: Forging your own path
Starting your own agency/ Interview: Anne Brassier/ Working as a freelancer
Interview: Lotta Nieman/ Co-working and collectives
Interview: Rena Tom and Bryan Boyer, The Makeshift Society
Exercises and Templates
Conclusion
Index
Acknowledgements & Credits