Can you get graphic design jobs without a degree?
Question by polargirl: Can you get graphic design jobs without a degree?
I’m currently in school for an AA degree but I also qualify for a Certificate in “Basic Graphic Design” (which is just Photoshop, Illustrator, inDesign, Ethics & Legalities, Cross-Platform File Managment)
I know you cant do much with an AA, but do employers not really consider a certificate? I never even knew I qualified for one until recently… I was wondering if I should start looking for my first graphic design job with that or just wait until my degree?
Best answer:
Answer by Matty B
Well, there’s kind of a catch 22 on that. Most employers don’t hire you based on your degree, they hire you based on your portfolio. Having said that, when you submit a resume, they wont usually bother to look at your portfolio unless you have a degree. They mindset being that if you don’t have a degree, you probably can’t be that good.
You absolutely can get a job without a degree. Even 15 year old kids can find someone who prefers paying an amateur $ 25 for a crappy logo rather than investing in a professional. One thing you should also consider is that if you do get hired as a designer without a degree, your starting salary will be considerably less than if you had one. While getting hired is mostly about your portfolio, salary upon hire is performance based and is determined largely by your education level and years experience in the field.
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“Matty B” pretty much has it right. One CAN find a job with only an AA and certificate in design, but the kind of jobs this gets are more like working in a copy center, or the counter at a shop like Kinko’s (FedEx Office) or similar situation. Or a “printer’s monkey” in a full service print shop. These jobs don’t traditionally pay well, and your design skills don’t get much use. The certificates WILL put you ahead of other applicant’s for these jobs, because the employer expects you to know something about the process of getting a design from the concept stage to a finished, printed product.
But for a real, high end DESIGNER’S job, the degree becomes much more critical. It’s true that the degree doesn’t get you the job. It is the portfolio and previous experience that gets you the job, but it’s the degree that gets you the invitation to SHOW the portfolio. With colleges and universities cranking out MANY more graduates than there are available jobs, the design agencies, publishers and other businesses can afford to “cherry pick” the BEST of the best candidates. Just imagine six or eight candidates applying for a single openning. The employer has a handfull of BAs and MFAs and someone with an AA. Who’s more likely to get the call?
I’m not suggesting you don’t TRY. Or even suggest that the copy shop experience has no value. Just don’t hold on to high expectations that your certificate will carry you into a successful career. Think of it as you’re halfway through with your professional education.
Good luck.