Do you want to get hired as a designer? Even if you’re just starting out, there are some things that you can do to make it easier for your designs to stand out, like the ones on this page. This article will give you steps for getting hired as a web designer. 

Whether it’s freelancing or full-time, this article will help lay the groundwork for your career path

Here are some of the best strategies that are available for getting hired:

1. Create Your Portfolio

Portfolios are generally considered the most important part of any job search. Designing a portfolio, especially an online portfolio such as Behance, DeviantArt, Dribbble and Cargo, are some of the best platforms to get started with your digital portfolio. As a result, aspiring designers should put significant time and energy into this step. Creating your portfolio is just one of the ways to get your name out there. If you’re nervous about having people see your work, then you should consider working on something that’s more personal to you. You can start by building a portfolio site, where you can showcase some of your best work.

2. Networking

Networking is a vital part of getting hired as a web designer and it should be part of everyone’s job search plan. The best way to network is at events and local meetups for designers, journalists, and developers in your area. You can also follow hashtags like #webdev on Twitter, Dribbble, or other social networks to stay connected with other people in the industry.

3. Prepare for Your Interview

Whilst you might have to print out work and bring it to an interview, this is primarily an electronic discussion. Make the most of this opportunity to showcase your finest work. Poor or incomplete content will make you appear unprofessional, so get rid of any unfinished works-in-progress that don’t portray you well.

4. Get Acquainted with Design Cliques 

Designers are an opinionated bunch, so it’s important to find your niche in the design world to have success in this industry. Learn about different design cliques by reading blogs, observing trends, and following popular designers on social media sites like Instagram or LinkedIn.

5. Build Your Portfolio and Get Recommendations

If you’re applying for jobs as a freelancer, it’s important to have a great portfolio. The portfolio should detail your best work and include a wide variety of projects. When people look at your portfolio, they should walk away feeling like your work could help their business in some way.

6. Join the Conversation  

When it comes to getting hired, it’s not enough to just design great websites for clients. You also need to be an active participant in the community by discussing design trends on forums, following designers on social media sites, and contributing your two cents whenever possible.

7. Get Design Jobs  

Once you’ve completed the above steps, you’ll be ready to move on to the next step in your quest to get hired as a web designer. For many people, the first job will be through freelancing websites like oDesk or Elance. As long as your portfolio is really strong and you’re able to communicate well with clients, this will be a great way to get hired quickly.

8. Begin Building Relationships with Clients

For some design jobs, you might not have any direct contact with potential clients before being hired. However, it’s important to still build relationships with them so when the time comes you can get hired.

Tip: Set up an appointment or ask for a meeting with your potential clients. This will give you a chance to really showcase your design skills and show them how you can help their company. Be sure to take the time to prep before the meeting and clear any questions your client might have beforehand.

9. Get Hired  

Once one of your clients hires you, there are some things that they’ll want to see in order for their business to be successful. Important things to note include time frames and milestones, deliverables, budget, marketing, and technical specifications.

Your first few weeks as a designer are crucial in establishing yourself with clients because it could determine whether you’ll remain employed. Make sure that your work is great and that you’re delivering top-of-the-line designs in a timely manner. This will help your client see that you’re reliable and worth keeping on board!

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many things that aspiring designers should focus on when it comes to demonstrating their design skills. It might be a time-consuming process, but in the end, it’s well worth it. 

About the Author

author photo

Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.