Think Bigger, Learn More Design Software (after effects)
Hike up your pants and put on your rain boots, there is a flood.
None of that is necessary actually because the flood I speak of in regards to design. There has been a huge influx of graphic designers in the past few years, with more schools and online programs popping up, competition is as fierce as ever. A good way to secure a position and beat out a fellow designer for a spot at an Ad Firm, is to KNOW MORE SOFTWARE! One major thing I learned at my internship is that you will get paid double for being able to produce motion graphics, and you will be twice as important!
When someone proposed an interactive project I immediately took the challenge. I wasn’t even sure what I was doing but making friends with experienced designers helped me because they taught me some Photoshop CS6 Timeline basics, and from there I pretended I knew what I was doing with Adobe After Effects. The task assigned was to create an intro to a video series done by Mass Appeal called “Rhythm Roulette”. I struggled with After Effects but once again fellow designers came to my aide and I produced an intro that really got me on the radar at the company I am at.
Using resources like Lynda.com and just asking around to learn a program will help you gain a competitive advantage. Instead of Facebooking for hours, go learn software if you are serious about what you are doing!
CREDITS ARE AT THE END.
Alex, you’re so right about needing to be a pro in your field, especially when recent grads are all competing for the same jobs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to google how to do things in the design suite for my internship! I think you should keep up with learning after effects, you seem to have caught on to the program really quickly!
“He who refuses to learn, deserves extinction” (-to harsh?)