Being a graphic designer is tough at any age. In your 20s it is tough to get people to take a chance on you unless you have experience. Most times you are knocking on a lot of ad agency doors showing a design portfolio filled with school projects that thrilled and delighted your instructors and fellow students. Filled with pride, you go into interviews only to be deflated by an art or creative director that says, "What have you done in the real world? Come back when you have a year or two of agency experience". Getting that first job to get that experience is all about convincing someone you are or have the potential to be an asset to their business.
In your 30s with some experience under your belt you start to feel invincible. You keep learning new things, computers start to become a mysterious part of your daily life. You start to mentor other poor 20 somethings trying to get noticed. You even get a few graphic design awards. You must be pretty hot stuff.
In your 40s you start to realize that you have been a graphic designer for nearly 20 years. You have seen a lot and done a lot and you have learned to smile politely when your client tries to art direct your work. You start to realize you need to sharpen your skill sets in order to stay relevant. All those 20 somethings are starting to look younger and are using all those fancy web design computer programs they learned in kindergarten. You tell them of the days of paste-up, art boards, waxers and stat cameras and just watch their eyes glaze over. They have no idea what you are talking about. They start talking about rapid interactive prototyping with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and you think it's time you start thinking about selling bead necklaces at craft shows. This is the time when you start searching out the new technologies and learning anything you can. Talk to those 20 somethings, they were practically born on the internet. They know where to find the resources and how to find the latest in web design techniques and programs. Realize that with your knowledge and experience you can really go farther than you ever dreamed. You still have things you can teach the youngsters about the real world of design.
In your 50s you start to get scared. Working as a Wal-Mart greeter is starting to look more attractive. You wonder if you can ever compete in the ever-changing world of web design. Management may pass you over for those new web design jobs thinking your ideas are not as fresh as the younger crowd. Then your instincts kick in, you realize you do have something to teach these folks. You know what your clients want and what they need to make their business stand out and be competitive in today's ever-changing marketplace. Graphic design is in your blood. You realize that this is why you got into the graphic design business in the first place. The thrill of competing with other designers to win that one big project is still with you. And wait a minute, one of my favorite sayings is: the old girl, er graphic designer, still has it!
Being a graphic designer is a tough ego-busting profession. Keep searching, keep learning and keep current and you will be able to enjoy your work at any age. Embrace each new technology with a fresh outlook and you will never feel old or outdated. An old dog can learn new tricks, you just have to work a little harder.
Comments for Old (Graphic Design) Dogs Can Learn New Tricks