420 Design Blog
How not to ask for a design job
18 Jun 2007 | Angie H
I don’t know if it’s a designer “thing” but it seems that fewer and fewer designers know how to apply for or inquire about jobs anymore. And this is an observation coming from someone who has only been in the “real design world” for about 7 years.
A recent one-line email from who I’m sure is a nice person looking for a job in graphic design:
“I was wondering if you have any positions available for graphics?”
That was it. Well, that, and “Thank you, Name” (and yes, this person only included a first name). No resume, no portfolio samples. Granted, we’re not actively looking to hire anyone right now. But given the right person who’s to say an impromptu hire wouldn’t happen?
Now, I’ve always been an overachiever geek/nerd, but I know what it means to suck up your pride and go around practically begging for a job in an industry that is filled with ego and requires a ton of experience. After my post-college internship that’s exactly what I was doing - scrounging for a job in the industry I had chosen for my career. And the market sucked big-time back then. Barely post dot.com, so, you can imagine. But never were any of my inquiries so short and so informal.
Perhaps I’m just old school and prefer when someone actually writes up a cover letter (or email) and attaches a resume. And in the case of this industry, includes a few samples from a solid portfolio.
So here’s a tip for you aspiring designers out there - if you want to be a professional in a competitive industry such as graphic design or web design, act like one. That includes initial email inquiries about possible job openings.