So you want to become a graphic designer? Well here are a couple of questions to ask yourself before you consider a career in graphic design.

Are you a visual thinker or do you have an obsessive creative mindset?

Being a visual thinker means that you have strong visionary skills. You seem to see the big picture and the details at the same time. You enjoy drawing out your ideas on paper or whiteboarding with a team to get your ideas or points across. You feel color and symbols are vital not just important. You also feel that you do not want to settle for the same solutions that previous people have conjured. You enjoy peeling back the artichoke until the core is revealed.

Are open to criticism?

First, let us define criticism. There is good criticism and bad criticism. Good criticism is given with the energy of love and understanding and meant to enlighten others to unseen or unconsidered information. Good criticism makes you a better person and a better designer. Bad criticism is meant to personally injure and is laced with malice and negativity. In my time as a designer, I have detected that some clients are a little intimidated by creative folk and perhaps do not realize they are being a little rude. You are someone who can handle both good criticism and bad criticism and you know how to distinguish between the two.

Are you a hard worker?

This seems to be a given but.. what does it mean to be a hard worker? Design is hard. So being a designer means that you take ideas, conversations and hand sketches and convert them into brands, identity packages, and digital content. This process takes a lot of practice and thought. Oftentimes the difficult transition from thought-form to physical reality can be taxing. You know how to push through exhaustion and doubt to get to the finish line.

Now that you have discovered whether or not you have the right temperament for the design world it is important to get the right training and attend the right school.

1.  Choose a school that is well connected to the job market. Look for the school’s mission statement on how it helps students land high paying jobs. Without this intention then it is difficult to get started in design. Some schools have such a high reputation (Savannah College of Art and Design) that job placement is easier.

2. Learn from everyone. One of the great things about graphic design is that you can learn from anyone. I highly recommend mixing in-person school with online courses. See Skillshare for design focused courses.

3. Be inspired by your mentors. Choose people to learn from who you dig their work. I know this sounds obvious but there are certainly big name, big deal designers whose work I find dry and dull. There are plenty of badass designers out there who are not as famous but whose talent is worth admiration.