You can become a graphic designer without a degree, but earning a degree can give you an upper hand over your colleagues. Obtaining your degree in graphic design expands your art, design, and technology knowledge and opens up many doors that would have remained closed otherwise. Listed below are five reasons why you should get your degree in graphic design.
1. Networking: Attending an online or conventional school opens up several networking opportunities. Your teachers and peers will mentor you, help you find job opportunities and meet even more people.
2. Portfolio Building: When you attend an online or conventional school for graphic design, you will be required to build a portfolio of your work. Before graduation, your professors will grade this portfolio and give you constructive feedback on how to become a better graphic designer. This portfolio can be used to showcase your work in job interviews or when meeting potential clients.
3. Growing Your Knowledge: Obtaining a graphic design degree says you know most of what there is to know about the subject and business up to that point in time, as dictated by the curriculum of the college or university you entered. It says you are up-to-date with the technologies and news in the field as seen by that academic institution, which may be more than what you would have learned on your own otherwise. It also says that you have proven you are skilled at designing great work, that you are organized and project/deadline oriented, and that you are capable of higher learning.
4. Free Access to Showcase/Exposure Opportunities: Most graphic design programs offer their students the opportunity to showcase their work for free on campus or online. Potential employers could possibly see your work through these free showcasing opportunities. As a student, you will also be given free access to several onsite or online career fairs and career postings.
5. The Upper Hand: As stated before, if you have a degree, you have the upper hand over those who do not. It may not be fair at times, but employers will tend to hire the interviewee who has a degree over the one who does not. This is especially important in the competitive field of graphic design.
This is a guest post by Lauren Phillips, who has been a professional event photographer for 16 years and also owns the site Photography Degrees. She likes to write articles about everything photography.
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