I am a 23 year old design student based in the UK trying to find any form of experience as a graphic designer. How do I go about it? I was thinking of emailing a load of boutique graphic design agencies and cold approaching them. Asking them if they are looking for any volunteers. However because of covid I feel it would be nearly impssoible that they are hiring anyone.
What can I do?
Can’t do any harm. When I was your age, to get my first job, took research into companies (a lot harder back then), phone calls to try to arrange interviews and pavement pounding with portfolios. Sometimes you just presented yourself to companies in person to try and arrange to speak to someone and/or make a later appointment. Hard, demoralising slog, sleeping on friends’ floors until you found a job and could afford to rent a room in a shared house.
With enough effort, eventually you’ll get a break. You’ll find a company that takes a shine to you and one which your work fits (assuming you are any good!). One thing is for sure, it’s not going to come to you.
What do you want to do? Who do you want to work for? Target them.
Oh, and show us your portfolio. You just never know…
If you want experience then you can contact some experienced designers of your country and ask them for internship. May be it works for you! Don’t think too much about earning, just think about learning.
As a student, don’t limit yourself to design agencies.
A job in a print shop or a sign shop will give you a deeper appreciation of what it means to set up your files correctly as a designer. Depending on the shop, you may get some design work in too. Don’t limit yourself to not getting your hands dirty. If you can sew at all, that may be a skill you can offer to get a foot in the door of a shop these days.