
A designer who is well-versed in social media and design trends may be able to find work within the industry.
A report by a group of senior career and career development managers at leading recruitment and employment agency HR&D revealed how this is increasingly becoming the way to attract designers.
The report, titled Designers and the Job Search, said that while designers may have a strong interest in the technology industry, they are often reluctant to be part of the team because of the perceived risks.
“The challenge for designers is that they’re often reluctant [to] work with designers,” it said.
“They’re not really used to working with someone with experience, or with expertise.”
The report said designers needed to be able “to navigate between the social media environment and the formal workplace, and to develop and demonstrate a strong professional portfolio”.
“We need designers to have the confidence to be confident in their work and their ability to create,” the report said.
The survey of more than 2,000 career and professional development managers, also led by HR&D, found that while the market is changing, the job market for designers remains unchanged.
“It is the same across all career levels and all areas of the workforce,” HR&&=d chief executive Michael Bock said.
He said designers would continue to be needed to drive growth, but they need to take responsibility for their own image.
“We are still a little bit stuck in the past,” Mr Bock told news.com .au.
“What we are seeing is the industry evolving in many different directions.”
What we do and what we do not know: Designers need to have confidence in their design and in their own abilities.
The skills that they need, the expertise they need.
The report said this required “a willingness to step outside the comfort zone of a traditional design career”.
The report recommended designers create “a strong portfolio, with strong examples and references”, but said this could also help them “build a reputation and a sense of confidence”.
“They can then take on new challenges and build their portfolio and their skills and their reputation and that is the way that the industry is changing,” Mr Ahearn said.
He said the skills required for a successful career were still well established.
“Designers need a portfolio to demonstrate their design skills, and they also need to demonstrate a good social media presence,” Mr Silliman said.
“They also need good knowledge of technology and how to communicate with customers and clients, and how the market works.”
What’s in a name?
The report also outlined the importance of branding, which was a key factor in finding a job.
“A good branding strategy should include: “Do I have a client?” and “What does the client want from me?””
These questions are often overlooked,” it stated.
The researchers said this would help the job seeker know who was “responsible for their career”, and “how they will contribute to the company’s growth”.
The report added that “a high degree of responsibility” was essential, with many designers finding themselves “too busy or not available” to work.
The key to a successful design career, it said, was “strong communication skills, which are an important skill for any designer”.”
Designer confidence and professional credibility are also critical for a great design career,” it advised.
The authors also recommended that “the employer consider the designer’s design skills and credentials”.
The authors said that although there was a need for designers to develop their skills in a new field, “it is important that they also develop their technical expertise”.
The role of designersIn the report, HR&d highlighted the importance to recruiters of a designer’s “experience, skill and knowledge”.”
The importance of the designer is that he or she can contribute to a team that is capable of solving real problems,” the authors said.
They said this also meant “they need to be flexible in their job performance, and not over-reliance on specific projects or tasks”.”
Many designers are also in demand for work in roles that are not necessarily in the areas of design, such as digital marketing and web development, in order to further their career.
“The authors stressed the importance for employers to understand the skills needed to “identify potential candidates who fit the profile of their business”.”
This can be done through a structured interview process that will help the candidate identify areas of strength, weaknesses and potential for improvement, and tailor the recruitment strategy accordingly,” the experts said.
It is not the first time the HR&ad has highlighted the need for an effective designer recruitment program.
Earlier this year, the company released a “designing coach” website that had been designed to help designers “develop their skills to better represent their organisation”.
The website, which includes a list of the top career opportunities for designers in Australia, New Zealand and the United States