10 years in anything is a pretty big deal. A decade of being married, everyone would assume you’re in it for the long haul. 10 years living in the Big Apple, you’re officially a New Yorker. 10 years in the league (of whatever sport), you’re a veteran athlete. So when I reached double digits for my career in design, it was a proud moment to know I’ve went the distance! Over the years I learned a few lessons I’d like to share with my fellow designers. Here’s a list of 10 key lessons I learned that can inspire you to keep creating!

1. Once you learn one product, you’ll know the others

The beauty of Adobe software is that once you get good at using one of their products, it’s pretty easy to learn the others. The first product I put my novice creatives skills to was (like most people) Photoshop. It was easy to get the hang of, figuring out what layers you can turn on and off, taking advantage of the filters and adding text. Then it wasn’t difficult to venture into InDesign, then Illustrator for more technical print ready graphics. But my advice is designers shouldn’t stop there! This past year I’m utilizing Adobe Premiere and After Effects which both are quite complex beasts. When you figure out how to dig into the layers, it’s quite similar to how Photoshop is used. Most employers and clients are looking for designers that aren’t experts in one, instead they’d rather have someone who’s well versed in all programs.

2. YouTube is better than courses

I hate to admit this (as I know there are really awesome design schools out there) but truth be told I learned a lot more from YouTube than any college course I took. It’s quite possible to learn all of what you need for graphic design from online and the best part it’s free! Especially these days since there’s more instructors/bloggers on YouTube looking to get their views up for their tutorials. Numerous times I’ve been stuck on an effect requested by a client for video editing, where I’d search on YouTube starting with ‘How to…’ and found the solution I needed. Which if you look at it in that perspective, there’s really no limit to what design techniques you can do and promote on your resume.

3. More versions the better

Every designer has their own approach when it comes to sending back the their first draft to the client. Some designers believe sending only one version back, since they’re confident their expertise will wow the client as soon as they see it. For my approach it’s a little more generous. The better strategy is more versions the better. Even when you tell them you’re only sending back one version. Clients want to feel like they’re a part of the process so I send back at least three to choose from. Consider designing one that’s the safest, less edgy version. Add a second that’s a more bold and creative layout. Then a final one which meets in the middle of the first two and follows the client’s direction to the T. This in turn will open up the conversation more to make minimal changes or swap out elements of each version. More importantly, it shows the client that you’re willing to bring in that extra effort so they’ll continue to work with you! These fundamentals align with my next point…

4. Meet in the middle

I’ve heard it all too much from my clients about past designers they’ve tried to work with. Where the designers’ stance on their mockups is the absolute and they’re combative about any wiggle room. And I get it…creatives take a lot of time, effort, research and artistic skills to accomplish what they’re missioned to do. There’s a sense of pride in our output, it’s like our baby (figuratively speaking). But you have to learn when to swallow some of that pride and meet clients in the middle for the demands or opinions they have. Even if you’re aware the direction they’re going isn’t the most visually pleasing version. Not that you can’t express your perspective on why you feel they should go with your creative strategy, just make sure to hear them out as well and give compromises to your designs as needed. It will ultimately be better for you in the long run as you’ll gain their trust and work on future projects. And remember they’re the ones that are paying you not the other way around!

5. Be accessible

Isn’t it the worst feeling to be left on read? Make sure your clients don’t feel the same way. One and often neglected attributes to have as being a great designer is just to be accessible at all times. What I mean by that is let the client know they can reach you whatever way is convenient for them. Zoom calls, texts, slack, emails or a phone call. The more you express you’re willing to communicate all ways the more personable you’ll come across as. Make them feel like they’re your main customer. There’s been multiple times a former client reached out to me again where they expressed that they always appreciated how responsive I was. Sync your emails and your apps to your phone so it’s easier to respond!

6. Showcase your skills

I was such a late bloomer at this. I assumed that once I had ‘Graphic Designer’ as my job title on my socials, everyone would know what I really do. But then the pandemic happened, with too much time on my hands. I read designer blogs to see what they were doing different to be more successful and one of the key steps they took was to promote themselves more. That’s when I realized, wow I haven’t ever posted anything on Instagram about projects I’ve done and currently working on. I revamped my story highlights to save them along with posting weekly on Facebook and LinkedIn. While you may be discouraged that your posts are getting only a few likes or comments, don’t be. You want your circle to automatically think of ‘creative skilled designer’ when your name is brought up. People just need to view it and you’ll see more word-of-mouth networking happen over time. Most of the projects I’ve received recently were from showcasing my skills on social media.

7. Learn about digital marketing

8. Take mental breaks

9. Look for freebies

10. Explore other creative outlets

Hope you related to some of the lessons I learned along my creative journey! What are some of the things that you realized after being a designer for years? Feel free to comment below.