5 Ways to Create Design Opportunities with No Experience

The different approaches I took to get projects and build a portfolio that kickstarted my design career.

Photo by Kerde Severin on Unsplash

I’m currently seeking a design position, but most entry-level openings require years of experience. How can I get a job that requires experience if I don’t have any to begin with?

You will most likely ask yourself this question when starting to look for your first job.

The application process for a design job is unique from traditional fields like sales or customer service. For these types of jobs, a resume can sufficiently communicate your work experience to recruiters. However, candidates for design jobs will most likely hit a wall if they do not have a portfolio ready to show off their work.

Recruiters can often be flooded with applications, making it difficult for any candidate to stand out. Your portfolio is a collection of your work that showcases your skills, design knowledge and creative personality. Hiring managers and recruiters want to see your approach to solving problems, your thought process throughout and the outcomes to your projects. You’ll have a much better chance of being interviewed for positions once you have a portfolio ready, even without formal work experience on your resume

A quick look through entry-level job postings will show that most require candidates to have several years of experience.

So how did you approach building your portfolio if you didn’t have any projects to show?

When I created my first portfolio, I was starting to learn the fundamentals of graphic design, but the approaches that I took to get projects can be applied to other design disciplines as well. I was able to gain “experience” while continuing to build up my skills using design tools, such as Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.

1. Redesign

My first project was born out of pure interest and exploration. I had joined the Double Degree Club while I was…