Diagnosis
The results are in...
Thank you for taking the time to share your design career journey with us. We understand your frustration and want to help you turn your design job search around, for the better, starting today.
The problem
The "Diagnosis"
1
Your Design Skills
Your design skills are not up yet up to par either because you lack a formal design education or because your prior design education did not provide enough foundational knowledge or you still lack practice.
2
Your Portfolio
Your portfolio likely suffered because your design skills need improvement. The smallest knowledge gaps show up as glaring deficits in trained eyes of experienced hiring managers.
3
The Blunt Truth
Although it would be great if our work speaks for itself, but it’s not enough. It is the most basic requirement to have great design skills, but if you lack portfolio, personal branding and career skills, other candidates who excel in those areas will often have a leg up against you.
Your Path Forward
Opportunities
Now that we understand the problem, the path ahead of you is clear.
Prioritize improving your design foundational skills
You need to fill in the gaps with your design knowledge gaps. Otherwise it may show up as glaring mistakes in your portfolio.
Portfolio Overhaul & Career Skills Coaching is Non-Negotiable
You need to prioritize receiving coaching in career skills and portfolio development.
Personal Branding Matters More Than You Think
Personal brand building is a crucial component of your success in the job hunting process. Without an outstanding personal brand, you will have trouble standing out among thousands of applicants who are equally competent in design.
Find Your ATS Score
Make sure your resume receives higher than 80% ATS score because if you do not, your resume will not even be read by most big companies. It is a technical subject that professionals and coaches trained in ATS optimization can help you.
Recommended Action Plan
The 1, 2, 3s of what to do next
1
Find out exactly where you lack in design foundation
Figure out where you lack the most in the design skill sets – is it visual design (i.e. your design does not look beautiful and polished? Is it your case study writing? Is it that you make design mistakes that seasoned designers won’t? You need to either have great self awareness or seek out professional feedback to help you get to the core of where you are lacking.
2
Take Action On Actually Studying Design Foundation
Once you uncover the areas you need to improve the most, you need a plan to improve on them, systematically. That can be a course that’s highly-tailored to your needs, or mentorship from an experienced designer.
3
Prioritize Your Portfolio Quality Above Anything
Once you improve your design skills, make sure you update your portfolio preferably with a new personal brand that really accentuates your unique experiences, voice and expertise.
4
Get Career Skills Coaching
Do a deep dive in where you are the weakest in interview skills, including your presentation skills, storytelling abilities and interpersonal communication skills. It’s best to receive feedback through mock interviews and formal coaching because it’s hard to judge our own ability.
5
Improve Your ATS Score
Work with design career coaches or professional portfolio building programs to improve your resume ATS score.
6
Book A Free Clarity Call
Schedule a free, 30 minute call with us to find out if one of our programs can help you achieve your design career goals.