A lot of designers I meet talk about wanting to be promoted, wanting to specialise, wanting to progress. But many are not willing to do more than what is asked of them inside their job description. They work the hours, tick the boxes, and then wait for growth to arrive.
The reality is that career progression rarely comes from doing only what is expected. The best designers I have seen are the ones who deliberately go beyond their 9–5 responsibilities. Not because they are forced to, but because they care about improving their craft and setting themselves apart.
This does not mean sacrificing your personal life or burning yourself out. It means being intentional with how you spend a portion of your free time. Every role offers some growth, but no single job will give you everything you need to become a better designer. If your development goals do not line up with your current position, you will need to take ownership of that gap.
Growth comes from exploring beyond the duties of your role. That could mean:
- Building side projects that stretch you in ways your job does not
- Learning the basics of engineering so you understand how design decisions impact technology
- Developing your personal brand so that your influence extends beyond your current team
- Investing in your taste and decision-making by exposing yourself to different ideas, industries, and experiences
- Supporting others through mentoring, which sharpens your own clarity and leadership
Yes, courses, tutorials, and bootcamps are useful. But they are not enough on their own. True progress comes when you combine learning with practice, and when you deliberately step into spaces outside your comfort zone.
The industry is more demanding than ever. Tools change quickly, expectations rise, and the line between design, technology, and business keeps getting thinner. To stay relevant, you cannot only rely on what your employer gives you. You need to commit to developing yourself, continually and consistently, regardless of your current role.
This is why I believe designers should treat their careers as their responsibility, not their employer’s. That means auditing how you spend time outside work and carving out space to grow. Waiting for your bi-annual review or hoping the company will hand you the perfect opportunity is not enough.
Careers are built on choices made over years, not moments of pressure. If you dedicate even a small, consistent percentage of your time to growth, you will always move forward.
Because design is not just what you do from 9 to 5. It is how you keep building yourself to be the kind of designer the future demands.