This week I came across some tough statistics about how few graduates are finding work. I’m not even sure if they were specific to designers or if they applied more broadly, but either way, it’s not looking great for those just starting out. That said, there are always things you can do to improve your chances. In fact, most of the advice in this article is about what you can do before you’re even out of school. The earlier you start, the better. But if you haven’t done anything yet, then starting now is a perfectly good place to begin.

Whether you’re a graphic designer, industrial designer, videographer, illustrator, writer, art director, or anything in between, the creative industry is built on people who make things. What you need most in the early stages is momentum. This is practical advice to help you build that momentum, stand out, and give yourself the best possible shot at getting hired.

1. Get real experience

Working experience matters more than you think, and graduating gets you a certificate, not a career. Paid internships exist, but they’re competitive and limited. Don’t wait around for one. Reach out to studios, agencies, and startups doing the kind of work you want to do, and ask if they offer internships. If they don’t, ask if you can still come in. Even if you’re fetching coffee or sitting quietly in meetings, you’re learning. You’re absorbing how teams work, how projects run, and how decisions get made.

This is how you learn what you actually enjoy. Once you’re in, you’re in. People notice good attitudes and initiative. Most interns who’ve worked with me ended up being hired full-time, not because they were the most skilled, but because they showed up, cared, and tried.

Employers: if you don’t have an internship programme, start one. It is one of the best ways to grow talent.

2. Never stop learning

Graduation is not the finish line, and getting hired in design takes more than talent. Take a course, read a book, watch a tutorial, and stay curious. If you’ve got downtime between jobs or while studying, use it. Keep building your skillset. It doesn’t even need to be strictly design. Understanding other disciplines can deepen your perspective and sharpen your creativity.

I still study almost every day. Lifelong learning is the secret to a long career.

3. Keep making

Design is a muscle, and you need to keep your design muscle strong by making things constantly. Use it or lose it. Copy great design to understand how it works, not to steal, but to build your instincts. Your muscle memory. Study typography, layout, grids, colour, composition, and motion. If you only focused on interfaces at school, go learn the foundations of graphic design.

If you can freelance, take on a few projects. If you can’t, work on self-initiated projects or collaborate with others. You must to develop your craft, through repetition. The key is to make things, and to keep making them.

4. Share your work

Make your work public, because if people don’t know about you, do you even exist. Whether it’s on Behance, your own site, or a free portfolio builder, what matters is that people can see what you’re doing beyond your school projects. It shows initiative, bravery, and the ability to explain your thinking. Those are real design skills. Craft is just part of the job. Storytelling is the other half. You need to be able to communicate what you made, why it matters, and how you got there.

You also need to amplify your work on social platforms. Start with one, but try them all, and see which one brings the most engagement, not just likes, but conversations, connections, and people responding to what you share. Build your network by showing your voice, your intention, and your work.

That’s how you get noticed.

5. Find a mentor

You don’t need to do this alone, and you definitely don’t need to figure it all out by yourself. Find someone who has already walked the path, someone you can be honest with, learn from, and grow alongside. Reach out, ask for feedback, and ask for advice. Show up with humility and consistency.

Follow people doing the kind of work you want to do, and learn from their journey. You might outgrow some mentors, and that’s okay. Keep seeking the ones who challenge and support you.

6. Be professional

You don’t need experience to act like a pro, and the way you show up matters more than you think. Be on time, be respectful, be reliable, and show enthusiasm. Be someone people want to work with. There are countless resources online to learn the basics of work etiquette, communication, and presentation. Use them.

Leave every room better than you found it.

7. Build taste and curiosity

Design isn’t just about what you make. It’s about how you think, and the best way to be interesting is to be interested. Consume culture. Watch films, visit galleries, read novels, study photography, explore music, and understand trends. Learn how things are made, who makes them, and why. Great designers have a deep well of references and a sharp eye for quality.

I’ve hired people based on taste alone. You can sense when someone has it or is developing it, and that often matters more than polish.

Getting into the industry is never just one big break. It is a lot of small steps. These seven things will help you take those steps and build your confidence. What comes next is consistency. Keep going. Keep trying. Do just one more thing each day than you did yesterday. One email, one sketch, one post, one message, or one conversation. All of it builds over time. Eventually, someone will see what you’re doing. You will get your shot.

What you do with that opportunity is what really counts.