This very pictogram was in the family bathroom when I was a kid. It’s a nice composition. There’s a balance between the weight of the type and the weight of the icon. But I remember staring at it for a good amount of time trying to work out what was going on.

So what’s going on here, exactly? Without the “SHAVERS ONLY” text, I can only guess. Is the guy Frankenstein (looks like a scar)? Is the rectangle a bandage? Is that his chin, because it’s a weird shape. Does he have train tracks across his face, or do the parallel lines represent facial hair? If it’s facial hair, why does the line meet his eyebrow and his nose‽

Wait a second! It also looks like the shape of an electrical plug, or the shaver itself. Hmm.

If that’s not confusing enough, it also slightly resembles an abstract El Lissitzky or Suprematist composition.

To be honest, I’ve had my doubts about the value of a graphic design degree. But weighing the good with the bad, I’ve decided that going for a degree in graphic design is definitely worthwhile (if your heart is set on becoming a graphic designer). Here are some of the things I’ve felt were beneficial from having completed a three-year degree (B.A.) in graphic design:

1) Learning about stuff I just would never’ve learned about otherwise.

When else would I have learned about Italian handwriting and Venetian printers? The history of the book and the history of printing is fascinating, and really helpful to understand why the internet is so popular today. Even learning about papermaking machines was interesting (really!), especially when you tie it in with how difficult and expensive it actually was to produce books. We take accessibility to printed words for granted these days, and the internet is a real information machine. Information never used to be so easy to access, and the chance to know about my subject beyond the modern state of things really enhanced my appreciation of what I do, and also my appreciation of what I have. I love being able to access information so easily, and from so many different sources. It’s really fantastic!

Learning about the history of printing, and even theory of legibility, helped me to put graphic design in context and has given me unique skills. I gained far more as well; I learned about the industry of communication and business. In addition to this I gained research skills and had an opportunity to get involved with an AHRC research project in my final year, which not only gave me research skills, but I was paid for the work.

Writing a dissertation in my final year (12,000+ words on the history of the broadside ballad) was also a valuable experience, and I learned skills I would never otherwise learn. How to really concentrate, for one(!); and also how to skim stacks of books and make notes. Writing a long essay is far more challenging than a short piece of writing, as you are forced to learn how to fit and connect small ideas into the jigsaw puzzle of a large gestalt.

2) Meeting people of the same age who are facing the same challenges.

Most, if not all of my coursemates, have graphic design-related jobs now. It’s interesting to see their choices and learn from their experiences as well. Not only this, but I have a network of people to turn to in future.

Having a network of people I know, all with something in common, is really helpful to have. Some people abhor “networking” because it implies superficial interest in other people for selfish gain, but I think it depends entirely on how you look at it. Networking is something I’ve always done without thinking, before realising there’s a word for it: just by following up a genuine interest in other people and what they’re doing. (Being interested in people is a good career move!)

The industry of graphic design, as I’ve said before, is tied closely to business. I think it’s essential that graphic designers remember why their profession exists in the first place (it was born in its modern state, after all, during the industrial revolution). It’s necessary to keep on top of industry developments and trends, and also to meet other people working in the “industry”. The industry, a somewhat dehumanized word, actually means a vast international network of human beings.

3) Gaining knowledge about the industry (in the comfort of student-status).

Working with real human beings is always a difficult and delicate business, especially when they’re involved in critiquing your creative work. One client actually tried to design the work for me — and get my feedback on their work, true story! — when I failed to pull off their vision. Pulling off someone else’s vision is never easy to do, especially if they’re not clear what their vision actually is (and of course it’s no easier when they do have a specific vision).

In early 2007 I got to work on a “real-life” project as part of the course, along with coursemate Nathan Crawley. The design is here, and the live site, which I didn’t develop, is here. Working with a client on a project is a much more organic and iterative approach than frankly sterile studio projects.

Studio projects were helpful for one thing: the absence of client’s whims meant I could focus solely on designing. But the reality is that design exists in the area between the designer’s skills and the client’s desires, and the sensitive business of working with a client must slowly be mastered in the real world. This calls for empathy and great social skills.

5) Having a specialism.

Something to set you apart from the sea of other designers is always helpful. This depends where you study. I specialised in typography and information design. Since graduating, I decided to specialise even more, by working as a mobile designer. So: “typography” and “mobile” rather than a jack of all trades, and that suits me. It gives me an identity as a designer and an area I can really get to know well. I wanted to find a niche, which drew me to typography in the first place. Mobile is interesting for lots of reasons. The ironic thing is that mobile isn’t really specialised, as its possibilities are so vast.

That’s it. I could write a piece arguing why you shouldn’t do a graphic design degree, or the benefits of going straight into the working world. There are many, I’m sure. Having an income larger than a student loan is an obvious benefit, and having hands-on experience in a studio is really quite invaluable. But as I’ve argued, the benefit of focusing on design, rather than pleasing a client, is clear; and depending on your level of interest, the chance to learn about legibility theory (and even modernity and modernist literature of the fin-de-siècle) was enriching and enjoyable, and fed into everything else I was learning.

In this post, I’ve attempted to share the tips and advice I was looking for in the final year of my degree. There’s a lot more I could add to this; I don’t think I could put comprehensive advice into one post. It’s relevant to students doing their degree now, to new graduates, and to graphic designers early in their career.

When I graduated in July, I found that the advice on the web for job-seekers in graphic design didn’t come close to fulfilling what I was looking for. That’s because graphic design, as a discipline, is changing a lot. I don’t believe it’s just about web and print design anymore. Technology is changing things fast, and it looks like it’s only going to accelerate. In addition to graphic design being a changing discipline, the infrastructure of jobs and employment is changing. So I found it particularly difficult to find some really useful and relevant advice meant especially for new graphic designers.

While you are doing your degree, it’s helpful to see it for what it is: a means to an end. The end is getting a job (this includes further academic research, which also leads, I hope, to some kind of employment, in a university or elsewhere). Getting a job is just the beginning. It’s easy to lose track of this when you’re working for your degree; three or four years go by extremely fast, and before you know it, you’re plunged unceremoniously into the cold water of the real world.

The real world is tough, and sometimes cold, perhaps especially tough for graphic design graduates because the market is saturated, competitive, and hard. There are more qualified graphic designers than there are vacant jobs. There are things you can do in preparation to make the transition less painful.

Here are some things I wish I’d known:

1. Despite what everyone says, your attitude is the most important thing (more important than your portfolio)
OK, a good portfolio is important. Make sure you pick your best pieces, and display your best pieces professionally. However…

… cultivating a good attitude is more important than a good portfolio. Mentally prepare yourself for hardship. In job interviews, expect rejection, and be humble and persistent. If you’re humble and persistent, you can work through most rejection and small failures; with hubris and pride, you will find the process dispiriting and get discouraged faster. Only the lucky few get jobs soon after graduation, and it doesn’t have much to do with talent. A good portfolio helps get a job, but having a great attitude will see you through rejection, and help you through other stages in your career as well.

While you’re still studying for your degree, try not to care too much about your grades. Use the time to explore your interests within graphic design to the end of the web and beyond. Aim to learn.

2. Pay attention to the industry outside your graphic design department
I found that my university department had a very strong and specific graphic design philosophy. This is one of the things that makes Reading a great place to study graphic design. But I think this has pros and cons.

It’s important not to forget the big picture: the creative industry as a whole. Think really carefully about what you’re interested in most. If you’re more interested in images, photography, and illustration than typographic book design, then find a way to learn about this interest outside of the studio. Learn what you can on your course, but remember that your university department is preparing you to join a large, multi-faceted, changing industry.

Finally, realise that feedback is largely opinion: someone marking your work is one individual, someone else may respond differently.

3. Be proactive in learning during and after your degree
You are doing a degree to learn. When you are doing a project, if something in particular interests you, for example, coding the HTML of a website, explore this interest further. Read as much as you can about coding a website in CSS and HTML. Take your interest as far as you can. Find out what the recent developments in website design are and follow them closely; aim to be an expert.

4. Treat project briefs like exams
Read the project brief ten times. Make sure you really understand what your examiners want from you. Scribble all over them and underline words and phrases. If it’s a vague brief, as briefs in your final year will be, try to narrow your ideas down to about three or four. Save every good idea you generate to put into your work-file.

As you work through project briefs, ask for feedback from as many people as possible. Extensively research all of the explicit and implicit questions in each practical project, and learn as much as you can from each one.

5. Try not to get too focused on what your classmates are doing
It’s important to answer a brief in your own voice. At the same time, get feedback from as many people as you can. Try to identify your specific skills and strengths and work to them.

If your classmates get jobs faster than you, don’t let that get you down; just keep trying.

6. Don’t pigeonhole your interests too quickly
Think about what you enjoy doing most, but don’t try to limit yourself. For example, don’t apply exclusively for editorial/magazine design jobs. It might not be until after you graduate that you work out what you’re really interested in doing.

Aim to try everything and find out what you like the most.

7. Relax and be yourself in job interviews
I’ve found that employers have sharper sight than you do when it comes to knowing what you want. So in an interview, relax and be yourself as much as possible. Try to work out if you would genuinely like to work for them. Interview your employer as much as you are interviewing them.

8. Academia and graphic design
Graphic design is finally gaining credence in the academic world. There are some great MA degrees at Reading in history and theory of graphic design, and some other MAs that meld the academic with the practical (for example, a MA in Typeface Design also requires a long dissertation). The RCA has an interesting research unit called Design Interactions.

That said, a lot of interesting research is done outside universities. But I think that typeface design, for example, requires supervision and support from experts.

9. Inform yourself with smart magazines, books, and of course, blogs
A basic staple for design culture is:

Eye Magazine, the International Review of Graphic Design. Founded by Rick Poynor, this magazine is the strongest argument for print available. The sentences are as well-crafted as the pages. The articles are generally smart, well-written, and thought-provoking commentary on graphic-design related issues.

Design Observer, similar to Eye Magazine, but without the delicious smell of ink and the smooth feel of coated paper.

Typography Papers The publication is beautiful, inside and out. I’d recommend this to any smart, thinking, curious person. “This occasional, book-length work is edited and produced at the Department of Typography, University of Reading, and is now published by Hyphen Press. It publishes extended articles on its subject, exploring topics to the length to which they want to go. Its scope is broad and international, its treatment – serious and lively.”

In addition, I’d recommend TechCrunch for technology news, ReadWriteWeb for tech and web trends and occasional very interesting articles, and Publishing 2, a very smart blog written on the theme of technology’s impact on media.

Matt Carey tells me that John Morgan of John Morgan studio is looking to hire a junior designer. “A fantastic person to work for, on great projects.”