There can be so many impossible questions running through the head of a design student and even those fresh out of college and entering the field. I know I was pretty intimidated about many aspects of design, and the following questions were just a few of the things I wondered about.

I can’t draw at all, so will that hurt my chances of succeeding as a designer?

There was an interesting discussion on a similar topic over at Graphic Design Blog a while ago. I’ve pondered the same thing, too.

Ultimately, inferior artistic abilities will not hurt your chances of succeeding as a designer. I would not consider myself very adept at drawing, but I can scribble! If I need to create an illustration, I use reference photos and trace them in Illustrator.

However, a basic understanding of shadows, highlights and perspective is important, even if you will not be drawing. You’ll need to know what makes you photo composites work or not work.

Why do I have to know the differences between Helvetica, Arial, and Univers?

Typography is one of the basic assets in design. The other would be images. Do you have to know the difference between RGB and CMYK? Yes, of course! Do you need to be able to look at an image and know if it’s in one or the other? Well if you can do that, you’re a genius! But you DO need to know how to find out whether it’s RGB or CMYK, just like you need to be able to figure out different fonts. ilovetypography is a great resource to get to know your friendly fonts a lot better. John, the author, makes the learning fun and entertaining!

Is it true that I have to know Quark?

No. Programs (and operating systems for that matter) don’t determine who is good and who’s not; indeed it has only been in the past two decades that computers have even come into the graphic design picture!

It’s the ideas that are important. You must, however, be willing to learn new programs, particularly if you are trying to get a job with an agency or corporation. Freelance probably doesn’t matter so much because generally you will just send the client a hi-res PDF for printing (but please don’t lay out a 20 page book in Photoshop, page by page! Yes, I’ve actually seen this!). Besides, I prefer InDesign, as you all know!

What’s wrong with downloading illegal copies of software because I can’t afford to buy them as a student?

It’s stealing. Well, I suppose you download your MP3s, too, so you’re used to the idea by now. I do understand paying $1,200 for a student version of Maya is ridiculous. Try using software on computers provided by your school and take advantage of special student pricing on websites like Academic Superstore.

Definitely DO NOT try to make money off pirated software by hiring yourself out for freelance. You not only put yourself in a legally precarious position, you also put the client in jeopardy, too.

How long should my resume be?

I like keeping it to one page. Most people do a three read for a resume, which means a consistent hierarchy important and page turning slows down the process (they may not even flip to the second page if they are not impressed with the first); the reviewer will look first for your name, then note the sections (Skills, technical knowledge, experience) and then glace at the bullet points and jobs.

A note on the jobs: keep them relevant. If you’ve never held a design position, then list customer service experience or teaching—jobs that will show a range of valuable, transferable skills. You can take a look at my resume for ideas, if you’d like.

Should I work for free just to get some experience?

Do plumbers fix toilets for free to gain experience? Uh, no.

If you don’t charge anything, you are telling the client you’re not worth anything and neither is your work and trust me, most of the time they will treat you that way, too; endless revisions and production artist work will soon follow. Why should they have more respect for you than you do for yourself? You are also hurting other designers/the industry, your chances at starting to charge in the future (“Well, you gave it to me for free last time…”) and increasing the chance that you will continue to attract clients looking for free or cheap work (“My buddy said you did his logo for $10. Do mine, too?”).

Do not work for free. Charge something, it will make the effort worth your time and prove the client is serious about the project. If the client balks, you know it wouldn’t have been a good experience anyway.

If you really want to gain experience and don’t feel right charging for it, I like what David Airey does: volunteer for work for a local non-profit or charity and donate your skills. They would be very grateful for any services you could offer and it’s probably going to be better than what they would get otherwise! But clarify the relationship with them, you are not working for free, you are volunteering and you will do so on your terms.

And start working now, while you’re still a student, so that when you graduate and are looking for full-time work, you will have several years of experience on your peers (and hopefully some networking/contacts).

Will I have to leave (the city where I live) in order to get a job?

It depends on where you live, though freelancers can work from anywhere!

How do I get work as a freelancer right out of school?

You probably don’t, not enough to pay the bills anyway. And seriously consider what type of person you are; if you tend to be disorganized and late on deadlines, freelancing is not for you! If the reason you want to freelance is so you can wake up at noon, work for three hours and play the rest of the day, freelancing is not for you! Freelancing is a serious commitment; it is your livelihood after all.

I think the best way to start a design career is to work in an agency or corporate art department to gain a substantial amount of experience and learn from those who have been in the industry a while (in real world experiences… very different from school!). After you’ve made plenty of contacts and networked, then start to detach from your day job in favor of freelance. Tara has some great advice on getting started freelancing.

What if a job description asks for print and interactive design experience, but I don’t have interactive experience?

I would apply to the job anyway, unless a significant portion of the job entails creating websites and user interfaces. Many times, job profiles list the “ideal” candidate, which often doesn’t exist, or if such a person did, the job pays entirely too little for their skills and experience.

Can I get a job working in the video game industry by learning about graphic design?

That depends on whether you want to code the games or develop the artwork. Though for either of those I would say that a programming or art/illustration would be a better field of study. I actually learned the basics of 3D (character modeling, animation and texturing) in my degree program, even though I have a graphic design degree.

Have your own answer to any of these questions? Share them in the comments! Disagree with my answers? Share that, too! (respectfully, of course)

Want other people’s opinions on these questions? Visit Speak Up, where these daunting questions were first put forth, Just Creative Design, where Jacob share his ideas, and Men with Pens, where Harry answered them, too.

Next time on Creative Curio, Charity provides us with some valuable advice on designing a WordPress theme, so you definitely don’t want to miss it! Subscribe to Creative Curio via RSS or email and you’ll know as soon as the article is up!