junior designer, how long?
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- scarabin0
i skipped junior designer. spent a long time as an intern though.
intern: 9 mos
designer: 12 mos
art director: 4 years now?
- tOki0
I skipped intern, junior.
Started as a mid weight then went to senior to art director heading up our creative team in the space of about 12 months when I was 22. Turning 24 in a few weeks...I'd say im still more of a designer than an art director however and if I went for a job elsewhere I'd be looking for a senior design role/junior art director. I'm a bit of an extreme case too, since I had to step up to the plate, it wasn't something I put myself up for and had to learn along the way..
Still learning a lot every day, mostly around dealing with clients, creative pitching & dealing with the team internally. Don't really know when I will want to become a CD, I'd like to stay on the tools for as long as I'm good at it...
- RIZ0
Spent 2 years as junior designer,
3 years mid-weight
1 year so far as a senior designer.I think the biggest challenge so far was getting from mid-weight to senior. It takes a decent chunk of experience to get to the point where you feel comfortable directing others, and overseeing junior and mid-weight designers.
- herzo0
I really appreciate all the thoughtful responses and sharing of experience.
- studderine0
i was never hired as a jr, even out of school. so far, i've just been a designer. although, i had 3 years of experience before i graduated college...
- tOki0
I think one of the biggest things I learnt was that being a good designer doesn't qualify you to be an art director and so on.
It's quite the opposite as we all know - you start out being an ace, but by the time you get a senior art directing or creative direction role you really aren't in production anymore. You are creating a vision ( by using your extensive experience) then managing other people to do the actual production of it. This is where your organisational, communicational & conceptual skills really come into play. If you can be good at these things and be a good designer, well there's no doubt you will do well.
The best creative director I've ever worked with was a hopeless designer, but he had a great eye and a sharp creative mind - so he got great work out of people who were far superior to him on the tools. He knew this knowing that that was their role and he his was really to guide and mentor others.
As long as you are happy and learning lots, it's not necessarily a good thing to try and rush up the food chain. I'm know there are plenty of people who have become AD's to find out how much they miss being a designer...
- thanks Toki. I am really more concerned about how my title relates to my pay moreso than what it means as far as actual duties.herzo
- In our org people tend do the same stuff regardless of title. I just want to make sure I am being tracked and paid accordinglyherzo
- accordingly.herzo
- I was more really trying to figure how long I should be "paying my dues" so to speak.herzo
- Try to take the next open position above you, or apply elsewhere to test the waters.doublespaced
- PonyBoy0
either you're good or you're not...
if you work is solid don't even bother sharing your work experience if nobody asks - can't tell you how many times I've sat through interviews where nobody cared about my school / education / past work experience...
... if you're in an agency that does pay attention to those things - it's probably run by some clown from H.R.
- cannonball19780
^ this, except I want to make more than comps.
- MarleyMarl0
if you want to make the jump out of jr designer i suggest spending less time here wasting it away and more on learning the business, how to manage others and just doing all around kick ass work.
- Take your own advice asshole. I post here maybe once or twice every 2 weeks. And who says I am not making kick ass work?herzo
- Lots of fucking assumptions in your post.herzo
- Lots of anger in yours.MarleyMarl
- akrokdesign0
it's just a title.
- Not when your pay is attached it isn't.herzo
- you can make more $$$ as a senior designer then a art director.akrokdesign
- identity0
do what you love to do - do a lot of it - be the first one in and last to leave and make the CDs look good.
- Audria0
Im a senior designer.. or in my company we like to call it "Lead Designer". It took me 3.5 years
Honestly, it comes down to experience and how well you can handle your projects. From execution, dealing with clients/printers and programmers.Hope that helps.