You'd think in an industry which relies so heavily on competition and always striving for the top spot, that there would be a lack of support between designers. However, it's become obvious to me that that is not the case: after emailing designers, interacting with and attending industry talks I've realised that there is a huge sense of community within the design world. Many of the designers I have emailed have wished me well in my journey of the aspirational designer hoping to get her foot in the door -- there is acceptance and a hope for others to succeed in such a difficult industry to make a mark in.
Throughout my first and the majority of my second year I found it incredibly difficult to share my work on social media platforms. Always second guessing myself and what I had created, I struggled with the idea of letting others see and critique my portfolio. This fear was verified during my first university interview, which I wrote about in this post. It has held me back in terms of trying to get placements and internships, as I haven't felt ready nor good enough to show my portfolio to industry professionals.
I wanted to work on this and finally try to open up with my work. I feel I've done so and grown my confidence in this area using my blog: blogging has really helped me take a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, I haven't truly utilised any other social media platforms in order to get more of an audience for my blog.
More recently, I've created a twitter, which you can see on the right of my blog. After speaking to Breanna Rose, and hearing from Dave McDonald, I finally understood the importance of social media for my career rather than just using it to keep up with my friends. It's a valuable platform to have on your CV, and also having an audience and keeping up with others blogs and trends using websites such as bloglovin is advantageous to a career in this digital age and post internet generation.
Something I've also began to utilise in terms of showcasing my work, is Instagram. I recently posted up a few photos of current projects I was working on and had completed, using the hashtag design and graphic design to reach out to a broader audience, rather than limiting the images to those who follow me. I was shocked by the amount of likes and comments and direct messages I received, with many sending me compliments and critique. It's clear to see why others share their work, and I believe it will aid me in the future within my career. I do hope to continue utilising social media in the future and create a platform I can be proud of.
The design world is often thought of as a harsh reality. It's competitive, it can be malicious and, full of arrogance. It's a mess of self promotion and constantly striving to be on the top of the podium: As can most industries. What makes the creative industry great is that it is full of so many hoping to see you succeed. It's full of friendship, kindness, support, influence and inspiration: and it's that which makes me most excited to continue my use of social media and continue to connect with more creatives.
