4 Tips for Designers: How to Get a Job at an Agency

Contents:

• First Contact with the Studio
• In-Demand Designers on the Market
• Preparing a Portfolio for an Interview
• Basic Interview Kit
• Brief Summary

Designers preparing for interviews can benefit from advice from professionals. Art directors Violetta Postnova from ESH Gruppa design studio, Alexandra Pershina from Ohmybrand agency, and Sergey Andryushin, creative director of Pink bureau, will share their recommendations. These experts will help you understand how to properly prepare for an interview to stand out from other candidates and showcase your skills. Interview preparation includes creating a high-quality portfolio, researching the company and understanding its values, and practicing answers to frequently asked questions. The experience of these professionals will help you confidently pass the interview and successfully start a career in design.

In this article, you will get information about:

• what you need for the first contact with the studio;
• which designers are in demand;
• how to create a portfolio that will be positively assessed;
• what and how to prepare for the interview.

Digital Art Director at ESH Gruppa design studio. A professional web designer with experience in project management and developing educational programs for designers. Specializes in creating innovative digital solutions and training new generations of design professionals.

First Contact with the Studio

Let's consider two scenarios: sending a cold email and responding to an existing vacancy.

When writing a cold email, it is important to research the studio's contact information in advance. Find out what communication channels are available to applicants, including the email addresses of managers or special feedback forms. For example, in our studio, you can contact us at hr@eshgruppa.com. This will help you establish contact with the right people and increase your chances of successful interaction.

When composing an email or message, it is important to keep several key aspects in mind. First of all, you need to clearly formulate the subject line so that the recipient immediately understands the essence of the message. The introduction should be brief and informative, and the body of the email should contain all the necessary details to leave no questions.

Don't forget to be polite and correct in your address, as this creates a positive impression. The conclusion should include a call to action or a question you expect a response to, which encourages further interaction. It is also important to check the text for grammar and spelling errors so that the letter looks professional and neat.

Therefore, when writing an email or message, try to be clear, polite, and structured. This will increase the likelihood of a positive response and effective communication.

• Be sure to include a subject. This will make the email stand out from the crowd.
• Indicate your desired position or your field of expertise. For example, "identity designer," "middle designer," "experienced designer."
• Write a short cover text. You don't need to describe your entire biography; simply state your intentions and briefly describe your competencies.
• A link to your portfolio. You can create it on a website or another service, or do it all on Behance. A PDF portfolio reduces the chances of your work being appreciated.

When a studio posts a vacancy, they usually clearly state all formal requirements. This includes indicating the subject line and the email address for responses. Such details help applicants correctly format their applications and increase their chances of successful employment.

Additional recommendations can be found in the article "How to Get into a Design Studio" on our blog.

A job seeker's letter is an important tool that should be designed in such a way that the recipient can quickly and easily digest the information. An effective letter should be structured and contain key points that highlight key achievements and skills. This approach not only simplifies perception but also increases the chances of a positive response from the employer.

Designers in Demand in the Market

A designer who meets the job criteria will be most in demand in the labor market.

When searching for a motion design specialist, it is important to pay attention to their experience in this field. If a senior-level designer is needed to develop brand identities, their participation in projects related to this area must be taken into account. When searching for a junior designer, it is necessary to evaluate the presence of personal projects and the quality of completed academic work. This approach will allow you to select the most suitable candidate who meets the requirements and expectations of the project.

When choosing designers, an important factor is their participation in competitions and the presence of professional awards. These achievements not only confirm the specialist's level of qualifications, but also testify to their creativity and ability to create unique solutions. Participation in competitions allows designers to demonstrate their skills and gain recognition in the industry, which makes them more attractive to potential clients.

Such specialists are few in number, and they are extremely valuable. They will remain in demand over time, especially if:

• they have worked in different studios, agencies, and companies;
• have found their way in the profession;
• have tried themselves in different roles;
• know how to give feedback;
• understand the value of a great team;
• know how to present projects.

The definition of the term "multidisciplinary designer" can be confusing. It is unclear what key skills and competencies such specialists have. It's important to have professionals on your team who can solve specific problems and take responsibility for their work. Multidisciplinary designers can be useful in a variety of fields, but a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities is essential for effective collaboration.

Create a portfolio that aligns with your studio's specialization. If you develop identities and promotional websites, ensure your work reflects these areas. Projects such as event posters won't demonstrate your skills and approaches in the areas we work in. A well-designed portfolio will help us better assess your professionalism and meet our studio's requirements.

I recommend creating a portfolio that focuses on a specific competency combined with a complementary skill. For example, you could combine identity design with typeface design or illustrations. This approach will not only highlight your specialization but also demonstrate the breadth of your skills, which will attract more attention from potential clients and employers.

An art director needs to clearly understand what tasks can be entrusted to a specialist. This allows for effective distribution of responsibilities and achieving high project results. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each employee helps the art director optimize the workflow and create a harmonious team.

If you receive a rejection, do not take it as a personal insult. It simply means that at this moment, you and one of the hundreds of thousands of studios do not match certain criteria. Remember that every rejection is an opportunity for growth and improvement. Use this experience to analyze your work and prepare for new opportunities. Your uniqueness and desire to develop will certainly lead to success in the future.

Be patient and continue searching, developing your portfolio and achieving professional goals. Value yourself at every stage of your career and don't be afraid to overcome difficulties. Confidence in your own abilities will help you succeed and attract the attention of employers. Strive for constant improvement and never rest on your laurels. Your efforts will surely bear fruit.

When choosing designers, it's important to consider their participation in competitions and awards. Awards and professional recognition demonstrate a high level of skill and creativity. Successful designers often participate in various competitions, which allows them not only to showcase their skills but also to receive feedback from experts. This also underscores their relevance and desire to develop in their field. Therefore, when looking for a quality designer, it is worth paying attention to their achievements and experience in participating in competitions.

Preparing a portfolio for an interview

Creative director of the Pink bureau with seven years of experience in design. Managed more than 30 projects in the field of branding and conceptual design. Specializes in creating unique visual solutions that help brands stand out in the marketplace. He has a deep knowledge of modern design trends and technologies.

Art directors often review portfolios, devoting only a few minutes to initial work. If the first work attracts attention, they may continue to review other projects, review your resume, and possibly invite you to an interview. It is important to place the most impressive work at the beginning of the portfolio to immediately make a positive impression and increase the chances of further attention from the employer.

The number of works is not a decisive factor. Even having just 2-3 high-quality cases can be enough to demonstrate your level of professionalism. If your goal is to demonstrate growth and development in the design field, it makes sense to present all your work in chronological order. This allows you to clearly see how your style and approach to projects have evolved over time.

Good work is those projects or tasks that are successfully completed with high quality and meet established standards. They are characterized by the efficient use of resources, meeting deadlines, and meeting client or customer requirements. High-quality work requires professionalism, responsibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement. It's important to understand that good work not only brings benefits but also creates a positive impression of the performer, contributing to their further development and career advancement. To achieve success in any field, it is necessary to strive to create and deliver high-quality work, which in turn affects reputation and competitiveness. At Pink, we evaluate candidates based on specific criteria that help us build an effective team. We focus on professional skills, work experience, and the candidate's ability to adapt to a dynamic environment. It's important that a person possesses not only technical knowledge but also good communication skills, which facilitates harmonious teamwork. We seek those who are ready to develop and contribute to a common goal, as well as those who share our values ​​and approaches to work.

• Trends. It's best to avoid the impression that someone is stuck in the past and doesn't keep up with current trends in their field. However, basing your portfolio solely on trends isn't the best idea. There are timeless styles and techniques that shouldn't be neglected in your work.
• Style. It's great if your work is diverse. This allows you to better appreciate your skills.
• Conceptuality. Reveal the entire train of thought, actions, and ideas that went into the development process. This will demonstrate the scope of the work. If this is evident in the portfolio, then this person is a real find. So don't be shy; explain your idea through visuals and text.
• Typography. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it's important to know the basic rules. If someone knows how to work with typography, then everything else can be taught.

Art directors often face fatigue and oversensitivity to irritants. Therefore, it is important to minimize inconvenience during the first contact. Avoid sending your portfolio as a PDF or with links to cloud storage. It is recommended to submit your work on platforms such as Behance and Dprofile. This will increase the likelihood of your portfolio being reviewed, as these resources are easier to understand and are often used by industry professionals.

These tips may seem simple, and indeed they are. However, in practice, many people face difficulties in implementing them. Understanding the algorithm for working with your portfolio is key. Using your portfolio correctly will help you stand out from the competition and attract the attention of potential clients or employers. Pay attention to the structure, quality of the work you present, and its description. This will significantly impact how your professional level is perceived. Practicing empathy and caring for others can be key in your job search. Even if your portfolio isn't particularly strong, a humane approach and attention to the employer's needs can make all the difference. Employers value such qualities, as they can lead to more productive and long-term relationships in the future. This approach will not only set you apart from other candidates, but also demonstrate your willingness to collaborate and grow.

Basic Interview Kit

Art Director of Ohmybrand, holds a Master's degree from the HSE School of Design. She has experience teaching the fundamentals of design and packaging design. She served on the open jury for the Sreda festival in 2023 and 2024. Let's say you've found five studios that match your goals and visual style. You've checked for open positions. If there are none, email the founder or HR via Telegram. After receiving feedback, you should prepare for the interview. Here are some tips on how to do this most effectively. First, research the company. Familiarize yourself with its projects, values, and culture. This will help you demonstrate your interest in the interview. Second, prepare answers to common questions, such as your strengths and weaknesses, as well as examples of successful projects. This will allow you to confidently present your skills and achievements. Third, develop interview questions. This will demonstrate your interest in the company and give you the opportunity to determine whether the future job is right for you.

Remember to rehearse your presentation so you feel confident and can answer questions confidently. It is also important to pay attention to your appearance by choosing appropriate clothing for the interview.

Following these recommendations will increase your chances of successfully passing the interview and landing the desired position.

To create a high-quality portfolio, we recommend using platforms such as Behance, Dribbble, and Dprofile, as well as developing a personal website. Avoid using Notion with numerous subfolders, Google Drive with archives, or social media accounts, as they are not suitable for presenting your work. Choosing the right platform will help you more effectively showcase your skills and attract the attention of potential clients or employers.

A common portfolio flaw is a lack of relevant work. We received many responses to our latest vacancy for a "packaging designer," consisting mainly of web, UI, and UX design. Assessing such portfolios can be extremely difficult. This does not mean that the portfolio should consist entirely of packaging projects, but it is desirable that it demonstrates your skills in related areas close to the vacancy. Including work related to packaging, as well as projects demonstrating your understanding of visual communication and branding, will help create a more complete picture of your abilities and increase your chances of success.

Questions regarding further cooperation will be discussed during the interview and will depend on the specific vacancy. The key criterion for success is a genuine interest in the profession and a desire to develop in this field. Demonstrating motivation and desire to work can compensate for deficiencies in the portfolio or skill level.

It is better to appear naive than indifferent. Let me give you an example from practice. Once, a candidate for the position of "senior packaging designer" said during an interview: "You know, I'm not particularly fond of packaging." This caused surprise and confusion. It immediately became clear that our views did not align. Comments like these highlight the importance of passion for your profession. Success in packaging design requires not only skill but also interest in the field. Your attitude and ability to find inspiration in every detail can significantly impact the final result.

At Ohmybrand, we highly value design-related hobbies, such as a love of typography and lettering, a passion for character design, or an interest in animation. We also ask questions about other hobbies to create a relaxed atmosphere and better understand a person's passion beyond their profession. This allows us not only to assess professional skills but also to identify the unique qualities of each candidate, which in turn helps build a creative and harmonious team.

If you are given a few minutes for a chat, use this time to talk about your professional goals, your most significant project, and your ideal client. This will help you highlight your skills and demonstrate your ambitions. Sharing a favorite project will showcase your experience and passion for your work, while discussing your dream client will demonstrate your preferences and professional goals.

The accompanying text plays an important role in the presentation of the content. It serves as an introduction that helps the reader better understand the main topic and context of the material. An effective cover letter should be clear and concise, attracting attention and emphasizing key points. It's important to use relevant keywords to improve search engine optimization and make the text more accessible to the target audience. A well-written cover letter not only informs but also motivates the reader to continue reading the main content.

• Briefly introduce yourself. In the design field, there's no point in supplementing your portfolio with a long essay. Highlight the highlights of your career: where you've worked the longest, what you've done, and describe your strongest skills. A couple of concise lines will suffice. You can share the rest during the interview.
• Avoid using neural networks for your text. This is obvious from the first lines and creates the impression that you were too lazy to think and write even about yourself. It's better to use AI to check punctuation and spelling, for example, through the Yandex chatbot with Alice.

I wish you good luck in finding interesting projects and successfully completing your professional tasks!

A common problem with portfolios is their lack of focus. For our latest vacancy for a "packaging designer," we received many responses containing only work in web design, UI, and UX. Evaluating such a portfolio is extremely difficult. This doesn't mean it has to be entirely devoted to packaging. However, it's desirable that the portfolio demonstrate skills that best match the job requirements. It's important that your work reflects professional competencies and experience in related fields, allowing employers to better assess your potential and suitability for the position.

Summary

Common job search mistakes and the norm will help you better navigate the process of applying for vacancies and preparing for interviews. Knowing these aspects will help you avoid common pitfalls and increase your chances of successful employment. We'll cover key points to consider to improve your competitiveness in the job market and achieve your desired result.

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A Designer's Work: Materials and Resources

Designers play a key role in creating visual content that attracts attention and conveys ideas. In this context, it is important to have access to high-quality materials that will help develop skills and expand your design knowledge.

Various resources exist, including articles, video tutorials, and online courses, offering valuable advice on working with graphic editors, color theory, and composition. These materials will help you master modern design trends and techniques, which in turn will increase your competitiveness in the market.

It is also useful to study the portfolios of successful designers to draw inspiration and find new approaches to solving creative problems. Subscribing to professional blogs and forums will help you stay up-to-date with the latest news and trends in the design industry.

Don't forget the importance of online communities, where you can share experiences and receive feedback from colleagues. This is an excellent opportunity for professional growth and development of your own skills.

All this makes the study and practice of design more accessible and effective.

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