Choosing an appropriate graphic design course assists ongoing employment in one of the world's most competitive fields.

Being a graphic designer is a dream job for many, but with a huge amount of competition in the marketplace it is critical to choose the right graphic design course before embarking on a career in the field. By researching the design school, choosing useful design subjects and analyzing course portfolios, one can increases the chances of employment immensely.

Research the Design School

Graphic design institutes and online graphic design courses will display glossy imagery and provide examples and testimonials of the dream jobs that their top graduating students have achieved. These schools are often expensive and rely on “selling the dream” to potential students to fill their quotas. Many graphic design courses are useful and have practical applications in the real world, but there are some that do not.

Choose a handful of design schools and ask the following questions to find out if their courses can assist in obtaining a new career as a graphic designer:

• How many students (in general or as a percentage) obtained a job in graphic design after graduation and how long did it take them?
• Are there many career paths in graphic design that can be followed as a result of completing the course?
• Is it possible to learn a firm foundation in basic graphic design skills as well as the other subjects?
• Is there any assistance for students to help them gain employment after graduation?

Choose Useful Design Course Subjects

The easiest way to obtain a great first job in graphic design when starting out is to be flexible, adaptable and to have broad knowledge of many subjects so that specialization does not hinder future career opportunities. Good subjects to choose include those which offer the most recent software or are subjects that are in high demand with employers. Unfortunately, these subjects limit students to using the latest software and filling the skill shortages in the market for a few years.

Great subjects to take include learning how to obtain a “designers eye”, a firm foundation in the knowledge of design principles and some additional soft skills such as illustration or web design. Choosing subjects like these will allow a broad application of learned skills, even when the latest software has become defunct or an employer wants to change to a new medium or program.

Build an Impressive Portfolio

Many people need to learn graphic design and obtain a qualification at a graphic design school before being able to perform on the job, however, employers will rarely look at qualifications and will often base the ability to do the job on a portfolio.

What is needed is an exceptional graphic design portfolio that will showcase the ability to design in a range of areas and mediums. Employers look for a person who is adaptable and flexible as well as a good designer; they want employees who can use lots of different software, can come up with ideas no matter what and can communicate effectively through design.

Ask the graphic design school if it’s possible to look at an example portfolio produced from the course. A good looking portfolio with lots of variety will assist the most in gaining employment in graphic design.

Start a New Career With the Right Graphic Design Course

Choosing the appropriate graphic design course is very important in obtaining ongoing employment in graphic design. The right course assists students to learn the skills to become a designer in any medium or application and will also assist with creating a good quality portfolio that will impress employers. An excellent design school helps students in gain a foothold in paid employment following graduation – allowing unhindered progression in the new career.