The idea that Graphic Designers
have it easy is one of the biggest misconceptions in the academic and
professional world. "Oh anyone can be a Graphic Designer" it’s like this very subtle, very annoying and
very disruptive form of microaggression designers get, and the phrase usually
carries the underlying assumption that their work is for the world to take, for
free. Because really, how difficult can Photoshop be?
Spec work is any kind of
creative work that is submitted partially or completed to potential clients,
before the designer has secured a fair fee. The designer will enter a contest,
or do “test work” for a position at x
company, in the end, the designer will most likely loose the rights to their
work because he lost the contest –the rules of most contests are clear that the
designer gives irrevocable rights and license to use, exploit, modify,
distribute etc. Without compensation, permission or notification-
In the case of the job offering
and the prospect of future employment, the designer will be left with a
deflated self-worth and only words of encouragement like "Think of it as an experience opportunity” or “One more piece for your portfolio!” this does nothing for the
designer, it contributes to the ever growing epidemic of mediocre design, to
the lack of fresh and mature
designers and lastly it keeps perpetuating the idea that Graphic Design is a
walk in the park and requires no effort.
As newly graduated designers,
there is the need to start producing work and gaining experience, but this
hastiness leads to uneducated choices when it comes to deciding what jobs to
take, and which ones to turn down.
Before taking a job always
consider whether the conditions are fair –are you getting paid, is the work
environment conducive to a greater creative outlet, are you happy?- No matter
what people might tell you, yes, I’m talking about you Mr. Powell. A designer’s work is worth getting paid for, you deserve
to be treated with fairness.
Next time you consider taking
on a job, have these tips in mind.
1.
Educate yourself
Before you do anything, try to
do some research on what spec work really is NO!SPEC is a really amazing place to start, you will find
everything related to spec work and how to avoid getting into messy situations.
Also remember to visit AIGA’s page
for more info on the subject.
2.
Show your previous work.
As with portfolios, taking
samples of your previous work to your prospective employers can be a good way
of showing your capabilities and maybe offer new insight on how you would
approach the client’s design needs.
Talk to your client about
working only under a contract, and always make sure you are the first person you think of.
3.
Set a flat fee.
When it comes to pricing, many
designers find themselves in quite the mess. Should you charge by the hour or
should you go with a flat fee?
Well according to Sabrina Smelko from Hands and Hustle, it’s best to decide a flat rate “You should never be paid less simply because
you’re good at something. In fact, you should be compensated fairly for that
expertise. How easy something is for you to do should never dictate pricing” To
check out her full take on pricing just click here.
Carolina –
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you chose this topic, because it is one of the most important challenges for designers coming out of school. I like how you are taking a firm stance to make this a persuasive writing piece.
A couple writing tips:
- Watch your use of commas – make sure to add them in when necessary. See example below.
- Use punctuation/break up sentences that are too long (see below).
“"Oh(,) anyone can be a Graphic Designer"(.) (This is a) very subtle, very annoying(,) and very disruptive form of microaggression designers get(.) (The) phrase usually carries the underlying assumption that their work is for the world to take for free.”
This paragraph can be broken into many sentences:
“The designer will enter a contest, or do “test work” for a position at x company(.) In the end, the designer will most likely (lose) the rights to their work because he (or she) lost the contest(.) (The) rules of most contests are clear(:) the designer gives irrevocable rights and license to use, exploit, modify, (and) distribute (w)ithout compensation, permission or notification.
(new paragraph)
(In) the case of (a) job offering and the prospect of future employment, the designer will be left with a deflated (sense of) self-worth and only words of encouragement like "Think of it as an experience opportunity” or “One more piece for your portfolio!” (This) does nothing for the designer(.) (Instead), it contributes to the ever growing epidemic of mediocre design, the lack of fresh and mature designers(,) and lastly(,) it (perpetuates) the idea that graphic design requires no effort.”
If you’re struggling with where to place commas, you will need them wherever a sentence feels “run-on” or where a natural pause would come in speaking it aloud (such as in a list). Other instances are included here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/607/
As for the content, I like how you included steps for designers to take to protect themselves against spec work. A very important step to add to this list is to make a personal contract for all your freelance projects. It’s a surefire way to make sure a client won’t take advantage of your design work!