#81 WHAT’S IN A NAME

I decided to reach out to a former instructor for some career advice. He gave me some great pointers, in regards to my resume and portfolio. One in particular stood out to me. It had to do with the title I was giving myself.

I’ve read and been told many things about what a graphic designer should call themselves, to gain attention from possible employers. On LinkedIn I was calling myself a Creative Director. Even though I am the Creative Director of Rowlison Creative, the title wasn’t helping me. I chose it because, I thought it made me sound experienced and capable.

My instructor asked me “What job title are you actually wanting and applying for”. I said a “jr. designer”. He explained that design shops looking to higher jr. designers aren’t looking for creative directors. They were probably dismissing me when they saw my title. His suggestion was to call myself an emerging graphic designer. This title dose two things. It tells hiring managers that I am a designer looking to start a career. Secondly because they know I’m trying to break into the industry, companies will be more likely to want to help me. What are you calling yourself? Is it turning off potential employers?