Trying to break into the design industry? Now might actually be the best time.

How our new normal has created more opportunity for emerging talent

In design, as with any career path, there are pre-existing ideas about the training and the experience needed to solidify yourself in the industry. Oftentimes, the bar is set high for those just starting out, and it’s a tough slog wading into the sea referred to as “networking.” Training, internships and connections are the usual and expected steps toward updating that shiny new LinkedIn job description.

Recently, my company has been working with the Fresh Air Fund to teach high school age students about the paths to becoming a designer. Our discussions have further cemented my theory that there is no one “right” path to becoming a designer, and the opportunities to do so have actually multiplied in the past year, thanks to innovations necessitated by the lockdown. When I compare my more “traditional” path (that is, going to design school) to the paths of those graduating high school during the pandemic, I see some similarities in our experiences, but I also see new, perhaps even more impactful, opportunities to get a foothold in the industry.

As I see it, this is because those who hold the keys to entering the industry — the “gatekeepers,” if you will — have evolved and transformed with the times. As much as our current pandemic climate has impacted us in unexpected ways (who thought we’d be spending most of 2020 on our computers, am I right?), it has paved the way for these traditional gatekeepers (prestigious universities, internships, jobs) to recognize the need to delegate some of their power to increase diversity and adapt to the digital world.

Digital life has paved the way for increased access in three key ways:

Open-source software and learning

As the internet becomes more and more of our lifeline and connection to human interaction, it also has become a reminder that there is so much inexpensive and even free software out there in the world, just waiting to be used. Training and courses that most of us would expect to take in person are now easily done online, and so many courses can be taken for a minimal cost.

Online conferences and networking

Many design conferences come with hefty prices tags — thanks to almost everything moving online, those price tags are minimal or even nonexistent. Personally, I’ve attended some design conferences (like Remote Design Week and Adobe Max) I never would have attended in person and been exposed to viewpoints and experiences I hadn’t thought of before. After all, you just need a computer to attend a conference that might normally be held across the world. Speakers not normally able to attend in person are now easily able to log on and chat to a wider audience.

Community-based channels and mentorship

While sometimes it’s hard to detach yourself from constantly checking programs like Slack, it does have an upside — that of bringing people together. So many communities have formed, such as the Slack community resulting from the Where Are the Black Designers conference earlier this year. And because it’s clear how many obstacles new graduates are facing during these remote times, those with mentorship capacity have been more generous with their time.

By now, most designers are embracing — or at least accepting — this new work from home lifestyle for the foreseeable future. What is becoming abundantly clear is that the design industry is having to adapt and evolve to stay afloat. This new normal has allowed those traditional, and sometimes unfair, methods of breaking into the design industry to take a back seat, ushering in new voices and perspectives, exactly when we need them most.

While it’s up to new designers to take advantage of these new opportunities, it’s also up to us, the seasoned or the settled, to keep offering them. So in the spirit of transparency and mentorship, I’ll offer this: If you are just starting out in the design industry, email me. I love portfolio reviews, chatting about cats and also talking about design — claire@method.com. Can’t wait to exist in this new normal with you all.

This article was edited by Erin Peace. Illustration by Jacob Johnson.