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A designer’s challenge to entry-level jobs that require five years of experience
Next time you interview for a junior design job, counter with this answer
“Job title: Junior Designer
Salary: The lowest level we can get away with for an entry-level job
Requirements: 5 years of experience and a degree in Design
Interview Process: Do a small project for us which we may use for free after we don’t hire you.
Perks: We have great culture and free snacks!”
Does this sound familiar to you? It sure does to me.
Young talents deserve better than this type of treatment from employers.
But why is this vicious cycle of “we want experience but we won’t give you a chance to build one” still a thing now? It was certainly the case for me when I was job hunting as a young designer. Now a decade later, I was hoping it would be a thing of the past.
Sadly, it isn’t.
Now as a design educator, I am again confronted with this dilemma faced by frustrated students who are eager to get a foot in the door.
To find a solution, let’s break down why it keeps happening. Then we will find a way to confront it head on.
Reason 1: Employers Don’t Want To Waste Time On Training
Employers are selfish.
I’m not saying they are bad — human beings are inherently selfish and that’s okay. In many ways, businesses must be selfish to be profitable. They must always put their interests first.
Employees with no previous experience require longer and more in-depth training. It comes at a cost to the employer who would rather be as productive as possible making as much money as possible.
In this regard, an inexperienced employee becomes more of a liability at first, not an asset.
In this regard, an inexperienced employee becomes more of a liability at first, not an asset.
