Sharing Necessary Skills for Newly Graduated Designers

As a newly graduated Designer, the journey to conquer a career is not always easy. You will need a combination of solid professional knowledge and soft skills to be able to integrate into a professional working environment. These necessary skills will not only help you build a position in the company but also develop a sustainable career. In the following article, Sadesign will introduce the important skills that a newly graduated Designer needs to have to be ready to enter today's competitive labor market.

1. Solid professional skills

Mastering knowledge and skills in a specialized field will help Designers not only meet job requirements but also be creative, improve processes and contribute to improving work efficiency. In addition, the ability to solve problems quickly and accurately is one of the clearest signs that you truly possess outstanding professional skills.

1.1 Proficiency in design software

For any Designer, mastering design software is a prerequisite to be able to perform work effectively. Software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Sketch are basic tools that a Designer must master. These software help Designers perform tasks such as editing images, creating designs, or building user interfaces (UI).

Not only stopping at using the tools, Designers also need to understand the advanced features of the software and how to optimize the workflow. This will help you work faster and more efficiently.

1.2 Knowledge of layout and color

Layout and color play an important role in creating an attractive and easy-to-see design. As a Designer, you need to understand the basic principles of layout, space distribution and proportion to create design products that are easily accepted by viewers. Along with that, understanding colors and how to coordinate them harmoniously will help you create designs that are not only beautiful but also highly aesthetic.

1.3 User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Design

In the digital age, the ability to design user interfaces (UI) and user experiences (UX) is an extremely important skill. Although there are differences between UI and UX, the combination of both creates applications and websites that provide great user experiences.

A fresh graduate Designer needs to understand interface structure, basic principles of UX and how to design interfaces that are easy to use and user-friendly. This skill will not only help you grow in the design field but also create real value for your clients.

2. Soft skills

In the field of graphic design, not only technical and professional knowledge play an important role, but soft skills also contribute significantly to the success of a designer. Skills such as effective communication, time management and teamwork not only help you maintain work efficiency, but also expand your creativity and career development. 

2.1 Effective communication skills

As a Designer, you not only work with software and tools, but also with colleagues, clients, and other departments within the company. Effective communication skills are essential to convey your ideas, receive feedback from clients, and ensure that your designs meet requirements.

The ability to listen and understand what customers want will help you create design products that meet real needs. In addition, communication skills are also very important in convincing customers of the value of the designs you create.

2.2 Ability to work in a team

When entering a professional working environment, you will often have to work with colleagues from many different departments. Each person has their own expertise and your work may affect their work. Therefore, the ability to work in a team is a necessary skill that every Designer must have.

To work effectively in a team, you need to know how to share ideas, collaborate with others, and sometimes accept feedback to complete the work. Being part of a team helps you learn more and improve the quality of your work.

2.3 Time management

Time management is an important factor that helps Designers complete their work on time. Especially when the work may encounter many changing or unexpected requests from the client. A newly graduated Designer will need to learn how to plan work and allocate time appropriately to complete projects.

Effective time management will help you avoid overload, produce quality products and reduce stress at work.

3. Creativity and problem solving skills

3.1 Creative thinking

A Designer must be creative to create new and unique products. Creative thinking helps you come up with breakthrough ideas and design solutions that not only meet customer requirements but also leave a strong impression.

Creativity is not only about coming up with design ideas, but also about finding new solutions to problems that clients are facing. A creative designer can come up with different designs while still maintaining aesthetics and professionalism.

3.2 Problem Solving

Problem solving is an important skill for a Designer. During the design process, you will encounter many difficulties such as complex design requirements, budget constraints, or constantly changing requests from customers.

With problem solving skills, you can find creative ways to overcome these challenges without compromising the quality of your product. This helps you maintain your reputation and build trust with your customers.

4. Learning skills and updating trends

4.1 Learn from those who have gone before you

Even if you are a fresh graduate, a Designer cannot stop learning. Learning from experienced people in the industry will help you quickly get up to speed on the job and learn important skills. You can learn by attending seminars, courses, or simply listening and absorbing feedback from colleagues.

4.2 Update design trends

The design industry is always changing and updating new trends. A successful Designer needs to grasp the latest design trends to ensure that his work is always in line with market requirements. Updating trends will help you have new ideas and enrich your design skills.

5. Conclusion

For a newly graduated Designer, success depends not only on professional knowledge but also on the ability to communicate, work in a team and be creative. By developing and perfecting these skills, you will be able to overcome challenges in the profession and reach out to promising career opportunities.