Finding Employment as a Graphic Designer in Tasmania, Australia

Graphic designers are in high demand and it’s not only in Tasmania or the rest of the country. The trend is obvious all over the world as we have moved into the digital era and most businesses are increasing their online presence. A decade ago having a website was considered good enough, but now there’s stiff competition in the online world and you have to have a good website. The best.

This means there are plenty of job opportunities for graphic designers, yet getting a job is not that easy. There are many others just like you, vying for jobs. Here’s what you need to do to stand out from the crowd.

Prepare a strong CV

A good CV doesn’t have to be very long. Recruiting agents hate to read long CVs filled with useless details. Show them some consideration and keep it concise, focusing on things that really matter.

Having a degree from a good school is important, but don’t forget to list all the courses you took over the years.

Also, list the programs and software you normally use, so they’ll know what you’re capable of.

Get a background check ready

Most businesses in Tasmania now ask for background checks on their employees so you should have one ready when you apply for a job. This way you can show prospective employers you don’t have a criminal record so you’re a reliable person, which should give you some bonus points. By taking the initiative and getting a police clearance you also show them that you mean business. It’s a way of letting them know you want that job and you don’t like to waste time.

By the way, getting a background check on yourself is super easy these days. You can use an online agency that specializes in providing a national police check Tasmania. Applying for a criminal history check only takes a few minutes of your time and you get the results back in a couple of business days. You can use that check to apply for several jobs at the same time or you can reuse it for the next job. Most companies will accept a police check even if it’s a month old.

Get some references

You have more chances of getting a good job if you can show prospective employers other clients were most happy with your work.

When you make a list of your past employers try to add some references. The best approach would be to ask a client to give you a reference letter at the end of your contract. Don’t try to use fake references. Human Resources managers are very serious about their pre-employment screening and if your reference letter turns out to be fake you can forget about that job even if you’re a very good graphic designer.

Prepare your portfolio

HR managers might not know much about graphic design, but you should at least show them what you do. If you have a website or a profile on a job board make sure to include samples of your previous work. If you worked on a company’s logo or advertising campaign, include images from your project.

Bonus tip:

When you apply for a graphic designer job, or any other job for that matter, make sure you don’t keep the employer waiting for an answer from you. Check your email frequently or use notifications if possible so you don’t lose any message from the employer. If they get the feeling they’ll have a communication problem with you, you might lose that job.