{"id":62561,"date":"2019-03-29T02:31:19","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T09:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/5-design-student-stereotypes-to-avoid\/"},"modified":"2019-03-29T02:31:19","modified_gmt":"2019-03-29T09:31:19","slug":"5-design-student-stereotypes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/5-design-student-stereotypes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"5 design student stereotypes to avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019re at design school with your essential kit. And you\u2019re doing pretty well. So well, in fact, it might be going to your head. If you don\u2019t want your design career to be dead in the water before you even graduate, take heed of the failings of those who have gone before you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While there are plenty of proactive positive actions you can take to set yourself on the path to success, there are also some pitfalls to avoid. Here are five archetypal design student attitudes that are sure to make you crash and burn, and give your fledgling career the rainbow doughnut of death\u2026<\/p>\n

And when you have made certain these student types don’t describe you, you’ll need to make sure that portfolio is in order. Luckily, we’ve got some brilliant portfolio examples<\/a> to help you get straight into the job market.<\/p>\n

01. The rip-off merchant\u00a0<\/h3>\n

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\"Student<\/p>

Gosh, that design sure looks familiar [Photo by Himesh Kumar Behera on Unsplash]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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They say there\u2019s a fine line between inspiration and imitation. Don\u2019t cross it. As a student, you\u2019re a crisp, blank sheet of paper, ready to be doodled with fresh ideas. But if you rip off someone else\u2019s style, you might as well be a battered old photocopier.<\/p>\n

News can travel quickly if you plagiarise, too, and if the creative in question calls you out and burns you publicly on social media, it\u2019s a long way back if you want to be taken seriously again. The industry is smaller than you think (see for yourself in our article dissecting how designers deal with plagiarism<\/a>).<\/p>\n

02. The walking clich\u00e9<\/h3>\n

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\"Student<\/p>

Heavy-framed glasses aren’t for everyone [Photo by Braydon Anderson on Unsplash]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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We all know the well-worn stereotype for how a creative should look and dress. But skinny jeans, a checked shirt, beard and glasses do not a designer make. Don\u2019t spend your student loan on dressing the part and expect success to fall into your lap because you can blend in: it\u2019s about standing out, after all.<\/p>\n

Any design studio worth its salt will value your portfolio, your attitude, and your ideas above your appearance. If that\u2019s your style anyway, knock yourself out \u2013 but if not, be yourself and you just might blaze a trail of your own.<\/p>\n

03. The arrogant one<\/h3>\n

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\"Student<\/p>

Get your ego in check \u2013 you still have plenty to learn [Photo by Melanie Hughes on Unsplash]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Nobody likes an over-inflated ego \u2013 particularly from a student. And yet, it\u2019s an all-too-common sight. Sure, you\u2019ve landed your dream placement and are on track for a first-class degree: great, good for you.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t start strutting the halls and crowing your accomplishments from the rooftops. And don\u2019t ever think you\u2019re above the tasks you\u2019re given. Your potential studio mates will soon go cold if you think you\u2019re God\u2019s gift.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to be a brown-noser during placements or your first real design job. But \u2013 as our article on how to transform a design internship into a job<\/a> points out \u2013 it does pay to be humble, to soak up the experience around you, and to go above and beyond whatever is asked of you.<\/p>\n

04. The hasty bridge-burner<\/h3>\n

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\"Student<\/p>

There goes another client relationship [Photo by Dawn Armfield on Unsplash]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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It\u2019s all about who you know, and when you\u2019re first starting out building up a contacts book, every one of them is gold dust. You never know who they could introduce you to, or where the rabbit hole could lead.<\/p>\n

Treasure those relationships. Nurture them. It can take time \u2013 and remember, they\u2019re not just boxes to be ticked or rungs of a ladder to climb. They\u2019re people. If you get a knock-back from your first attempt at getting a foot in the door, be gracious and try again later. Don\u2019t lose your cool and douse that already rickety bridge in petrol.<\/p>\n

05. The turd-polisher<\/h3>\n

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\"Student<\/p>

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Sparklers won’t help if your pie doesn’t taste good [Photo by Lucy Heath on Unsplash]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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If you\u2019ve overcome the previous four hurdles, you should be a humble, honest, level-headed creative with an individual spirit and a passion for learning. In short, you\u2019ll be mega employable.<\/p>\n

The final step is to value substance as well as style. It\u2019s all very well having the skills to make something pop in Photoshop CC<\/a>, but that\u2019s not what great design is. Get into the habit of paring your ideas back to the absolute basics before you develop them. If they work as a thumbnail sketch or a one-line pitch, you\u2019re well on your way.<\/p>\n

In short, if a great idea isn\u2019t there at the core of a project, don\u2019t just roll that turd in glitter and stick a sparkler in it. You\u2019ll thank us later.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n