Graphic design : Your skills

Over the course of your degree you develop a good mix of subject-specific and technical skills as well as transferable core skills such as:

• drawing and sketching skills: traditional drawing and sketching abilities are necessary and any graphics course extends and hones these. You also learn to use a variety of computer packages and the skills involved in your chosen options;
• creativity: learning to be open to new inspirations and techniques;
• teamworking skills: most teaching takes place in tutorials and workshops rather than lectures and original work is produced in project groups, so you develop teamworking skills;
• time management skills: coming up with your own ideas and personal projects, managing your time and meeting conflicting deadlines needs self-discipline and time management skills;
• technical skills: you learn to use a variety of computer packages and the skills involved in your chosen options, e.g. illustration, printing, and web design;
• ability to conduct research in a variety of modes;
• capacity to work independently, determining your own future learning needs: apart from working in teams you will need to produce your own work and build your own portfolio which will help you monitor your progress and determine your learning needs;
• entrepreneurial skills: your portfolio will have to be creative, imaginative and commercial as well.

Students often submit items to external exhibitions and competitions and many courses also offer the chance to focus on promoting yourself and your work in preparation for entering employment.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.