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starting out
TEXT BY ELLEN LUPTON
Working in a small or midsize design studio or agency is a dream job for many designers. Typically, studios attract varied projects from a range of clients. In a company that employs just a few designers, a junior designer will likely report directly to the firm’s founder and creative director. In
a company with a bigger staff, an entry-level designer might report
to a senior designer or account manager—a layer between the junior employee and the commander in chief. Alternatives to these hierarchical studio structures include worker-owned cooperative businesses, single- person shops, and studios organized as nonprofit organizations.
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Some studios clearly define the duties of new employees. Others allow a design- er’s responsibilities to change and grow depending on their abilities—and what’s needed by the company that week or that month. Bigger companies tend to have more formal hiring practices.
Some entry-level studio positions are dominated by production tasks such as making clipping paths in Photoshop, enter- ing data into spreadsheets, or building pre- sentation decks. Other positions are more creative from the outset. A junior designer might be asked to develop ideas for a pitch or work on a team with a group of design- ers, brainstorming ideas and collaborating to develop the best ones.
Many entry-level studio jobs are defined as internships, an arrangement that
allows the company to pay a low wage and provide zero benefits. (In many US states, an intern can be paid less than the legal minimum wage.) Such internships some- times serve as a trial period that could
end in a permanent or semipermanent position. Other entry-level positions are defined as freelance or contract work. This means that the worker is an independent contractor rather than an employee of the company—like an Uber driver. Contract workers can also be hired by a staffing agency, which pays the worker. This limits
the company’s responsibility for providing benefits such as health insurance or paid vacations. It also means that the company isn’t committed to a long-term relationship. Like an internship, a freelance gig can be a path to a permanent position. This is not al- ways the case, however; many companies keep contractors revolving on and off their staff to avoid making full-time hires.
Designers work long hours at many stu- dios. When there’s a big deadline, everyone jumps in. Leaving early is not an option. Some companies exist in permanent crisis mode. If the studio head likes to take on too many projects and thrives on andrenaline, late nights are likely to be the norm.
Are entry-level jobs like these worth the long hours and low pay? Most professionals can’t work this way indefinitely. It’s tough to survive in London, New York, or Seattle as
a permanent intern. Some young workers get financial help from their parents for a few years out of school. With luck, perse- verance, and a hearty dose of privilege, an early period of hardship might give way to a permanent position with appropriate com- pensation. (Doctors, lawyers, and celebrity chefs endure similar trials by fire.) For some, the intensity of studio work can yield creative growth while building a base of practical knowledge and work experience.