I have a daughter who wants to get an arts degree in graphic design and break into the creative industry, and to be honest, I don't have the least bit of faith that it'd be a promising career for her. Do any of you regret your choice of career? What advice do you have for a father struggling to shake out the fear that this path is one with a dead-end? I'm open to seeing things differently and would love your perspectives!

The only regret I have is working for a financial company.
Sincerely,
A graphic designer

I would advise against it, and I'm a graphic designer myself. It's just very hard to create an impression in today's scenario, considering everything impressive that literal bots can make. I highly encourage it as a hobby or a side gig but not as her bread-winning career. But that's just my opinion.

There’s something to be said of letting her figure out a career path herself regardless if she ends up going to design school and getting a job as a designer because it’s not a clear path no matter what.

That said does she have a portfolio? The bare minimum she needs is the ability to be self generating and/or comfortable or open to learning a creative process for herself.

I am making a lot of money and i have traveled the world because of my work. It’s a great career of you’re somewhat talented amd if you have willingness to get better and work ethic. It’s a dead end if you’re not.

Hey there! I had a long journey, and I made it. I now work on world class brands at a global agency. I paid off 60k of debt from ad school 2 years after graduation. It just took a long time to get here. This is not a linear path, just like how the creative process. On this path you might go in circles until you reach your destination.

One thing I did that benefited me was I went to business school first so I had a marketing background which gave me an edge. Pursued design as a minor at first and was mostly self taught. I would make flyers for student group events. At the time I had a ton of corporate internships and discovered the world of branding and ad agencies during a communications internship. I realized I was on the wrong side and was a creative at heart. After graduation, I went to ad school to pursue art direction. It ended up being a role that combines ideation, design, visuals, storytelling and the marketing side of things. Pretty much my whole unique background came together. It required starting over, financial investment into ad school. I didn’t have parents to help, just credit cards, lots of internships, freelance gigs, hard work, 9 dollar part time jobs navigating in a new city while my portfolio was developing. It was a LOT. It was hard. It’s not easy. However my purpose was tied to this path - to create impactful things in the world. If you want it that bad you can make it happen. It is just not EASY.

Now when you get here it can still be unstable. Projects happen at fast paces with tight deadlines. I am 5 years into the industry and have had a continuously employed career thank god but people get laid off often. But I would like to find an exit plan outside of agency life because long term I don’t feel this path is sustainable if you value your health and wellness / balance. I would like to start my own branding studio, freelance on my own schedule, build my own influencer brand, write and design my own books, create my own products- because I have those skills. I would just apply it to myself versus an agency or corporation.

So. What I recommend.. try to find something that has stability first that you enjoy and do graphic design as a side thing. If you love it enough, go all in. I say that because graphic design can always be applied to any industry and field. All businesses need it. So if you have a stable path you can combine with it, it could be safer. These days, the business of design is a thing too. So perhaps look into that.

The other path is .. go all in. But just be ready for the ride and moments of instability.

You have to have a STRONG purpose and PASSION for choosing this path.

Does she love it? Is she passionate about it and spends all her time on her art? Money isn’t the only indicator of success.

It’s hard to ask people that question today because we are in a little bit of a downturn, but if you asked some of these people a couple of years ago, they would’ve had a different opinion.

The biggest considerations will be her level of talent and her passion for what she does. We have a lot of lukewarm people in our industry. And 25 years in this business, the ones with passion always rise to the top. They are also the happiest and have the most fulfilling degrees.

That being said, anywhere she goes to school. I would ask what kind of placement programs and career development programs they offer before the students graduate, and after they graduate for their alumni.

For a creative person, there aren’t many better options. If she has a little bit of business sense, and can learn to apply the craft to solving business problems, she‘ll be okay.

The important thing to understand, now more than ever, is that you have to be in the business of ideas not executing. AI and outsourcing are coming for the executional creative tasks, fast.

I would advise her to look into advertising art direction vs graphic design. And set the reality that it’s a competitive industry, and those who get into the top tier of agencies do pretty. But there’s a large drop off after that.

If she has the passion for it, and works for it, she’ll be successful.

I have a graduating hs senior who is an awesome designer. Just pure talent. I told him it is no longer a viable career path. AI is taking over, creatives are being marginalized and devalued.

It is still viable but your success really really depends on where you go to school/quality of your portfolio and general resilience. I make 6 figures and am not carrying debt like my more traditional major friends.

However, this is a dying industry as AI and private equity have joined the old challenges of sexism, ageism, and budgets. If I could advise my earlier self it would be to go into something where I’m not working 50-60 hour weeks.

At this point and time it is difficult to get a level entry job in the design industry. As an instructor and an art director, I’ve seen some of my students struggle to get level entry work and I’ve also seen bit of a slow down in the hiring process. That doesn’t mean it will always be like this.

If you’re worried about ai and automation, just know the arts aren’t the only thing affected by it.

My advice is if she is gun-ho on learning design, then have her apply to the big art and design schools. She’ll have an easier time getting jobs and will have some of the best connections. Not to say if she doesn’t get into one she won’t get a good education and a good career path. It will be easier.