Is Your Design Career in Jeopardy?

Despite the mixed reviews amongst people working in design / advertising about Mad Men, I have become addicted. However it is the underlying struggles raised by the characters that stick with me the longest. For example, in this past week’s episode, Harry Crane opens Ken Cosgrove’s paycheck and sees that he makes 300 dollars a week. This is 100 dollars more than he makes, which to Harry begs the question, why? It is not until a discussion with Salvatore the Art Director that he realizes where he is lacking, and where this article will begin.

Value is Contextual

Salvatore asks Harry, “What do you do that makes you irreplaceable?” While Harry fumbles with a response, Salvatore responds “Then you are worth every penny they are paying you.”

Your value as an employee or vendor is a direct reflection of your perceived value. Perception is a funny thing, chances are what is needed to be perceived as more valuable is easier than you may think. This becomes important when faced with the impact of the recent changes in the economy.

By now you have probably felt the effects of the so called recession, even if it was not a negative one. However, if your clients are looking to cut costs or you’re an employee at a design firm, justifying your worth may be your top priority right now. With the tips that I have assembled, this should not be a problem.

Tips anyone can use to justify their worth

The main focus of my “tips” is to actually reinforce your true worth, rather than trick employers or clients into thinking that you are valuable. Just like good design work, presentation is 90% of the battle. If you can’t show that you are of worth then no one will ever see it.

Share your accomplishments

One of the biggest reasons that people are not valued to their fullest potential is because they do not know how to share their accomplishments. This can be a difficult thing to do because no one wants to be a braggart, but it is a necessity if you want people to know what you have achieved. For freelancers this can be as simple as listing your accomplishments on your website.

Learn a new skill

Not all skills need to be mastered in order to be valuable to a client or employee. As a designer, brushing up on your copy editing skills could provide much needed cost savings to an employer or client. Additionally, if you new skill is something that is hard to find then you may actually be able to increase your worth.

Make some new friends

Whether it is your boss, peers, or clients, it is always hard to fire those people whom you like. Additionally, when it is time to talk about a raise or future projects, it will be easier to justify spending on people they like.

Bring in new work

When things are tight, bringing in a new project, or making a referral to your client’s services goes a long way to justifying your costs. If you have made them some money they will be more interested in spending it on you.

Apply for design awards

Design awards are a wonderful thing because they come from a group outside your direct peers and reaffirm your skills. Winning an award can show your employer or client that you know what you are doing and that you are worth their investment.

Do a little more every day

There is a reason that people say it is the little things that count, by showing that you are willing to take on additional responsibility no matter how small, you show that you are vested. Luckily for you, doing the little things usually doesn’t take that much either, just commitment on your part.

By following these tips you should be able to quickly reassure your benefactors of your value to their organization. This is however only a short list of potential things that can be done. If you have a tip that has worked for you in the past please share them below.