How to Gain Design Experience (Without Being Taken Advantage Of)

Today I felt the need to go to a local Thai restaurant for lunch. Being that it was my first time in the particular restaurant, I was a little more aware of my surroundings and paying extra attention to detail. After having some really great Pad Thai I was leaving the restaurant when I noticed a poster containing some zen quotes. The one that stuck out to me the most was “Experience is the thing that you don’t need until right after you needed it.”

I think the reason that this particular quote stuck with me is not because of its apparent wit, but its truth. I don’t know how many times I have been in a situation where just a little more experience would have lead to me landing a freelance gig. This is not to say that I was incapable of completing the project or even less suited for the job, I just had less experience in that particular section of design.

What this brings me to is how to gain experience in sections of design that you may not have been involved in before. Many people are under the impression that in order to gain experience, you need to do questionable things like taken on Spec work, and this should never be the case.

1. Donate you time to a non-profit or charity. Non-profits and charities are always looking for marketing materials and are usually on a fixed budget. Because of this they will be more than happy to accept your work even though you may not be an expert.
2. Start a personal project. This works especially well for gaining experience in web design and development. Starting your own personal website or blog is a great way to gain experience and add a project to your blog.
3. Attend a conference or workshop. By attending a conference or workshop you are portraying the image that you are interested in the topic and are striving to learn more. This can be a great way to gain credibility and help you win a potential project pitch in an area you are not very experienced in.
4. Get an internship or co-op. This is easier to do if you are a student, but being an intern can be a great way to gain valuable experience without being taken advantage of. As an intern you may or may not be paid, but you are compensated through connections, referrals, and recommendations. These are all things that can help you land a job or gig.
5. Do work for family. While working for family (or friends) has its drawbacks, it also has its benefits. Family is more willing to take you seriously and give you a chance when you say that you are able to complete a project and do a good job at it. This can be a great way to gain experience as long as you are honest up front and let your family know that this is not your area or expertise, but that you feel you are more than capable of the responsibility.
6. Find a mentor. Finding a mentor has many other benefits, but mentors can be a great way to gain experience. They can open you up to a world of new contacts, include you in their projects, and help guide you along the right path.
7. Take a class. By taking a class you can gain great experience in design, however the trade off is that you must invest your own money in the process.

Remember that the only people who really benefit from spec work are the people asking for it. Experience is a product of everything you do, and you get the same level (if not more) of it by doing any of the methods listed above. This is where you the reader comes in. If you have any other methods other than the ones listed please feel free to post them in the comments below.