The quest for your first design job

Looking for a job isn’t easy—and looking for one with no experience can feel especially overwhelming. The only real consolation is that literally everyone has been there—and most of them not only found that first job, but went on to build full-on careers.

Still, if you’re currently stuck dealing with applications, interviews, rejections, and offers (finally, the fun part!), this piece is here to cheer you up and help you see the situation through other people’s experiences.

For this article, we spoke to:

Joana Novo, Marketing Designer at kencko, who started looking for her first job even before finishing her master’s—but the search ended up stretching two months past graduation.

Valdemar Juul, a Visual Arts and Graphic Design master’s student at KASK & Conservatorium in Ghent, who landed his first job at a studio simply by knocking on the door and meeting the founders.

Francisco Pires, Marketing Designer at Readymag, whose first job grew directly out of his studies.

Galina Bondarenko, HR Manager at Readymag, who’s seen dozens of designers come through the hiring process, including plenty of juniors.

Ratta Bill, Design Director at Tiny Studio, who looks for interns a couple of times a year and gives them real, hands-on experience in graphic design.

The search

Joana Novo: It took me four months to land my first job. I submitted my master’s thesis in July 2023. Two months before that, I was already burning my eyes refreshing job boards and applying to everything. Then August came—and no one tells you how much job postings drop. Suddenly it’s summer, and all I wanted was to have fun. I avoided LinkedIn until September, then started the whole process again.

The real turning point came when I read an article that encouraged working at a startup as a way to grow professionally—it really resonated with me. I googled the 50 fastest-growing startups in Portugal and browsed the careers page of each one. That’s when I came across a Marketing Designer position. I’m pretty sure I was one of the first applicants, since the vacancy only showed up on LinkedIn two weeks later. I applied right then and there—the rest is history.

Valdemar Juul: I’ve had some good experiences just walking into studios I liked, knocking on the door, and seeing if they needed anyone. That’s how it happened at Astrae Studio—one summer day, I walked in while the founders, Carl-Emil Storm Gabrielsen and Jesper Uttrup, were in the office. I told them I felt connected to their aesthetic and really admired their work. I asked if they needed an intern—I just needed something to do after a few months without work. After a long summer, Carl-Emil called and said he remembered me and was looking for an intern. I started a couple of weeks later. It began as a paid internship. It was just Carl and me at the office, so I eventually took on more responsibility, and it turned into a real job as we started getting bigger clients like Nike.

“I’ve had some good experiences just walking into studios I liked, knocking on the door, and seeing if they needed anyone.”—Valdemar Juul

Francisco Pires: My first job came after my master’s degree. I reached out to all the senior professionals and studio directors I admired. At the time, I didn’t explore many other channels because I was specifically aiming for a top studio that would help me grow. I wasn’t just looking for any job—I knew I didn’t want to end up somewhere that couldn’t support my development. I was clear about wanting to work in a place with a strong professional network.

One of the course directors offered me an internship at his studio. After six months, I was brought on as a junior designer. In my case, I think it was the quality of my work as a student that led to the opportunity.

The process

Joana Novo: Design recruiting processes are often time-consuming and complex. I’ve spent hours in conversations that only seemed to feed the interviewer’s ego, and skipped weekends with friends to complete take-home challenges that were later rejected without any explanation or feedback. Ironically, the job I landed only took two interviews: one with HR and another with my design managers—both were pragmatic, professional, and straight to the point.

I should mention that I wasn’t prepared for most of the interviews I had—I didn’t know they’d ask to see my designs on the spot or expect a full presentation explaining my process. Small details, like knowing the company, asking questions, or simply having a clean, organized deck, really make you stand out. 

Francisco Pires: In my case, my first boss had been one of my professors, so he already knew my strengths and weaknesses. For other jobs, it was the usual steps—one or two interviews, then I started. The whole process usually took a week or two. All the positions I had before were at design boutiques or ateliers, so it was more about having a conversation and starting to work with the team. 

Galina Bondarenko: Reasoning, logical thinking, and clearly outlined tool skills will definitely catch HR’s attention in your application and portfolio. If it includes explanations for your decisions, that adds valuable context. It’s also a great exercise for you—it’ll make it easier to take feedback later when working on real tasks and with real teams.

Ratta Bill: Those stand out who show a lot of experimentation in their craft—whether it’s layout, typography, production, or concept.

“We envy students for having the time to explore, so you might as well go crazy and present it well in your portfolio.”—Ratta Bill

The portfolio

Joana Novo: Research was at the core of my approach to building my portfolio. I spent hours scrolling through Are.na, mapping what other designers did—and didn’t do. I also leaned heavily on Readymag’s examples and tutorials to build my own portfolio.

To this day, I’m still tweaking it to fit my style and needs. I continue to struggle with understanding what recruiters and creative directors actually value. Some days, my site feels decisive and pragmatic; other days, it’s loud, disruptive, and all over the place—in the right way.

Francisco Pires: I built my first portfolio through university projects and independent work—for friends or the self-initiated. For a few years, I even included a fake fashion brand I created with friends, made entirely of digital artwork that pretended to be real. Some people I know in the field include independent projects like self-published zines, posters, covers, and similar things. You have to be smart about showcasing your strengths, whether through real or fake projects. As a senior, I think studios might care more about real work, but as a junior, what really matters is showing your talent—real or not.

Ratta Bill: We’re interested in seeing portfolios that are bold and unapologetic—we believe students should be the bravest of all creatives. At the same time, their work should clearly express what they want to say. We don’t expect technical mastery as long as there's strong visual communication, which comes in handy when working with clients and public audiences.

Having said that, thematic portfolios are almost always a bad idea. They’re limiting and distract from the individual works. The portfolio should show experimentation, but it should come through the work itself—not through the design of the portfolio.

Galina Bondarenko: Usually, when we’re looking for juniors, we look for potential, mindset, and a willingness to learn and adapt. And yes, you can show that in your portfolio! Even if it’s mostly academic work, try to show your thinking. Here are some tips: 

• Add case studies instead of just a gallery of images. 
• Show the problem, your research (including references), your design decisions, the process (sketches, wireframes, test versions), and the final result—what solution you chose and why.
• Break down your decisions: don’t just say what you did, explain why. Instead of “I chose this color,” say “I chose this color because it’s associated with reliability and helps build user trust.”
• Interactivity makes a stronger impression. Record a timelapse of your process or create an interactive case study. This works especially well for UI/UX, animations, and illustrations. A video or GIF of your workflow adds a nice touch of energy.

The rejection

Joana Novo: As a designer, your practice is intrinsically tied to who you are. The work is never entirely external—creativity is always closely linked to identity. What you create is an extension of yourself. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard, because every ‘no’ feels deeply personal. Every rejection screams that you’re not good enough—and that’s if you’re lucky enough to even get a reply. Most agencies, studios, or companies don’t bother responding or offering feedback. I was anxious and sad, and I deeply empathize with anyone going through the same process.

Francisco Pires: Finding a job is exhausting. Don’t rely on luck or get your hopes up after the first email. Out of 100 emails, maybe 10—or none—will get a response. Some replies are just polite, saying they’ll reach out if interested. If you love the field, don’t give up. Send as many applications as you can each day.

“Reach out to studios you dream of working at—you might be surprised by an email showing interest.”—Francisco Pires

If you’re not hearing back for a while, consider whether your portfolio could be stronger, your CV improved, or your emails written more clearly. Ask friends, family, and gather feedback to make sure those aren’t the reasons you’re being overlooked.

Galina Bondarenko: If nothing’s coming through, lower your expectations a bit—landing your first job often comes down to more than just effort; sometimes it’s also about timing and a bit of luck. To improve your chances, try different approaches: apply to open positions and internships, reach out directly to HR at companies you’re interested in, and let everyone around you know you’re looking—especially those already in the field. Direct recommendations can go a long way.

Show your portfolio to an HR rep or designer you know and ask for honest feedback with fresh eyes. Start with an internship or a small project if you can. During interviews, talk about what you genuinely enjoy doing and what you can bring to the team. Consider looking for a mentor—some designers are open to helping juniors and offering feedback. And most importantly, believe in yourself. Try to see feedback after interviews as something that helps you grow and move closer to finding your people. Remember: interviewers are evaluating you based on the team’s current needs—not as a person. It’s not an objective judgment of your worth. Your team just hasn’t gotten lucky enough to meet you yet. 

The growth

Joana Novo: I’ve come to understand that being honest and humble about yourself as a designer—and about your skills—is key.

“I used to be afraid to admit I wasn’t proficient in something or didn’t feel comfortable doing x or y, but now I’m just straightforward.”—Joana Novo

I don’t want to bullshit my future design lead.

Valdemar Juul: After finishing my BA, I spent so much time on my portfolio—selecting projects, making changes, scanning, creating mockups, finding the right structure and way to present everything, then constantly reworking it all over again. Looking back, I might’ve been too focused on finishing the portfolio instead of connecting with people and projects I already knew—but I’m not really sure. It’s a great exercise in structuring your own work and defining your aesthetic values, but it also makes you painfully self-conscious about your skills.

Francisco Pires: I believe that if you can, you should go after what you love—don’t just take the first opportunity that comes along, whether it’s from a relative, a friend of a friend who owns a studio, or a former teacher suggesting a random job at a company that won’t help you grow. Some of my peers, either out of necessity or by choice, took jobs at companies that ended up killing their dream of becoming designers. Many of them have since changed careers.

Ratta Bill: Take the time to really look at your work while putting together your portfolio—that’s when you start to see the bigger picture. Examine your strengths and weaknesses so you can decide whether to double down on what you do best or work on what’s lacking. But don’t overthink it! Once you’re ready, do your research and apply to as many studios as you feel aligned with, to give yourself the best shot.