Recent graduate with previous experience

I recently graduated with a BFA in ID and am looking for jobs. I have about 10 years of previous experience in various engineering fields as a drafter & designer. Many of my former classmates are looking for internships or freelance work, most of which are unpaid. I have a job in the engineering dept of a company, which I don’t particularly like, but it’s a job and it pays the bills. I can’t afford to not make any money, but really need more design experience. I know that I could try to do some freelance work, but most of the gigs I found want people with experience.

The questions then are:

  1. Do I take on an internship and make no money, so that I can gain design experience?
  2. Should I aim for entry-level or Jr. Designer positions based on my previous engineering experience?
  1. If they are not, unpaid internships where an employer is getting free work should be a crime. I would like to see any company exploiting their workers like that to be blacklisted. Gain design experience by doing your own projects while you are working to pay the bills.

  2. I’d apply for entry level and mid level positions both. A case can be made either way.

Thanks for the reaply iab.

I think that the problem is that everyone is looking for work right now and a lot of students/graduates are looking to do unpaid work just for the experience.

I’ll give those entry & mid level positions a shot. Thanks!

Luckily you are in Chicago which has a lot of options. Apply for entry level spots and some mid level ones, you have 10 years experience in engineering, and if you are also a talented designer, that would be a valuable thing to a firm for sure.

Thanks yo,

I’m a big fan of your work.