any one care to share thier feelings of the toronto design scene? what is the everage salary for new graduates as well as those with 5 - 10 years? thanks.
The one thing I have learned about the Toronto “scene” is that everyone seems to know everyone else. I guess it is partially because the industry is not exactly huge (not that it is small, either).
Salaries are difficult to gauge, and as could be expected vary considerably from company to company. The Coroflot salary survey attests to this (http://www.coroflot.com/community/salary_survey.asp?t=). I would say starting $35K to $40K and the sky is the limit ten years out, really, although Coroflot shows an upper range of only $57K for eastern Canada. I don’t think their survey is a reasonable cross-section for the upper range.
The big factor is finding that first job. It can be very difficult these days for new grads, from what I have seen. There is not really that much out there. That said, if you worked hard in school, have a degree of talent, a reasonable portfolio, and were smart enough to get some real-world experience while still in school (internships, co-ops, volunteering, etc.), and can network like a banshee, its not impossible to land that first job.
that’s the most important part.
Toronto has lots of opportunities, but also lots of competition.