Top Tips To Get Your Foot In The Door.

Starting out in the design industry is no easy feat. You’ve got the the portfolio, maybe a few internships under your belt and then you hit the job market and realise just how competitive it is. So how do you stand out? What actually matters when applying for a junior role? And what advice would seasoned professionals give to their younger selves?

To help demystify those early-career hurdles, I spoke with some of the people who make hiring decisions every day as well as empowering our next generation of designers:

• Charlotte Guest, Head of Operations at Human After All
• Justin Moore, Director at Become Recruitment
• Dom Edwards & Lauren Archer, Directors at The Arena
• Eilidh Reid, Senior Creative at How&How
• Ailsa Inglis, Freelance Creative Career Coach

They offered honest, practical advice for anyone looking to break into the creative industry. Whether you're a recent grad or a few years in, these insights will help you level up your job hunt and your mindset.

Making mistakes is totally normal.

When you're just starting out, it's easy to think you need to impress with perfection. But Charlotte from Human After All reminds us that growth comes from getting things wrong.

“I was so desperate to be doing everything perfectly. But actually, a lot of the times in my career when I've learned the most is when I've done something wrong.”

She emphasises the importance of being honest about your struggles and asking for help when you need it, something echoed by other professionals too.

Rejection doesn’t mean failure, it just means that job wasn’t the right fit.

Justin Moore, a director at Become, says the sting of rejection can be tough but it’s rarely personal.

“It just means that role was not right for you, and you were not right for that role… Stick at it.”

Rejection is part of the journey. What matters more is persistence, practice, and the willingness to keep improving your craft and your mindset.

Your peers are your community, not your competition.

Lauren from The Arena urges graduates to look around and value their creative network.

“You never know who will be handy to know in 10 years' time.”

Fellow graduates may become future collaborators, employers, or clients. Treat your design cohort as allies, not adversaries.

Design is a team sport.

According to Eilidh Reid, design is not a solo pursuit.

“Being able to articulate ideas, listen well, and navigate feedback is just as important as the ideas themselves.”

Collaboration, communication, and curiosity are what elevate junior designers from technically good to truly great.

Your career isn’t a straight line, it’s a squiggle.

Ailsa Inglis reminds new designers that growth isn’t always linear. Careers evolve through experimentation, detours, and unexpected opportunities.

“There will be times it feels like you're spiralling backwards, but often in my own career it's been those moments that have launched me further forwards.”

Embrace the uncertainty and trust your path.

• Curiosity & Enthusiasm
  “Be a sponge,” says Lauren. Soak up every opportunity, ask thoughtful questions, and show a hunger to learn.
  
• Independent Thinking
  Eilidh looks for junior designers who “aren’t afraid to explore an idea, push it further, and take ownership of it.”
  
• Creative Work That Shows Depth
  Ailsa is drawn to “creative ideas that are grounded in something deeper… not just things that look cool on the surface.”
  
• Kindness & Collaboration
  Charlotte, Ailsa, and Justin all emphasised the importance of being a good person to work with.
  
• Side Projects & Passion Work
  “I love when people have a little passion project or side hustle,” says Charlotte. “It shows potential and personality.”
  
• Practical Extras
  Justin recommends adding motion design, After Effects, PowerPoint, or AI tools to your skillset. Those extras often tip the scales in a candidate’s favour.

1. Tailor Your Applications

Do your research and personalise every application. Eilidh notes:

“It really stands out (and honestly makes us smile) when someone has done their homework.”

2. Show Your Process, Not Just Your Polish

Across the board, our contributors want to see how you think.

“Always show your process,” says Ailsa.
“We’re not looking for perfection,” adds Eilidh. “We want to see how you approached a brief, solved problems, and made decisions.”

3. Create Self-Initiated Work

Waiting for a brief won’t get you hired. Lauren puts it simply:

“Dream up your own work. Some of the best designers we know have spec projects in their portfolios.”

4. Attend Events and Network

Many designers get their first break through portfolio reviews or industry events.

“One of our juniors was hired after an ACD saw their work at a portfolio review,” says Charlotte.
“Put yourself out there. You just never know who’s watching.”

1. Not Asking for Help

“Being too scared to say ‘I don’t know’ is a huge barrier,” says Charlotte. “People would rather help you then watch you suffer in silence.”

2. Comparing Yourself to Others

“They might be five years further along,” says Ailsa. “Measure your progress against where you were yesterday.”

3. Trying to Be a Master of Everything

“Pick a couple of areas that energise you,” Eilidh advises. “It builds confidence and makes you more valuable in the long term.”

4. Burning Bridges

Justin warns against leaving jobs poorly: “You never know when you’ll need them for a reference or more freelance work.”

We asked each expert: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone entering the design industry today?

• Charlotte: “Put yourself out there. Get on radars early. Go to events, submit your work, and build your presence.”
• Justin: “Practice interviews. Rehearse presenting your work. Make your LinkedIn a living portfolio.”
• Lauren: “Work hard and be nice to people.”
• Eilidh: “Get comfortable with not knowing everything. Ask questions, ask for help, and seek clarity on feedback."
• Ailsa: “Especially in the beginning, you’ll need to knock on quite a few doors. It’s a cliché for a reason because it works. Keep knocking, and eventually, one will open.”

If you're entering the design industry today, you're doing it in one of the most competitive environments it’s ever seen. But that doesn’t mean the door is closed, it just means you have to knock a little louder.

Create relentlessly. Show up with curiosity. Ask for help. Learn from everything. And don’t forget to be kind. Talent is just one part of the puzzle. Attitude, persistence and personality matter just as much.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take that first step.