If you’ve studied to become a web designer or developer in Chicago, it can be hard to know where to start looking for that all important entry-level role. With so many web design firms around, how do you find a company who will support you, mentor you and help you to achieve your dreams of one day running your own web design firm?
Orbit Media
Recently voted 37th in the top 50 employer for Generation Y Emerging Talent, Orbit Media in Chicago is a great company with which to start your career. With their focus on the latest and emerging technology trends, this up and coming young company encourages employees to grow with the firm and take on more responsibility as they do so – key for any young web designer or developer to progress in their career! With a fantastic work-life balance at the heart of the company, Orbit in Chicago have created a productive and inviting work space for all their employees, with the company providing around $45,000 of work to Chicago non-profit organizations each year.
Clique Studios
Based in Chicago, Clique Studios ethos of hard work is evident in every facet of the company – they encourage their teams to take ownership of every aspect of a project from the ground up, from planning a strategy to communicating and brainstorming for amazing ideas, through to putting in the (often long) hours to complete the work! Clique’s Design Intern program runs throughout the year and offers talented creatives the opportunity to get stuck in with hands-on experience alongside the Clique team. You could be working as a Clique intern whilst managing a second job to pay the bills, the hours are usually around 20 a week – and for those who do well during their internship, there’s the possibility of full time employment with the firm!
Internships
Internships are an increasingly popular way to gain the experience you need once you’ve graduated from college (or in some cases, while you are still studying). By working as an intern, you can gain experience working alongside professional web designers and developers, whilst not yet taking on full responsibility for a project. With many entry-level roles valuing on-the-job experience over qualifications, it makes sense to get as much industry experience as you can, to give you an advantage over the competition when applying for roles.
Work on your Portfolio
Working as an intern or taking part in a period of work experience at a web design agency will allow you to build a portfolio of work, crucial for any future job applications. You’ll be able to show how you have worked as part of a creative team, and demonstrate your design skills to future employers.
With a little hard work and determination, you can find the perfect job as a web designer in Chicago – now get out there and start looking!
