his is geared more toward college students but it could help you if you are trying to break into your chosen field.

Work while you're in school. Let me rephrase that, work "in your chosen profession" while you're in school. My first one and a half years in school I continued my part-time job from high school. I worked at the Hallmark store in out local mall. I loved it. I was surrounded by experienced illustrators everyday (i.e. printed greeting cards and giftware).

Today one of my most sought after clients is Hallmark, even-though they hardly ever hire outside illustrators and I'll never move to Kansas City, I still have hope that they'll call me up one day.

My last three years in school I started my design business (6 months of that time was still at the Hallmark store - I liked a steady pay check). I was freelancing it, and I was freelancing it big time. With all the school projects, I had little time for client work, but when I graduated I had 3 years of "working" design experience when my classmates had none. So when job hunting came around, cha-ching, I had "experience."

I've had many graphic design student ask me, "When I graduate, should I go get a job or freelance right out of the gate?" My response is do both because there will probably come a time where you feel the need to go out on your own. Who wouldn't want to work in their pajamas all day? I had a professor that urged our class to find a full time job so we could mess up on someone else's dime. That's really good advice. If there was a typo that was printed or a lo-res image that was reproduced, the reprint cost doesn't come out of your pocket like it might if you freelanced. When you do mess up, you will learn what to check and double check and save your butt when you do go out on your own.

While you are working full time for someone else, start doing your freelance business on the side. This will build your client list and portfolio so you can eventually go out on your own. It can also be an outlet to become creatively fulfilled. When I started my full time design job out of school I took 6 months off from freelancing. I made enough money and I could use the break. Well after 6 months I was ready to start freelancing again. I needed the creative fulfillment I wasn't getting at my other job.

There are many places you can gain "experience" for your resume. Find a company that is doing what you want to do and see if they need and assistant, intern, or whatever, just get in there, or start lining up some freelance work and get cracking. If you are still learning what you need to know to get the aforementioned jobs, here are some ideas for places you can find work:

Graphic Designer = pretty much any job you could fit into. Think about what area you want to go into. Package design - grocery store, editorial design - bookstore, etc. Find your niche.

Interior Designer = furniture store, fabric/craft store, home improvement store

Fashion Designer = fabric/craft, clothing store (the type that carries the type of clothes you want to design)

Illustrator = greeting card store, bookstore (children's book department), art supply store

Photographer = camera/photo store

Crafter = fabric/craft store

Writer = Bookstore, library, copywriter intern

Film Maker = video store

Architect = builder, home improvement store

And so on and so on...

*Your job is to not just to be a sales associate, but to be inspired every day you work. Learn how things are made and designed. Learn from your co-workers and customers. And remember, you will probably receive an employee discount so stock up on things you will need for your business!

If you feel you are stuck in a job where you can't necessarily afford to give up for another, think about how you can apply your interests to that job.