7 Things I Learned My First Year as a Designer

I’m Maxine, and this was my first year as a designer—my first agency job, my first time working on real client projects. School prepared me for design principles, but the transition into agency life was a bigger leap than I expected. The pace is fast, the work is varied, and the learning curve is steep.

For anyone just finishing school or stepping into their first role, here are seven things I’ve learned that might help:

1. Get good at the unglamorous work.

Production files, layouts, presentation decks—this is where you spend a lot of time. Doing it well matters and makes you valuable quickly.

2. Learn to explain your ideas.

Design doesn’t speak for itself. Your ability to walk people through your thinking is just as important as the work on the screen.

3. Be curious, not protective.

Share rough ideas early. Be open to critique. Treat feedback as part of the process, not a threat to it.

4. Feedback makes you better.

A year ago, I dreaded critiques. Now I see them as the thing that sharpens my work and helps me grow.

5. Don’t underestimate small projects.

Work with nonprofits or smaller clients can be incredibly rewarding and sometimes have the biggest impact.

6. Take on hard assignments.

The challenging projects are where you learn the most. They push you to find your rhythm.

7. Ask questions.

No one expects you to know everything. Asking—even what feels like a basic question—leads to better understanding and better work.The biggest surprise for me has been how interconnected every role is—copywriters, strategists, account leads, motion designers, producers. Everyone influences the work. Seeing that bigger picture changed how I approach design and how I think about the audience.

One year in, I’ve found my voice, learned to share it, and started to see how design is shaped by—and shapes—the people around it.