From In-house Design ~ Topics: inhouse issues
Step Outside the Inside? Forget It
I’m staring out the desk-to-ceiling window of my beautiful 12 x 16 square-foot office, contemplating how to creatively maximize my company’s new retail initiative through our ever-evolving strategic plan, when I get a call from a dear friend from college. She tells me she needs a root canal and isn’t sure how to pay for it. I offer the standard, “Thank god for insurance, eh?” She laughs and asks, “What insurance?” I sigh in response.
People joke about their fears of being stuck in the corporate world: the business-casual dress clothes, the preppy haircuts, the ex-fraternity/sorority mentality. I can understand completely. Yet here I am, enjoying my fresh Organic Peruvian Brew (we drink only the best), reveling in the glory of my recently upgraded 401(k) with stock options. Life isn’t so bad from in here. The air conditioner always works; my shiny new Mac hums along to the ring of the latest IP phone next to it. I am definitely not trying to figure out if I need to take out a Heloc against my mortgage to cover the cost of a few new teeth.
Conversely, I am terrified of life outside the “inside.” What agency would want to hire a business-minded marketing creative and production manager? Will I be able to continue to use my head when everyone else designs from their heart? Won’t my feet ache from the concrete floors? Do I still know how to switch gears from project to project? Maybe I’m just not as cool as everyone else, in their exclusive design communes.
The truth is, my lifelong design dream would be to work at REI’s corporate headquarters. Yes, I am a granola design girl that actually enjoys meetings. I have found my niche. I am the “weird chick” with a fro-hawk who has a Jeep Wrangler instead of a Jaguar (complete with an actual bumper sticker of a white Apple logo). I have a collection of artsy posters and assorted creative memorabilia on my office walls. I bought my Casual Friday shoes online at the Simple website—no Jimmy Choos or designer jeans for me.
Despite the raised eyebrows, there are plenty of reasons why I enjoy my job. I often get to flex my “outside the box” thinking while sitting in all sorts of business pow-wows. People call me when they need a creative business development idea. I have plenty of time to be involved in several committees (gotta love corporations) and belong to numerous local organizations and nonprofits. I get to develop branded product lines, work on both internal and external communication collateral, oversee our corporate culture’s look and feel, and get my hands on every creative project our department touches. Let’s talk project diversity! I am constantly inspired by the outside world, by what every company could be if they took the initiative. Lucky for me, I’m at that type of company.
If you’re debating whether or not you should apply for the corporate marketing associate position you saw advertised in the paper, consider these five questions:
- Does every project I work on need to be entered into a design competition?
- Do I know how to effectively communicate the importance of ROI?
- Can I juggle new project requests, budgets, conception, implementation and production? By myself? On more than 20 projects at a time?
- Am I OK with the fact that no one I work with (except maybe my boss) will understand the importance of what I do until the one day I am out with the flu?
- Could I wear my shirt tucked in every day?
And let’s be clear, it’s not always hard—I have plenty of vacation time, and I have earned the respect of my peers having recently become a board member of my local AIGA chapter. I have, though, been barraged with disdainful inquiries: “Oh, you’re in-house, huh?” “What’s the coolest project you worked on last year, a newsletter?” “Ahhh, I see, so do you actually like your job?” And my all-time favorite: “Couldn’t you find anything else?” To answer everyone at once, I absolutely love my job and wouldn’t step outside the “inside” for anything.
Plus, I just got my teeth cleaned and it only cost me $10.
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Rock on, Stef. So glad to see your passion on the pages of aiga.org. I hear you from all the way over in Indiana.
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Thank You! You just made my day and Im still smiling. I am the In-House Graphic Designer for Daimler Truck and I love my job also. I never get tired or board and I love to bend the rules of the corporate ID "Style Guide" Plus I dig being the only tattooed, cut off pants, budgeting SLASHER girl in the office! So Thank you for this article because I am not alone and that rocks.
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“Couldn’t you find anything else?”
Boy, that question really tickles me...Someone's oblivious to the exponential growth of the In-House design community.
Not to revive the way-old debate of "commercial designer vs designer-artist", but honestly, the way our profession is going, if designers cling to the notion they can function independently of business ROI and a client's business strategy, they're going to be surprised to note that there soon won't be anything else to find... -
Stef,
Thank you for writing this article, I couldn't have expressed why advantages of working inhouse better.
The question in context to balancing 20 projects all by one's self is perfect. In the agency atmosphere I never worked on more than 7 projects at one time. Upon switching to inhouse, I found myself balancing at least 20 projects at a time, sometimes 30+.
The diversity of such projects can be exciting: from coordinating the corporations brand standards to designing the annual report to the company's website.
Additionally, I get to wear more hats: being responsible for all aspects of projects from concept to completion, as well as participating in other areas of marketing.
Finally, with the opportunity to work side-by-side with the "client" I find my work more informed, resulting in better work than I produced in the agency atmosphere. Additionally, I never felt more appreciated then when switching to inhouse. -
good stuff. and to the point. your 5 questions are great. its all a matter of what makes you tick as a designer. it changes from person to person. i've got an in-house job with an amazing team of designers. couldn't ask for a better team really. i have learned so much about COMMUNICATING and the power of brand. i travel the world. get paid well with great benefits (teeth cleanings are free and AIGA is paid for!). my managers are supportive of personal projects/freelance work because it broadens us. and not being in the city, its nice to not have to sit on a subway every morning with 100 other "creatives." plus i work on a nature preserve with turtles in the pond next door and deer occasionally wandering by.
i do often itch for an unrelated one-off project. and freelance is a great way to scratch that itch (and get a higher rate per hour). the combination of in-house and freelance provides me with a great balance of design and business. -
That was a good article. I work in-house at a company that seems to hate design and marketing more so than not and I do feel trapped. I don't need to work in an agency per se. I've been at this for nearly 14 years and at this job for 5. I just need a change and feel stuck.
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I'm in the boat with Charles. I don't necessarily dislike work in-house...just the house I'm working in. I started at this job right out of school, I've been here almost 3 years now, and I feel like I'm missing out on collaboration and creativity. My industry isn't on that appreciated design much, and I don't have a team, just me and my business minded "executive marketing director" boss. I feel trapped in my cubicle, though it is out-fitted with some great stuff, my teeth are clean and my 401(k) is growing. It's good to know that there are in-house jobs that can be better than this!
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This was a good article, but I'm not sure that I'm in the same boat as the author. The benefits and options I get where I work are great - it also costs me nothing for a teeth cleaning. Although I'm learning a lot about the corporate environment, our IT group is more focused on infrastructure delivery than good design so I feel like I'm missing out on new learning things that are actually related to my career interests. And, since my next job within the company could put me into who knows what, I'm not sure of what I should do next. I guess I think that my career should hinge on more than teeth.
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Having worked mostly in-house over the past 14 years, I can definitely empathize.
I started this career at 30, my 3rd career, and not through traditional means. I learned on the job and went back to school for design later.
I had an inferiority complex about in house v studio for years, but I got the opportunity to work in a few studios as a freelancer when I got laid off and realized that I shouldn't have that complex. I'll never be that amazing, world-renowned designer, but I feel a lot better about my skills now.
But one thing I did get out of that experience is that I'm a lot more comfortable, overall, working in house. When I was working in design studios, I always felt more pressure to produce in a certain amount of hours. In house, I feel pressure to produce by a deadline. When I was working in studios, all client contact was with the art director and I was implementing their visions or creating based on their interpretations. In house, I work directly with my client and build a working relationship. Not just a working relationship, but often a semi-social one as well. In house I get to learn more about my client and I'm more of a partner with them because I'm immersed in their business.
That's not to say I haven't had both good and bad experiences in house, and I've had jobs where the expectations that were set going in weren't met. And I think it's more common for that (from a creative perspective, at least) to happen in house. In house, I've found it isn't uncommon for people to talk a much bigger game about creative freedom in the interview stage than they can deliver on the job. I say that with an understanding that all jobs have grunt work, and in house jobs have more grunt work than in studio jobs. I'm lucky to have ended up somewhere now that values creativity and, for the most part, has encouraged me to explore more creative ways to communicate.
I would say one of my biggest frustrations with AIGA is not seeing enough support for in house designers. This section is a nice start, but having gone to two AIGA conferences, I see a disconnect regarding their in house constituency. In Denver, there were a couple of presentations on in house design, and I enjoyed them. But both focused on companies who have strong support for creativity and/or an award-winning level of design (Starbucks and Jazz at Lincoln Center). But no focus on how an in house designer in a more "traditional" corporate structure could get buy in from management to improve the creative direction of the firm. Or how to teach management about the value of design. Or how to show ROI for improved design. Or how to improve the creative environment. These things are all easier to do when you have a company that's built around creativity already, but much more difficult to do, say, at an association or a mortgage banking firm or an IT consulting firm. And I dare say there are a lot more in house designers in those types of environments than there are in environments similar to Starbucks. I sat with a number of those designers in Denver after attending those two sessions and most of us felt that, while we did get some information from the sessions, they were addressing environments that were foreign to us on some levels.
AIGA would like to increase its numbers and I think they could go a long way toward that goal by spending some effort courting the in house designer more by offering content here, and in local and national events. And by better understanding better the types of work environments these designers work in and tailoring more events to match up to the types of environments in which their in house members work. -
Greg,
Your's is a thoughtful and valid response regarding the emphasis (or lack of) that in-house issues have received by AIGA and other design industry organizations and publications. As head of the AIGA in-house task force I believe that AIGA has turned a corner in it's commitment to and understanding of the needs of creatives who practice design in the corporate environment. The task force is comprised of in-house designers representing a range of industries, size of in-house groups and structural models.
This site, which has more content on the way, is the first of a number of initiatives designed to support in-house designers that will be rolled out over the coming months.
I hope the initiatives will meet and possibly exceed your expectations.
-Andy Epstein
Head, AIGA In-house Task Force -
Andy, thanks for the response. I'm glad to hear that things are turning and AIGA is putting more resources toward the in-house designer. As I said, I think the in-house designer is an area AIGA can actually make inroads into that will provide more capital in return than any other area. Both in membership fees as well as in education. There's a far broader range of skill level in house than there is in studio, thus an untapped area to provide opportunity. And, I suspect, the in house arena is growing far faster than the studio arena, also providing an opportunity for increased membership for AIGA. But only if the organization makes a concerted effort (nationally *and* locally) to reach out to them and then retain them. Especially since their parent companies may be more likely to fork out the dough for membership than studios. You know, deep pockets and all.
It's a much more difficult audience to reach, though, i think. If only because it's so diverse. -
In-house for 3+ years. I work with great people, have great benefits, gather plenty of pieces for my book, and go home on time. A life outside my work is the most inspiring thing I, or my design, could ever ask for.
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It was a full of energetic article for me. Loved it and made me smile and happy. Love the pow-wow part. The only thing or think that I can not do is separating my job and social family time. Maybe I could do it if I was in the corporate world. Or I am just thinking I could.
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Stef,
I bookmarked this article, without reading it first, for an English research paper that I'm writing; based on the program I'm in (obviously, graphic design). I read the article, & I'm truly inspired. But once I get to the bottom of the article, I'm even more inspired, & surprised. I am attending Ferris State University; a senior in the graphic design program. It's nice to hear that there is hope; as I am just a few weeks away from the "fearful year". Sometimes inspiration & hope lands right in front of you! Thank you for writing this!
-amy -
I'm just starting out and I really appreciate your article. It makes me think I need to join the in-house world, as I'd like to someday have a $10 teeth cleaning and paid vacation time. :)
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i've been in house at a high end custom stationery company for 3 years now and i'd say I'm pretty happy overall. of course the security is great and the pay is good for my experience. things can get repetitive though for sure. I'm highly regarded at work and am learning things about business that maybe 2% of graphic designers my age know. one thing i worry about is the one dimensional quality of my portfolio. i do invitations at a company with a set style and lots of production limitations. so even though i consider the work challenging i don't know that i could convince someone at a more traditional corporation or design firm of that. a book full of wedding invitations no matter how good is still a book of wedding invitations. i know, i know, freelance.
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THANK YOU! I LOVE being an in-house designer. I can't wear my duct-taped, ripped jeans to work, but I can pay my bills and go to the doctor. I really enjoy working on all aspects of a clients' branding and marketing. I am challenged and get to be very creative. Additionally, I was trained as a painter, so I get to go home and paint out of a purely artistic indulgence. My paintings do not have to sell at sacrificial prices and I can explore my fine artist-self without worrying about how I'm going to buy groceries.
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It's comforting to know that, however slow, a place for in-house designers to congregate is forming.
I just have one problem. What about the guys who are tasked with IT and in-house design? Design in my case ends up being a broad term, as it is really the entire visual marketing side of the business. I am responsible for producing everything from stationary to 20+ pg over-sized brochures to photography to video. Mind you, I've been doing this specifically for over a year now and the IT part for longer. Our in-house designer quit and the responsibilities fell on me. I learned on the job during this time as well.
How does one meet the deadlines when the majority of the time your boss gives you spec work? Even more so, a recent case being a deadline that will not allow you to see a printed proof before it is sent to press? Is this normal? -
Thanks for this article! I just started out in web design field after graduating college, and while my dream was to freelance or work for a design firm, I am enjoting all the benefits (and some downfalls) of being in-house. It's refreshing to hear someone else out there who can sing the praises of being an in house designer. I think the greatest benefit for me right now is being able to work on many aspects of projects along with design (along with job security & benefits). The biggest downfall is probably that I only work with 2 other designers, and that most of my other collegues just don't get the value of design. Another plus, I get to go home and work on other creative endevors with out worrying "how am i going to sell this to pay the bills?!" Thanks again for this article!
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Thank you for writing this article. Your thoughts are definitely heard and shared among us all.
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Great article. I am the exclusive designer at the company I work for and sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on the agency experience that I never got, but this article made me realize that the agency life may not be all it's cracked up to be. My main gripe about my situation is that I feel myself slipping into a corporate fog every once in a while and it would be nice to have other creatives to collaborate with and help me stay fresh. I could probably get my creativity recharged through more regular visits to AIGA and other design-y places like that.
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A terrific article Stef-—a very entertaining perspective about life on the inside.
I've worked most of my career in-house (13-years) and absolutely enjoy it, most of the time. It's never short on opportunities to do interesting work or dull on corporate drama. -
I too am a believer of the inhouse studio. I started with my employer, 15 years ago as a sole designer. My career was no doubt challenging but very rewarding. Over the years, I built a creative department with a team of 5 designers and 2 copywriters and became the face for all creative within our company. In our first year, we successfully brought all work inhouse (600+ campaigns), branded the company and positively changed the customer experience. But all good things come to an end. I was reorged out of my job last year and have had no luck finding similiar work. Recruiters have not been of any help, so here I sit in an agency environment, punching the clock, never engaging with the client and feeling frustrated!
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