In the last few months (what many are referring to as) the DC “Tech” community has really ramped up. I first started seeing it after Barcamp and since then there has been the addition of lots of interesting events in the DC area and even the online formation of the DC Tech Community on Ning.

First off I want to say I hate calling this the “DC Tech Community”. While yes it is sort of “techy” I think it paints the picture of Urkel-esque socially inept nerds who sit around and code all day and then go home and have LAN parties. While there is nothing wrong with that (I do have a few friends that fit that bill.. and I love them to death) the people who show up to these events don’t all really fit that MO. I would prefer to call this community the “We Know our Way around the Web” kids. They are back-end developers, front-end developers, designers, marketers, lovers of social media, twitterers, and business owners. Most of them know there shit and some of them like to act like they do. Everyone shows up to meet new people and they all have one thing in common… they are hungry to learn.

Thats what has me so addicted to many of these events, I love to learn… and there are people willing to teach out there. Everyone has something to offer and these events provide a casual atmosphere to make those connections in.

I have a LOT of print designers ask me how I learned web design (html, CSS, IA, User Experience) and other than the tutorials on the web, a few books and sheer determination I have to give all the credit to my friends. I have friends who were willing to teach me (and thank god for their patience). A lot of times a great first step in learning something new is just meeting the biggest bad-ass out there doing what you want to learn and find out if they are willing to teach you.

So come on… get out there.. there is so much to learn! If you are interested in finding an event to take part in near you try upcoming.org. Some events to check out…

RefreshDC (local and National)
Refresh is a community of web designers, developers, and other new media professionals working together to refresh the creative, technical, and professional aspects of their trades in the Washington, DC, area.

Barcamp (All Over)
an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from participants

NextDC (local and NYC)
Our mission is to connect young people both socially and professionally who have a stake in future of tech and new media in Washington DC.

MashmeetDC (local and National)
A Gathering of those interested in the world of social media.

Web Standards Group (all over)
The Web Standards Group is for web designers & developers who are interested in web standards (HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, XSLT etc.) and best practices (accessible sites using valid and semantically correct code).

Social Media Club (all Over)
is being organized for the purpose of sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards, and for promoting media literacy. This is the beginning of a global conversation about building an organization and a community where the many diverse groups of people who care about social media can come together to discover, connect, share and learn.

Type Directors Club (all over, but mostly NYC)
Love Type? well so do these people.

Art Directors Club (local and Global)
People who love design.. you don’t have to be an “art director”

Did I miss any? Please feel free to add on!

The feeling of September recalls warm memories of excitement I used to have when going back to school. I love school. I was that kid who begged to sit in the front row and obnoxiously raised my hand to participate in everything. My thirst to learn was only expedited as I entered college as a design student where I grew to be an even louder pain in the ass for a few of my fellow students who preferred a softer design critique to muffle the pain of their early morning hang-over.

The memories of doing all-nighters to give life to ideal concepts and enthusiastic 10 am morning critiques with no client feedback simulates the illusion of happy clouds floating by and birds singing, after-all that lifestyle is just a dream to me now. Design school is like a happy simulated version of the real design world, a parallel universe where Big Bird teaches you about ligatures and gradient abuse. You have a hard deadline, but you are handing it over to Big Bird… how hard is a big-ass bird really going to be on you? People sing songs in the streets proclaiming great things about the grid and color theory. Sure there is negative feedback, but you can just close the trash can lid on him and continue skipping down the sidewalk… its not like he is paying the bills.

Looking back on the observations I have made since my graduation to K street from Sesame Street, here are my Sesame Street themed tips for the College Design Student.

Tips For Design Students

Don’t Be a Grouch
One of my biggest pet peeves in school was students complaining. Complaints ranged from professors grading with bias to unrealistic timelines. When you get a job as a designer, clients can be biased and deadlines are often unrealistic. Suck it up and view it as preparation for the real world.

Be Hungry.
When you graduate your entire class is hitting the work force all at the same time. Not just your class, but design students with the same level of experience are all hitting the work force and there isn’t a whole lot more that separates them from each other than personality, school, and work. A percentage of those guys will go on to pursue careers completely un-related to design, another percentage will go on to do production work for copy shops, and then there is a few that will really excel. Be hungry to be in the percentage that excels. Design is not the easiest career path, you have to really want it.

Become a Typography expert
When looking at portfolios and resumes the one thing I find that sets apart the good from the great is Typography. The first thing that tips me off that someone has a lot of potential is a well-typeset document. In circumstances where there may be a low budget or undesirable assets typography can be the key component to a project.

Have Your Web Skills Up to Snuff
Design and Code your own Portfolio site website (using standards). Not all schools teach web development along side design, much less standards at all. Just because you are not taking a class doesn’t mean you can’t educate yourself. Cut out a beer drinking hour a couple times a week and cozy up to some books like Designing with Standards.Having this skill will make you more competitive in the job market.

Mix it up
Take classes like metal working or Fabric design and use the skills you learn in those classes to make better projects for your design classes.When you are asked to make a poster on Fibonacci numbers in Math class, turn it into a design project. it may not be portfolio material, but practice makes perfect.

Network
With so much to learn in such a diverse field you never know who will be able to teach you the next thing. Go to networking events, meet people who are already out in the field and have fun! Having a diverse network that doesn’t just include designers, but also developers, photographers, and illustrators will make your toolbox of resources that much richer. It is also nice not to feel like an alien when passionately expressing your love for the lower-case “g” in Gill Sans over a beer.

Feel free to contribute your own Sesame Street Themed design tips… creativity rocks! PS: I know this is kind of a trippy association, I swear I have never done acid.

Recently I came across a post by Veerle Pieters called “What a designer needs to do to get a job”. Packed full of advice, this article spawned a plethora of additional conversation on the subject matter proving that those looking to make career moves and students hoping to find a means to pay back their loans will forever be seeking that one magical door-opening tip to endless job offers. This post made me think back on the advice others have given me and what has rung true not only in making career-related choices but also in my personal pursuit of overall design happiness.

“Don’t worry about all the Bull$hit, just do good work, and have a good portfolio.”
-Rich Hilliard, professor

This tip has echoed in my mind ever since Rich interjected it into one of his colorful lectures. Designers often get sucked in to trying to make themselves look better with fancy language on their resumés, awards, and expensive portfolio cases. It doesn’t matter if you went to the best design school in the world and have the slickest self promotional items on the block, if your portfolio sucks… no one cares. A good portfolio will say more than you could. The voice of Rich resonated in my mind as I met an interactive designer who I really look up to in Austin this past March. I asked him “So what did you do before you started your own studio?” He laughed, looks were exchanged, and he replied “I worked at Burger King”.

“Wake up every morning and be ready to come up with ideas… not excuses.”
-Paul Llewellyn, my High School art teacher

Sometimes non-creative professionals get an inaccurate impression that design is an easy career path to pursue. While I do enjoy boasting that “I draw pictures all day” there is a lot of pressure to come up with fresh, mind-blowing concepts. It takes work… and excepting that challenge with enthusiasm will help you be a better designer. Mr Llew said this in the context of drawing in a daily sketchbook. Challenging one’s self to draw something everyday can help sharpen your idea developing skills, so when you need to discover a big idea for a tough client… you are already on top of it.

“Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine. “
-David Ogilvy (sent to me in an e-mail from my friend Robbie Thompson)

While this piece of advice can be taken literally or figuratively it touches on a value that I have experienced to be true. Surrounding yourself with those who are kick-ass at what they do not only inspires you to work harder, but improves the overall product that you produce as a team. Recognizing other designers strengths and setting aside egos can not only help improve the work produced but contribute to positive design chi. If your fellow designer comes up with a killer idea, it makes you look better as a team, so embrace their talent and look to associate yourself with more of it.

Technorati Tags: design advice, job search, Design careers, Veerle Pieters, FL2, Rich Hilliard, Paul Llewellyn, David Ogilvy, Robbie Thompson,