Are You Ready to Begin Reaching Your Goals as a Designer?

I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to reach many of my biggest goals before turning thirty. I’ve worked for small boutique design agencies, large global design firms and I’ve even ran my own successful web consulting studio with my wife full time for nearly a decade prior to focusing my attention on educating other designers through workshops, books and this weekly blog.

Progress on The Designer’s Handbook has been steady. Since many of you have been asking for a sneak peek, I figured this week was a good time to fill you in on what you can expect from the book when it launches.

Who’s this book for?

The Designer’s Handbook is aimed at designers who are at a point in their career where they feel like they’ve leveled off or are in need of some additional advice on how to move forward and reach their goals. The Designer’s Handbook isn’t designed to be read from cover to cover. Instead I’ve set out to create a book that a designer at any level can easily pick up, flip to a particular struggle and find some advice.

What does this book cover?

In The Designer’s Handbook I intentionally avoid topics around technology. The content of this book will not teach you about craft, but instead it’s full of advice that’s based on the things I’ve learned so far in my career. Things that they never taught me in college. The things that I’ve learned the hard way, but they were also the things that set me apart from my peers and helped me move forward in my career.

Here’s just some of the areas the book covers:

1. Finding your fit within the industry.
2. Getting the most out of your first years.
3. Knowing when it’s time to move on.
4. Earning and gaining respect from the industry.
5. Understanding what’s expected from you.
6. How to maintain your happiness and positivity.
7. Balancing your life goals with your career goals.
8. Managing your time.
9. Getting started with side income projects.
10. How to land that job you’ve always dreamed of.
11. Dealing with problem clients and team members.
12. How to make more money doing what you love to do.
13. Focusing on the skills that are important vs. those that are not.
14. Plus so much more…

In this book I assume that you plan to, or are currently working within the industry and understand the common structure and lingo of the industry.

What else is included?

Along with the book, I plan to include a variety of interviews from industry pros, downloadable resources and special offers from a number of top design products that are all designed to help you grow and move forward as a designer.

What’s Next?

I hope that this quick update on the book gives you better idea on what you can expect. If there is something specific you’d like me to address in the book, please shoot me an email or post it into the comments below. I’d be happy to consider it. If you’d like to keep updated on the launch, you can do so by signing up below.    

Next week, I’m going to share with you my experience regarding dependability as a designer.