Need good graphic design career advice? Here’s a good answer for that: go to TikTok! Apart from all the complaints, this platform still has a lot of gems. Its audio, visual, and shareable elements make TikTok a perfect place for graphic designers to share their ideas, works, tips, and advice.
You can find much graphic design content on TikTok, but a select few thrive because of their professional and relatable content. They give you glimpses into works as a graphic designer, useful design tips, and inspiration to change or upgrade your career.
Here are five recommendations of TikTok accounts for your graphic design career.
Alyssa Nguyen Design
Alyssa Nguyen Design is a TikTok account run by Alyssa Nguyen, owner of a New York studio that centers on women of color. Her TikTok is full of useful videos to break into and develop in the design world as freelancers and in-house designers. She also shares many of her experiences in starting a graphic design business right after graduating.
Other videos share her daily routine of working with clients, managing time between projects, and doing administrative aspects of her business. Some content is about practical design tips (including website interface design), while others inspire and encourage women of color to thrive in design.
The tone of her content is professional and encouraging, but still with a dash of a casual vibe, a perfect place for graphic designers who need extra encouragement to enter the professional field, especially as women of color.
Caitlin Lam
Caitlin Lam is a California-based designer who shares a lot of content about her life as an art student in Harvard. She is also a lead designer and co-founder of a collective artist movement called Sticky Locals. Her content mostly shows the process of sketching or designing for various projects, such as branding and merch making.
Lam also shares practical tips for new designers, like how to find new clients or create a compelling pitch presentation. She also shares lighthearted sketching activities, her favorite design tools, and small activities she does to relax.
Her account has a more laidback vibe, perfect for students or new and developing graphic designers.
Jenna Palermo
Jenna Palermo’s TikTok account, jobsxdesign, shares useful advice about design tips and career development. Her videos combine practical design tips (including web design), creative resources, and career tips.
Her content is excellent for new designers or those who want to grow their businesses or career. For example, she shares stories and tips about interviews, client relations, applications, and resume improvement. She shares new design trends, job openings, and fun analysis videos on ads and logos.
The tone of her content is professional but casual, aimed at budding graphic designers or those looking for career change and improvement.
Mallory Dean
Figma Designer Advocate Mallory Dean has a TikTok account, mdeandesign, where she shares advice and knowledge from her experiences. Her content consists of practical tips, design knowledge, information about resources, and various work and career tips.
As an experienced professional designer, Dean shares insights based on her experiences. She shares content about productivity, creativity, financial aspects, and advice for design students. She also shares honest, relatable content about impostor syndrome, creativity overload, and tips for dealing with rejection.
Life in Design
Life in Design’s TikTok account shares tips and advice for freelance designers. Much of the content leans toward career development and the daily grind. For example, there are videos about dealing with demanding clients, responding to multiple revision requests, upgrading your resume, and professionally introducing yourself to clients for a successful pitch.
Life in Design also shares information about various job opportunities, especially for freelancers. It also shares inspiration, such as designing a portfolio website, choosing the best design plugins and tools, and various resources for design inspiration.
Why does the content lean toward freelance work and opportunities? Because Life in Design is an online platform that shares information about various freelancing opportunities. It is a perfect place for freelancers still carving their paths in the design world.
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing digital platforms in the world, and many graphic designers embrace it to share their knowledge and insights. If you have a TikTok (or want to download one), don’t forget to follow these accounts to grow your graphic design career.