Over its 100 years, and especially over the last twenty years, AIGA has seen many changes in the discipline. What graphic design is, what designers need to know, and who becomes a designer have all shifted as the computer went from being just a tool to also being our primary medium for communication. While many principles have stayed the same, what goes on in design school has followed practice.

The number and variety of programs has multiplied, making the process of selecting a school more challenging and potentially rewarding. Finally, how jobs are advertised and how prospective candidates communicate with prospective employers have changed as well, as has the culture and context for many workplaces, requiring new approaches for how to find your first job.

AIGA invited Juliette Cezzar to update the 1993 career guide originally written by Sharon Helmer Poggenpohl. Together with input from educators across the country, the guide has been revised. Special thanks go to Rachel Berger, Aggie Toppins, and John Caserta, as well as Adobe, our sponsor.

Please send feedback, resources, or additions to designeducation@aiga.org.