This post is a continuation of graphic design tip #30 in our article “101 Graphic Design Tips for Business Success.“

Share Your Graphic Design Knowledge

There is nothing more rewarding than mentoring another person. Graphic Designers sometimes have a hard time parting with their hard earned industry secrets. Many times you may feel that you’ve had to work hard to get where you are, so why would you share this information with future competition?

This attitude is sometimes hard to change. There are a lot of designers that “hoard” information to protect themselves. This is unfortunate because there will always be an abundance of work for designers to do. If you can get past the fear of competition, the best thing you can do is to teach someone what you know.

Teach Your Junior Designers, Don’t Do It For Them

When a junior designer is thrown in the mix, it can be easy to become impatient and want to do things for them. Resist the urge to do this, no matter what the urgency. Instead walk them through the steps. Teach them how to do things the right way. Create cheat sheets for them when necessary. Things like naming conventions, style sheets, folder storage and other guidelines make take a while to grasp.

Take them with you to press checks, conferences, and seminars. Lend them books and introduce them to your graphic design heroes. Revitalize your discoveries and the excitement you had when entering this field. It can be fun seeing these things new through someone else’s eyes.

Mentoring takes time, but is also rewarding. You are building valuable management and teaching skills for the future. This is how graphic designers go from being designers to Creative Directors, Brand Managers, and Agency Owners. You are storing up karmic coins for future use, remember junior may be competition – but also a bridge to friendship and opportunity.

What better way to ensure your future career satisfaction than having imparted skills, knowledge and a positive impression on someone else? Share the things you learn. It will reinforce that learning and help you retain it.