You’ll make something undeniably meaningful.
You can feel good that the work you’re doing has a tangible and lasting impact, more than with a pretty consumer package that ends up in the trash. Your work might actually help a progressive candidate get elected to office. Or help a grassroots organization feed a community. Or become part of a movement that advocates for human rights and justice. It’s a whole, huge world of ways to make a difference.
You’ll have a lot more creative freedom.
If you’re a young designer getting into this field, you won’t have the same book as someone doing design at a boutique firm. Your printed materials may not always get a budget-busting spot gloss. But clients are usually extremely grateful for good design — they won’t be hung up on the small stuff! They’ll be excited to get really good design, and they may not even have basics like brand guidelines. It’s incredibly rewarding to play a stronger, more visionary creative role that clients often immediately embrace.
You’ll have plenty of chances to learn new things.
In designing for corporate or traditional design agencies, you might find yourself in a bit of a box. Maybe you’re at a company that only does digital marketing, or one that only does social media, or one that focuses entirely on one sector. In designing for social impact, you might be working on a candidates marketing campaign one day and designing an informational poster the next day. One moment you’re learning about healthcare, and the next you’re diving into early childhood education. The possibilities are wide open. If you’re looking for creative opportunities that make a difference you couldn’t find a better network of designers.
