The Keys to Self-evaluation

Introduction

In my first article from the BIA (Beginner-Intermediate-Advanced) Attributes series, I offered 10 tips to help you recognize your skills and strengths. The next step towards a successful graphic design career is self-evaluation. In this second article, I am going to reveal the keys to self-evaluation.

The Keys to Self-evaluation

A thorough self-evaluation should provide you with your progress bar. It’s like your personal statistics. You need to look at it not as something to be ashamed of, rather something to be proud of. Evaluating yourself can win you precious time to invest into improving your skills.

Self-evaluation may not seem easy to do—after all, it’s challenging to judge yourself. But it really is possible. If you follow an arts/graphic official class, you have teachers to judge you. But, what happens if you start your freelancer journey? Who is going to help you acknowledge the quality of your skills? Most importantly, how can you tell where you are on the experience ladder? That’s right. You’re pretty much on your own!

Fear no more! Self-evaluation is not as hard as it seems. It only seems difficult because it is considered a delicate matter. Let’s be honest, if something seems slightly uncomfortable, we all have the human tendency of calling it hard.

The Qualities for Self-evaluation

Self evaluation is actually a combination of four important qualities:

Integrity – because at the end of the day you will gain trust and appreciation from clients and other designers.

Self respect– because at the end of the day you will go to bed feeling proud and content of yourself.

Control – because at the end of the day you will be able to know exactly what you need to improve in yourself.

Ambition – because at the end of the day you will always hope for a better tomorrow and a better self.

Questions to Ask Yourself when Self-evaluating

When you self-evaluate, see if you can easily answer some of the following questions:

• How much and how far are you willing to push yourself?
• What’s the best rhythm and pace for yourself?
• How determined and passioned are you really about designing?
• What things would you change in your style and/or techniques?
• Do you handle criticism in a positive and constructive way?
• Do you find yourself to be defensive in front of other people?
• Do you have role model designers?
• Do you see yourself growing into a real design business?
• Would you do anything for the money?

Conclusion

Self-evaluation is something we should all do. Some may already be doing it without realizing. But to take full advantage of self-evaluation, you need to make it a natural, on-going act. Getting used to evaluate your experience helps you not only for better self-esteem, it helps you win better projects too. Not to mention your clients will love you so much they’ll always come back to you.