You’re also right to observe that the industry and day to day work is changing rapidly, so the fact you have a front row seat to the real workings and demands of working in design today should be seen as a huge plus – even if you don’t necessarily like what you see. The more understanding you have, the better decisions you can make in the future.
As for future career paths of junior designers; this for me is the million dollar question, that truthfully no one has a definitive answer to. In my opinion, junior talent will always be necessary in business. Maybe not for doing the design tasks we’re used to, but providing fresh perspective, ideas and context to more good organisations who are thinking about the future.
It feels like a cliché to say, but first up, learn the tools that are coming into our industry. Get deeply curious and excited about what the technology can enable, and then make sure you’re honing that expertise in your work. Experiment. Have fun. Get really familiar with the key AI tools shaping how work is made.
Secondly, you can’t forget softer skills either. Balance your own personal (dare I say human) development with the technology and you’ll give yourself the best chance for exciting career developments. Learn about communication, storytelling, giving and receiving feedback, critical thinking, lateral thinking, delegation, negotiation and everything that goes into navigating a career regardless of the technology (there’s loads of great resources for this stuff on our sister platform Creative Lives in Progress under their guides and resources).
Most of all try and bring yourself to work. No one needs another cookie-cutter designer who thinks the same way as everyone else. Be yourself, be reliable and valuable and be connected to the technology that will continue to shape our industry.
As a junior you should have more space and time to experiment, make the most of it! Remember a creative career should be fun, explorative. If you’re not getting that out of your day to day job due to constraints outside of your control – don’t neglect it in your time outside of work…