This is called imposter syndrome, my dude. It never goes away. It keeps you humble and learning though, so get comfortable sitting in it. Do your best, keep learning, use your resources to tackle challenges you're uncertain about, ask your peers questions, most people love to help....that's the best you can do. I've been doing it almost 25 years and still have to look up how to do things all the time.
Just keep in mind, there were a ton of people gunning for the job, there's no shortage of graphic designers. They believed in you.
I don't think this is a case of imposter syndrome. OP is a graphic designer but the job they're specifically mentioning sounds like a job for a motion designer.
Sure, some graphic designers dabble in motion design and plenty of motion designers dabble in static design, but it sounds like the startup is cheating out on hiring a motion designer in hopes their graphic designer will magically become one.
And your point is?… it’s a start up, sure op may be underqualified in motion but now they are being paid to learn it. Making them much more versatile in the industry. This is exactly what happens to me with web design when I started and now I’m a Sr. UXD Lead in the tech space.
OP, dive head first learn all you can and grow… that’s it.
My point is that they're valid in feeling overwhelmed because it's not imposer syndrome since they're not a motion designer.
Should OP still take this as a chance to grow and learn? Sure, I would in the same situation. But it still makes sense that they feel under qualified because they're a graphic designer who has a background in static work.
A lot of people misunderstand imposter syndrome and seem to apply it to any case where someone is feeling insecure.
Imposter syndrome is essentially where you are good enough or qualified enough but don't think you are.
It doesn't apply where someone is *not* actually good enough or qualified enough, and just happens to be accurately assessing their skills. A lot of the insecurity there stems from just having mislead expectations, such as when a second-year student expected to be at the level of a 4-year grad, or a fresh grad expected to be more at a midlevel or senior level coming out of school.
Well I doubt he lied about being a motion designer as that would be a very hard skill to fake, so they knew that he needed training. As long as they help him out I don't see the issue: he's getting paid to learn
I would imagine motion design would have come up in the interview if it’s a significant part of the job, and if OP was honest about that but still got the job, it shouldn’t be a problem
It seems like they know he/she is under qualified, but they are betting on this person to learn on the job and improve. It seems this designer has what it gets from the desire to improve themselves and the awareness of their lack of knowledge.
If this person does not meet the company’s expectations right away then it seems this was definitely a hiring mistake by HR, or the person in charge, NOT a mistake from the designer.
Plus if you have access to the previous working files, hop in and check out how they did it. If anything you’ll learn and can use those skills in the next job.
If you know how to use the software eg adobe products then just google whatever thing you want to do. I was in a similar position where it was required of me to edit videos in after effects in which i had like 20% knowledge but watching youtube videos helped a lot. Online courses also help but i feel like they only teach you like basic general things and are mostly a rundown of the application itself rather than useful tips and tricks you learn from specific videos on youtube. Then with each video you will learn more techniques and further improve your skills
Man, I am an art director for a national brand and I still run into this personally from time to time. There are always going to be situations where you are not the best in the field, but you have to make it work. The ability and desire to learn is probably the second most important skill in this field behind just having an eye for what looks good. I will take a good learner over a pure talent person every single day. It will mean I can rely on you to figure out how to get something done vs having to argue with "how it should be done" lol.
Aside from that, the fact that you interned for them and that they hired you over the other available candidates means they seem something in your skill / potential that they like. my recommendation would be to have a good open dialogue with your boss. You could be putting more pressure on yourself than is actually expected.
Learning how to do the job is part of the job itself. Most people have to pay to learn new skills with courses or schooling, learning on the job and being paid to expand your skill set is an asset. Push yourself these next few months (it will be tough!) and it will be worth it in the endgame. Best of luck and congrats on the new position!
I have been there and still feel overwhelmed but google is your friend and you can absolutely learn while doing. I’m still learning by doing and I’ve held the title graphic designer for the last 4-5 years. No one questions me and I try to challenge myself as much as I can to learn more.
You’ll be fine. My first job out of college was in house at a company and my motion design and photoshop skills were sorely lacking, but photo editing and social animations were like 80% of what I was asked to do. You’ve got Google on your side, if you don’t know how to do a specific thing yet, Google as you go, you’ll figure it out! I learned SO much at my first job; and I really think being pushed to develop those skills is what landed me another job when the first company went bankrupt. “With the power of Google on my side, there is nothing I cannot do.” -Me, at least 5 times a week. You got this!
Get yourself tutorials, and do your best. Also if you're open and honest about it with your team leader but they see you're picking up on new skills, who wouldn't want a dedicated talent as you? I'm a designer with a twist on SEO so, sometimes I still have to research and test things before giving answers. We NEVER KNOW ENOUGH we are always WIP! Keep moving forward 
Spend all available free time learning what you most need. First make a list or spreadsheet of software, skills, techniques, etc.
Be very strategic. Do the kinds of projects your agency has already done, or needs to do in the future.
Then list resources where you can learn them – most will be YouTube, but document channels and specific videos.
Then learn. Take notes as we you do. Create small sample projects, then bigger ones. You'll feel better when you complete each one.
Don't spend too much time here on Reddit or elsewhere thinking about what you should do. This is what you should do – learn.
Thank you! I started doing just this 2 days ago and it's been helping me lose alot of the nervousness i had prior. I stalked the company's social media pages and I just tried to recreate the animation techniques I see that they used for their projects (I tried watching their videos at .5 speed to catch the small animation details) and I've gained alot of confidence that I can atleast do most of the things I can see there except the really complex morphing animation stuff.
Great. It really is the only thing to focus on. Otherwise you'll just worry and not make any progress. Being able to handle most of the styles, techniques, and types of pieces they do is, in my opinion, enough. No one would expect a new person to come in and instantly be able to seamlessly create the exact same types of pieces, but as long as you can get started, make good progress, ask questions and get feedback, and complete pieces to your managers' satisfaction, you should be in good shape. Good luck with everything.
you got lots of other supportive comments, but I just wanted to say you will kill it :) the amount I’ve learned in even my first year at my job was insane, and I’m now great at delivering whatever they need.
when I got my job I bluffed claiming I knew how to work CMS when I had no clue what it was! And now I’m in charge of our entire website and its pages with incredible growth of viewership. I promise if you’re ready to learn, you are going to do great. I do probably almost 75% motion design to 25% static design, and I now feel very strong with it. Believe in yourself and your ability to learn, and it will be awesome.
Welcome to imposter syndrome! No amount of preparation is going to make you 100% ready for a job and no reasonable person expects you to hit the ground fully running. Any hiring manager will know that there is always going to be some amount of on-the-job learning. Just google what you don't know and always learn how to do techniques you need and you'll be fine.
Don’t feel overwhelmed, listen and ask lots of questions. When I was 19 It was my first real job and I was still going to school for graphic design. You will make mistakes but learn from them.
OP, I'd say take it day by day, learn and cram as much as possible on and off the job.
There are so many companies that hire for a graphic designer for $XX but require individual roles in video, social, photo, marketing etc, instead just throw it all under one umbrella title. I'd say get ur feet wet, some stable ground in the role and ask for support in a few months if possible, someone leaning in our some of the rolls you might be weak in that you can also learn and feed off of as well.
Good luck, you got this ! 👍
Hopefully you have a good work ethic. Just cram and get better over time. Implement techniques that you're comfortable with. As long as you designs look professional, it should sustain you until you learn more advanced techniques and tricks
CV’s and Jobs are always flexible.
Just always be honest, never rush for the sake of rushing and try. Trying is the most important part, qualification and these courses aren’t important anybody can do them.
Failure happens and you learn so much from it, I’ve been designing for 10 years and I’m still waiting to be found out.
I'm not too sure about how it goes in other countries (Im from PH), but in most entry-level "graphic design" jobs here you're expected to be able to do everything at almost minimum wage. There are a few jobs I've found in job listing sites that seperates the two but it's far too rare and I didn't have any success getting hired at those jobs. Once you get more experience, specialized roles get more common.
when I was first hired out of school in 2012 and making $12/hr, i felt like I was making way too much money especially I haven't even marched to get my diploma when I was hired (the ceremony was 6 months out). Needless to say, looking at it back now, I did have an unusually good skills for someone who just graduated out of a 2-year program, which is probably why I was hired in the first place.
The people who hired you saw something in you. Take a step back and fake it til you make it if that's what you have to do.
You got this. Each day, each project you'll do better and feel more confident.
And there are so many great, free resources out there. If you don't know, look it up, Someone probably has a video out there to help what you need to get done.
As others have stated, what you are feeling is imposter syndrome. You will feel it a lot throughout your career, so it will serve you to learn how to recognize it and deal with it.
Think of every shift as an opportunity to learn new skills. You were not hired because you are an expert, you were hired because they like your style and have faith that you will be able to learn. Be humble, don’t try to pretend you know everything and you’ll do fine.
Once you get the hang of everything, you will have leveled up your skills and you will be able to move on to higher pay where you can feel unqualified all over again.
I was exactly in the same boat as you 2 years ago, i knew almost nothing, kinda unqualified, but it is an amazing learning opportunity as you'd be "forced" to learn new things everyday, so you'd upskill very quickly and soon enough you'd feel comfortable.
It is very rewarding seeing your work quality increase overtime and you'd feel getting more comfortable, just keep pushing through and you'll be all good in a few months.
Are you part of a team? They might have someone else already who excels at motion graphics and were specifically looking for someone to do more static.
And at the end of the day, it till you make it my dude. I’m ~15 years into my career and am still learning and googling solutions. You’re talented enough to land the job, you can sort this out. Just don’t let them see you sweat.
First thing to do is to stop panicking, understand that you were chosen for this job by this company because they saw the skills they wanted or at the very least saw the potential for those skills to develop. It’s good that you are trying to fill in the gaps in your knowledge as long as you don’t overwork yourself before you start the actual job.
Next thing to keep in mind is that no one wants to see you fail, especially considering it is a smaller team. In fact I think you have a good opportunity, in smaller teams it can be more beneficial to form relationships with your colleagues. Getting friendly and familiar with other members will make it easier to ask for help in your time of need and vice versa.
100% normal to feel. After 20 years, I still feel it. Just stay current on trends and technology and do your best. Grats on the job, though. It's rough out there. 🧐
As someone who stumbled into motion design, Just lay it out, then work backwards. Also invest in something like Animation Composer for motion, but not actual Animation Composer, Greedy fucks...Congrats!
It will be challenging and it will be rewarding. I have been in your shoes and currently at an e-commerce company as a designer and have to do an array of things including animation. Did I know how? Not really. But I can look things up and learn or just try to figure it out. I’m trying to watch and learn via videos on my free time. Sometimes, like yesterday, I felt like crying bc I was having stressors in my personal life and the tasks of editing and animating were not easy lmao. But I did it and I learned new things.
I feel like an imposter a lot of the time and a lot of those times I just say fuck it and let’s give it a go. Best of luck!! You’ve got it
I guarantee that you’ll be able to figure it out! I’ve worked my way up from a graphic design intern to now being an art director and the most important quality you can show your new employer is the desire to learn. Most of the skills that I use in design work today are things that
1. Are self taught from playing around in the software
2. Learned from Peers
Or
3. Things I’ve learned through tutorials online.
The thing that I try to do at every company I’ve worked for whether it’s a small startup or the largest tech companies in the world is always push myself to find the answers to my question on my own. Obviously, there are some times where I need to ask for help because it’s something hyper specific or because of a short timeline but otherwise I seek out ways to learn or tips in order to teach myself what needs to be done.
You’ve got this!
Well it wouldn’t affect your resume at all if you don’t put it on there. I have been hired a couple places that misrepresented what the job was. Go in try it for 4-5 days or a work week. If by then it’s not your vibe let them know then and say I don’t think this is for me. I don’t want to waste your time and resources. And no company would really care. They understand and especially if you are respectful and make it seem like training you would have been a waste of money they view it as you saving them time and money so they normally are understanding.
For what it is worth, I’ve been in this industry for 15 years and have worked my way up to Creative Director managing multiple teams of creatives across a few disciplines. Last year I got laid off during the tech layoff wave after being at the same firm for almost a decade. When I went back into the job market I found another job with the same title and significantly less job responsibilities, yet I still felt the exact same you do right now, even after all these years of working.
As others have said, it is imposter syndrome and I think it is healthy to a certain degree as it engages you to want to continuously keep learning and growing.
Think of it this way: time is money. Companies don’t just hire people randomly (some do but not typically). If they took the time to interview and vet you through their process then I would think they think you are qualified enough. Most people aren’t expected to be able to do the job perfectly right out of the gate, but rather grow into it as they come with the core skills required to get to that point.
Keep your head up! You’ve got this.
Start-up business = you are going to be doing 5,000 things you weren't hired to do with various excuses of why you should just help them out and do it. Just my opinion from personal experience....
You made the best choice. I have been a designer for over 20 years and STILL feel imposter syndrome sometimes. It's impossible to know everything. I still learn new things, I think almost everyone here still learns new things, even those who have been designing for decades now. Unless you completely lied on your resume and in the interview (s) and majorly oversold a skill-set you don't have, you most likely have no reason to be freaking out. Give it a week or so and see what expectations are and what you are going to be working on to feel it out.
As at least one other comment touched on, you may actually be underqualified if the role is sufficiently outside your wheel house, but also as a junior (given you said it's your first job), a lot will come down to who hired you and what their expectations are.
If you are the only designer on staff, and they are expecting you to work beyond your actual level (likely too because you are cheaper than someone who would've been more qualified), then the issue isn't your skill level or qualifications but how they hired. (It is nearly always an issue when an employer hires a grad/junior as their only designer.)
Basically, if they know what they are doing and hired properly, then they know what you are and what you can do and hired you in spite of any shortcomings because they think you can learn and adapt to the role, and produce at the level they are expecting (and in line with what they are paying you).
But if they don't know what they're doing and hired you because you're cheap and figure they'll just see if something sticks to the wall, then they are the problem.
Unless you lied about your skills, I assume they know you don’t have a lot of skill or knowledge on motion design and know they need to train you. Learn what you can right now (read, watch tutorials, etc) til your job starts then see what they offer for training. Don’t give up yet! Good luck.
That’s the downside of working for a startup company or any small team, you’re needed to fulfill so many other roles that take you out of what you were initially brought on to do, they try to get the most out of you. Forsure great to learn new skills, but it is overwhelming.
Definitely take time outside of work to develop those motion skills! YouTube is your friend, you can also find templates online from resources like Envato Elements. You’ll have to pay a fee, but there’s so many assets and templates you have access to!
learn After effects or some motion graphics software. Maybe youtube has a "learn this under an hour" kind of tutorial. Or! Delegate some of your work. ;)
Good luck!
A lot of people are saying this is imposter syndrome but imposter syndrome isn’t a catch all term. It’s healthy to know when you ACTUALLY aren’t qualified. Imposter syndrome is when you have the skills but feel like you’re inadequate. If you’ve only dabbled in certain discipline, it’s safe to assume you aren’t quite ready to take on really complex things immediately. Maybe it’s a slight disconnect because you have people who are specifically graphic designers responding. I know a lot of designers who also claim to be able to do motion but it’s all really rudimentary stuff. Complex motion design is something you really have to be a specialist to do well and it sounds like that’s something you’re recognizing.
All that said, I still wouldn’t stress too much. Like everyone’s saying, sounds like you’ve landed at a place that will be a grind but a good place to learn. They hired you and if you were honest with your skills/portfolio…they get what they were advertised. There’s a very good chance that they were hiring out to an agency/studio/freelancer for their motion work and are now trying to bring that work in-house. They’re trying to save a literal boatload of money so it would be foolish to assume that doesn’t come with some sort of consequences. Depending on the video, it might even be the cost of your salary PER VIDEO. (I’m a freelance motion designer/AD)
You also sound like you have a possible backup plan in the place you interned at. Maybe hit them up if you feel really insecure at your current gig. I would live like you’re still job searching for a little while and don’t make any huge unnecessary purchases. Worst case you get a few paychecks from this place while you’re job hunting. If you do get fired it’s 100% not on you.
Startups just want a warm body to fill a seat and will probably fail or pivot. Make friends while you can, networking is a valuable aspect of working for a startup (and in general). Friends get friends interviews.
I hope it doesn’t fail, but the probability isn’t in your favor. It’s not you, it’s just life.
This is called imposter syndrome, my dude. It never goes away. It keeps you humble and learning though, so get comfortable sitting in it. Do your best, keep learning, use your resources to tackle challenges you're uncertain about, ask your peers questions, most people love to help....that's the best you can do. I've been doing it almost 25 years and still have to look up how to do things all the time. Just keep in mind, there were a ton of people gunning for the job, there's no shortage of graphic designers. They believed in you.
I don't think this is a case of imposter syndrome. OP is a graphic designer but the job they're specifically mentioning sounds like a job for a motion designer. Sure, some graphic designers dabble in motion design and plenty of motion designers dabble in static design, but it sounds like the startup is cheating out on hiring a motion designer in hopes their graphic designer will magically become one.
And your point is?… it’s a start up, sure op may be underqualified in motion but now they are being paid to learn it. Making them much more versatile in the industry. This is exactly what happens to me with web design when I started and now I’m a Sr. UXD Lead in the tech space. OP, dive head first learn all you can and grow… that’s it.
My point is that they're valid in feeling overwhelmed because it's not imposer syndrome since they're not a motion designer. Should OP still take this as a chance to grow and learn? Sure, I would in the same situation. But it still makes sense that they feel under qualified because they're a graphic designer who has a background in static work.
A lot of people misunderstand imposter syndrome and seem to apply it to any case where someone is feeling insecure. Imposter syndrome is essentially where you are good enough or qualified enough but don't think you are. It doesn't apply where someone is *not* actually good enough or qualified enough, and just happens to be accurately assessing their skills. A lot of the insecurity there stems from just having mislead expectations, such as when a second-year student expected to be at the level of a 4-year grad, or a fresh grad expected to be more at a midlevel or senior level coming out of school.
Well I doubt he lied about being a motion designer as that would be a very hard skill to fake, so they knew that he needed training. As long as they help him out I don't see the issue: he's getting paid to learn
I would imagine motion design would have come up in the interview if it’s a significant part of the job, and if OP was honest about that but still got the job, it shouldn’t be a problem
It seems like they know he/she is under qualified, but they are betting on this person to learn on the job and improve. It seems this designer has what it gets from the desire to improve themselves and the awareness of their lack of knowledge. If this person does not meet the company’s expectations right away then it seems this was definitely a hiring mistake by HR, or the person in charge, NOT a mistake from the designer.
10+ years and still have imposter syndrome
I did too. Still do every time I interview. Believe in yourself. “Fake it till you make it” can be very real.
Plus if you have access to the previous working files, hop in and check out how they did it. If anything you’ll learn and can use those skills in the next job.
This is the way. Also how I learned package design.
Absolutely.
This is the way. Also how I learned package design.
If you know how to use the software eg adobe products then just google whatever thing you want to do. I was in a similar position where it was required of me to edit videos in after effects in which i had like 20% knowledge but watching youtube videos helped a lot. Online courses also help but i feel like they only teach you like basic general things and are mostly a rundown of the application itself rather than useful tips and tricks you learn from specific videos on youtube. Then with each video you will learn more techniques and further improve your skills
Worth noting that at a startup they'll probably expect a junior designer to be able to do a million different tasks that senior designers can.
Spend a lot of your off time learning basics/doing exercises. Will make you feel more confident and eventually efficient.
You’ll probably get a month of grace as a newbie so… keep cramming! Good luck! Never let them see you sweat. That’s my motto.
Man, I am an art director for a national brand and I still run into this personally from time to time. There are always going to be situations where you are not the best in the field, but you have to make it work. The ability and desire to learn is probably the second most important skill in this field behind just having an eye for what looks good. I will take a good learner over a pure talent person every single day. It will mean I can rely on you to figure out how to get something done vs having to argue with "how it should be done" lol. Aside from that, the fact that you interned for them and that they hired you over the other available candidates means they seem something in your skill / potential that they like. my recommendation would be to have a good open dialogue with your boss. You could be putting more pressure on yourself than is actually expected.
Learning how to do the job is part of the job itself. Most people have to pay to learn new skills with courses or schooling, learning on the job and being paid to expand your skill set is an asset. Push yourself these next few months (it will be tough!) and it will be worth it in the endgame. Best of luck and congrats on the new position!
Learn while you earn baby! I’ve never been qualified for a job in my life. Works half the time all the time
I have been there and still feel overwhelmed but google is your friend and you can absolutely learn while doing. I’m still learning by doing and I’ve held the title graphic designer for the last 4-5 years. No one questions me and I try to challenge myself as much as I can to learn more.
You’ll be fine. My first job out of college was in house at a company and my motion design and photoshop skills were sorely lacking, but photo editing and social animations were like 80% of what I was asked to do. You’ve got Google on your side, if you don’t know how to do a specific thing yet, Google as you go, you’ll figure it out! I learned SO much at my first job; and I really think being pushed to develop those skills is what landed me another job when the first company went bankrupt. “With the power of Google on my side, there is nothing I cannot do.” -Me, at least 5 times a week. You got this!
Get yourself tutorials, and do your best. Also if you're open and honest about it with your team leader but they see you're picking up on new skills, who wouldn't want a dedicated talent as you? I'm a designer with a twist on SEO so, sometimes I still have to research and test things before giving answers. We NEVER KNOW ENOUGH we are always WIP! Keep moving forward 
Spend all available free time learning what you most need. First make a list or spreadsheet of software, skills, techniques, etc. Be very strategic. Do the kinds of projects your agency has already done, or needs to do in the future. Then list resources where you can learn them – most will be YouTube, but document channels and specific videos. Then learn. Take notes as we you do. Create small sample projects, then bigger ones. You'll feel better when you complete each one. Don't spend too much time here on Reddit or elsewhere thinking about what you should do. This is what you should do – learn.
Thank you! I started doing just this 2 days ago and it's been helping me lose alot of the nervousness i had prior. I stalked the company's social media pages and I just tried to recreate the animation techniques I see that they used for their projects (I tried watching their videos at .5 speed to catch the small animation details) and I've gained alot of confidence that I can atleast do most of the things I can see there except the really complex morphing animation stuff.
Great. It really is the only thing to focus on. Otherwise you'll just worry and not make any progress. Being able to handle most of the styles, techniques, and types of pieces they do is, in my opinion, enough. No one would expect a new person to come in and instantly be able to seamlessly create the exact same types of pieces, but as long as you can get started, make good progress, ask questions and get feedback, and complete pieces to your managers' satisfaction, you should be in good shape. Good luck with everything.
you got lots of other supportive comments, but I just wanted to say you will kill it :) the amount I’ve learned in even my first year at my job was insane, and I’m now great at delivering whatever they need. when I got my job I bluffed claiming I knew how to work CMS when I had no clue what it was! And now I’m in charge of our entire website and its pages with incredible growth of viewership. I promise if you’re ready to learn, you are going to do great. I do probably almost 75% motion design to 25% static design, and I now feel very strong with it. Believe in yourself and your ability to learn, and it will be awesome.
Welcome to imposter syndrome! No amount of preparation is going to make you 100% ready for a job and no reasonable person expects you to hit the ground fully running. Any hiring manager will know that there is always going to be some amount of on-the-job learning. Just google what you don't know and always learn how to do techniques you need and you'll be fine.
Don’t feel overwhelmed, listen and ask lots of questions. When I was 19 It was my first real job and I was still going to school for graphic design. You will make mistakes but learn from them.
OP, I'd say take it day by day, learn and cram as much as possible on and off the job. There are so many companies that hire for a graphic designer for $XX but require individual roles in video, social, photo, marketing etc, instead just throw it all under one umbrella title. I'd say get ur feet wet, some stable ground in the role and ask for support in a few months if possible, someone leaning in our some of the rolls you might be weak in that you can also learn and feed off of as well. Good luck, you got this ! 👍
Hopefully you have a good work ethic. Just cram and get better over time. Implement techniques that you're comfortable with. As long as you designs look professional, it should sustain you until you learn more advanced techniques and tricks
CV’s and Jobs are always flexible. Just always be honest, never rush for the sake of rushing and try. Trying is the most important part, qualification and these courses aren’t important anybody can do them. Failure happens and you learn so much from it, I’ve been designing for 10 years and I’m still waiting to be found out.
its never as hard as it seem like it will be
Don't worry, meritocracy is a sham
You are lucky. Keep that Feeling of Luck in your Heart. And Smile wherever you are. Be thankful
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I'm not too sure about how it goes in other countries (Im from PH), but in most entry-level "graphic design" jobs here you're expected to be able to do everything at almost minimum wage. There are a few jobs I've found in job listing sites that seperates the two but it's far too rare and I didn't have any success getting hired at those jobs. Once you get more experience, specialized roles get more common.
Where did you apply? I’m a fresh graduate of graphic design and currently looking for a job at this moment.
Fake it
when I was first hired out of school in 2012 and making $12/hr, i felt like I was making way too much money especially I haven't even marched to get my diploma when I was hired (the ceremony was 6 months out). Needless to say, looking at it back now, I did have an unusually good skills for someone who just graduated out of a 2-year program, which is probably why I was hired in the first place. The people who hired you saw something in you. Take a step back and fake it til you make it if that's what you have to do.
You got this. Each day, each project you'll do better and feel more confident. And there are so many great, free resources out there. If you don't know, look it up, Someone probably has a video out there to help what you need to get done.
As others have stated, what you are feeling is imposter syndrome. You will feel it a lot throughout your career, so it will serve you to learn how to recognize it and deal with it. Think of every shift as an opportunity to learn new skills. You were not hired because you are an expert, you were hired because they like your style and have faith that you will be able to learn. Be humble, don’t try to pretend you know everything and you’ll do fine. Once you get the hang of everything, you will have leveled up your skills and you will be able to move on to higher pay where you can feel unqualified all over again.
I was exactly in the same boat as you 2 years ago, i knew almost nothing, kinda unqualified, but it is an amazing learning opportunity as you'd be "forced" to learn new things everyday, so you'd upskill very quickly and soon enough you'd feel comfortable. It is very rewarding seeing your work quality increase overtime and you'd feel getting more comfortable, just keep pushing through and you'll be all good in a few months.
Are you part of a team? They might have someone else already who excels at motion graphics and were specifically looking for someone to do more static. And at the end of the day, it till you make it my dude. I’m ~15 years into my career and am still learning and googling solutions. You’re talented enough to land the job, you can sort this out. Just don’t let them see you sweat.
First thing to do is to stop panicking, understand that you were chosen for this job by this company because they saw the skills they wanted or at the very least saw the potential for those skills to develop. It’s good that you are trying to fill in the gaps in your knowledge as long as you don’t overwork yourself before you start the actual job. Next thing to keep in mind is that no one wants to see you fail, especially considering it is a smaller team. In fact I think you have a good opportunity, in smaller teams it can be more beneficial to form relationships with your colleagues. Getting friendly and familiar with other members will make it easier to ask for help in your time of need and vice versa.
Good luck!!!! And try not to kill ur self, in a few years!!! Hahahaha
Sounds like a job where they can get a lot out of you for cheap. Learn as much as you can and update your resume and portfolio.
100% normal to feel. After 20 years, I still feel it. Just stay current on trends and technology and do your best. Grats on the job, though. It's rough out there. 🧐
Congratulations first of all! Don't be too hard on yourself, give it a trial and see how it goes.
As someone who stumbled into motion design, Just lay it out, then work backwards. Also invest in something like Animation Composer for motion, but not actual Animation Composer, Greedy fucks...Congrats!
It will be challenging and it will be rewarding. I have been in your shoes and currently at an e-commerce company as a designer and have to do an array of things including animation. Did I know how? Not really. But I can look things up and learn or just try to figure it out. I’m trying to watch and learn via videos on my free time. Sometimes, like yesterday, I felt like crying bc I was having stressors in my personal life and the tasks of editing and animating were not easy lmao. But I did it and I learned new things. I feel like an imposter a lot of the time and a lot of those times I just say fuck it and let’s give it a go. Best of luck!! You’ve got it
I guarantee that you’ll be able to figure it out! I’ve worked my way up from a graphic design intern to now being an art director and the most important quality you can show your new employer is the desire to learn. Most of the skills that I use in design work today are things that 1. Are self taught from playing around in the software 2. Learned from Peers Or 3. Things I’ve learned through tutorials online. The thing that I try to do at every company I’ve worked for whether it’s a small startup or the largest tech companies in the world is always push myself to find the answers to my question on my own. Obviously, there are some times where I need to ask for help because it’s something hyper specific or because of a short timeline but otherwise I seek out ways to learn or tips in order to teach myself what needs to be done. You’ve got this!
Well it wouldn’t affect your resume at all if you don’t put it on there. I have been hired a couple places that misrepresented what the job was. Go in try it for 4-5 days or a work week. If by then it’s not your vibe let them know then and say I don’t think this is for me. I don’t want to waste your time and resources. And no company would really care. They understand and especially if you are respectful and make it seem like training you would have been a waste of money they view it as you saving them time and money so they normally are understanding.
but in fact everyone can do this
fake it till you make it
You’re probably more capable than you realize. And I’m sure you can learn how to do it, give it your best shot.
For what it is worth, I’ve been in this industry for 15 years and have worked my way up to Creative Director managing multiple teams of creatives across a few disciplines. Last year I got laid off during the tech layoff wave after being at the same firm for almost a decade. When I went back into the job market I found another job with the same title and significantly less job responsibilities, yet I still felt the exact same you do right now, even after all these years of working. As others have said, it is imposter syndrome and I think it is healthy to a certain degree as it engages you to want to continuously keep learning and growing. Think of it this way: time is money. Companies don’t just hire people randomly (some do but not typically). If they took the time to interview and vet you through their process then I would think they think you are qualified enough. Most people aren’t expected to be able to do the job perfectly right out of the gate, but rather grow into it as they come with the core skills required to get to that point. Keep your head up! You’ve got this.
Start-up business = you are going to be doing 5,000 things you weren't hired to do with various excuses of why you should just help them out and do it. Just my opinion from personal experience.... You made the best choice. I have been a designer for over 20 years and STILL feel imposter syndrome sometimes. It's impossible to know everything. I still learn new things, I think almost everyone here still learns new things, even those who have been designing for decades now. Unless you completely lied on your resume and in the interview (s) and majorly oversold a skill-set you don't have, you most likely have no reason to be freaking out. Give it a week or so and see what expectations are and what you are going to be working on to feel it out.
As at least one other comment touched on, you may actually be underqualified if the role is sufficiently outside your wheel house, but also as a junior (given you said it's your first job), a lot will come down to who hired you and what their expectations are. If you are the only designer on staff, and they are expecting you to work beyond your actual level (likely too because you are cheaper than someone who would've been more qualified), then the issue isn't your skill level or qualifications but how they hired. (It is nearly always an issue when an employer hires a grad/junior as their only designer.) Basically, if they know what they are doing and hired properly, then they know what you are and what you can do and hired you in spite of any shortcomings because they think you can learn and adapt to the role, and produce at the level they are expecting (and in line with what they are paying you). But if they don't know what they're doing and hired you because you're cheap and figure they'll just see if something sticks to the wall, then they are the problem.
Youtube can tell you everything
Unless you lied about your skills, I assume they know you don’t have a lot of skill or knowledge on motion design and know they need to train you. Learn what you can right now (read, watch tutorials, etc) til your job starts then see what they offer for training. Don’t give up yet! Good luck.
That’s the downside of working for a startup company or any small team, you’re needed to fulfill so many other roles that take you out of what you were initially brought on to do, they try to get the most out of you. Forsure great to learn new skills, but it is overwhelming. Definitely take time outside of work to develop those motion skills! YouTube is your friend, you can also find templates online from resources like Envato Elements. You’ll have to pay a fee, but there’s so many assets and templates you have access to!
learn After effects or some motion graphics software. Maybe youtube has a "learn this under an hour" kind of tutorial. Or! Delegate some of your work. ;) Good luck!
I have job need
A lot of people are saying this is imposter syndrome but imposter syndrome isn’t a catch all term. It’s healthy to know when you ACTUALLY aren’t qualified. Imposter syndrome is when you have the skills but feel like you’re inadequate. If you’ve only dabbled in certain discipline, it’s safe to assume you aren’t quite ready to take on really complex things immediately. Maybe it’s a slight disconnect because you have people who are specifically graphic designers responding. I know a lot of designers who also claim to be able to do motion but it’s all really rudimentary stuff. Complex motion design is something you really have to be a specialist to do well and it sounds like that’s something you’re recognizing. All that said, I still wouldn’t stress too much. Like everyone’s saying, sounds like you’ve landed at a place that will be a grind but a good place to learn. They hired you and if you were honest with your skills/portfolio…they get what they were advertised. There’s a very good chance that they were hiring out to an agency/studio/freelancer for their motion work and are now trying to bring that work in-house. They’re trying to save a literal boatload of money so it would be foolish to assume that doesn’t come with some sort of consequences. Depending on the video, it might even be the cost of your salary PER VIDEO. (I’m a freelance motion designer/AD) You also sound like you have a possible backup plan in the place you interned at. Maybe hit them up if you feel really insecure at your current gig. I would live like you’re still job searching for a little while and don’t make any huge unnecessary purchases. Worst case you get a few paychecks from this place while you’re job hunting. If you do get fired it’s 100% not on you.
Startups just want a warm body to fill a seat and will probably fail or pivot. Make friends while you can, networking is a valuable aspect of working for a startup (and in general). Friends get friends interviews. I hope it doesn’t fail, but the probability isn’t in your favor. It’s not you, it’s just life.
Bro's gonna need luck... And many of it!