1. Design Studio / Ad agency / Print House
- The starting salary for a fresh grad usually starts below 2k. If your portfolio and skills are really good it can reach mora than 2k. The main focus of the company is producing design / ideas or any multimedia service. Your job is focus on just design. Working hours are like crazy.. Low benefits. But work environment is fun, creative with no dresscode.
2. Corporate Companies / Government Agencies : eg. Sime Darby, Bank Negara, Mampu, MPOB...
This companies usually have an in-house design department and just one or two position for a designer. The salaries can start between 2.5k - 4k for a fresh grad with many other benefits. You are paid high... But as a creative, working in a corporate environment with strict dresscode and guidelines may not be that fun. You will be the ONLY designer in the organization so you are expected to knoww everything and you have to do print + web + video all by yourself. Plus, if you are an executive.. you have to do other work like doing presentations, preparing budget, and many other boring non-design related jobs. To get in this organizations also need just more than design skills. Employers will look at your pointer : CGPA 3.00 and above, also your interpersonal and communications skills which many designers are lack of.
So its either work in a fun design studio where you can explore creative juices with low pay or in a strict corporate environment with high pay?