design contests: worth it?

[pattyfab]

I used to enter them when I worked for a company that paid for it - we won quite a lot. I also juried a few back in the day.

That said, now that I'm on my own I never enter these things. It's a lot of money. I also think (at least with AIGA) that if you don't participate and schmooze you don't win prizes. Sorry, but it feels like an old boys club to me. Again, I'm not paying their exorbitant membership fees now that I no longer have a company buying it for me.

FeeltheKern: the answer is never. Ever.

[hrant]

Intelligent and/or busy people might not actively follow the results of competitions, but I think it must be admitted that they still tend to look at design magazines at least occasionally, and if they run into some nice result from a competition they will take note of it. I can't picture a lot of people actively shunning competition results.

hhp

[FeeltheKern]

I guess another question would be if anyone has ever gotten a project as a result of having their work published. I only enter contests that are free, but even this is somewhat time consuming.

[hrant]

> if anyone has ever gotten a project as a
> result of having their work published.

In my case, two that I know of (and probably more that I don't).

Besides getting projects, it can also help in being accepted as a conference speaker (if only because somebody who has won awards makes the conference look better) which is of course yet another way to promote yourself and get more work.

The trick I think isn't to shun contests, it's to
not get duped by lame ones that charge too much.

hhp

[jupiterboy]

I had the same experience with Print. But I have not sent many pieces in. If they ask you for quotes take the time to write something short. You may find you get some text as well as a mention for design.

[shielddesign]

This is the first time since 2004 that I did not submit to Print. You know what, I think I feel good about that...and I know my pocketbook does.

However I have been wondering lately since I am about 8 yrs out of school how can I find a mentor who can help me reach for excellence? Any ideas? I really wish I could find someone that I respect to give me regular crits.

thanks everyone

[FeeltheKern]

@Hrant: Thanks for the reply, I think that affirmed a lot of my assumptions. Sometimes I think designers shun contests because by nature we have an extra dose of ego, so when we don't get our work validated in a contest we assume that there must be something intrinsically wrong with the system. That said, I have come across many that are way overpriced and definitely seem like an old boy's club, where the same 5 firms take home all the awards.

[jennalawrence]

Awe this is the cutest post ever.
Seriously though I think that when designing something for a practical application or use there is great reward in seeing the design being used and appreciated over long term.
The exposure from winning contests is super. At this point in my career just seeing the satisfaction on a client's face once Ive given them something they appreciate is enough for me. Even encountering a piece of my portfolio in it's intended use years after designing it is satisfaction enough. I often feel like I've won an award just knowing people like and use my work. It is wonderful how my pieces show up in odd places and not a soul in the room can identify the connection between me and the design.
It is delightful like being the writer of a book with a secret alias.

[Pattie P]

I decided to enter one contest a year. I picked a national in house award one. I win a lot but it feels like that Tiai Quan Do class I took, where you can kept testing and work up to a black belt, for a price, but it never feels like you really could kick someone’s butt in the real world.

[pattyfab]

I want whatever drug Jenna is taking.