From a former design school student who now hires students: another spin on the design education controversy.

You may recall my recent posting in which I charged that design schools are doing a crummy job of teaching the business side of the business.

Well, now Robin Siegerman, a leading Toronto designer and a former coaching client of mine, gives her perspective:

In my personal experience, design schools do not adequately prepare students for the sales/presentation aspect of the business, or business of any kind for that matter.  I was invited back to the design school I attended to critique final year residential projects and I had to listen to the student’s presentations. 

They were abysmal.  If I were a client, I would have a hard time getting excited about a lackluster presentation with no enthusiasm, no conviction and no clear benefits, no matter how pretty the picture.  No one in administration really seemed to think it was their responsibility to teach these students how to sell their ideas.  I pointed out that they can be the best designer in the world, but they will be failures if their designs stay on the drawing board because they couldn’t convince the client to “buy into” the idea.

 When interviewing for employees for my current business, I was appalled at the lack of sales skills in the prospective candidates.  It’s the same skill required to sell oneself as it is to sell a project concept or a product.  The goal should be the same: motivate the subject to buy!! 

But design students seem to think that they are either above the sales process or that it’s not necessary since they are in the design field.  An employee with that attitude in my company will always be a back-office worker and will never be permitted primary client contact, since that lack of sales ability or desire would be a damper on the whole process.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Thanks, Robin!