5 types of credibility designers can bank on

Credibility is a quality of being trusted. It does play a big role in our career success. It is easy to trust a credible person than otherwise.

Typically when we start our careers all of us have zero credibility. Over a period of time, some designers master the game of credibility and some don't. Those who learn the game and play the game well are the ones who gain multifold in their careers.

Here are 5 types of credibility a designer has access to build upon:

1. Tag-based credibility aka indirect credibility: When you go to a premier design school or work for a premium brand or have an international exposure a tag gets attached to your name automatically. IIT-ian, NID-ian, Amazonian, Googler etc are tags that you earn as indirect credibility.
   
   The rationale behind this type of credibility comes from the scarcity created by the tough competition and low acceptance rate of the schools or brands. It shows you have been through the tough filtering process and succeeded. You belong to a filtered pool of creamy layer. This type of credibility typically gets a seat on the table. You still have to deliver to keep up the credibility.
2. Earned credibility: When you make yourself  a valuable resource in the community (online or offline or both), you earn credibility based on the value you provide. Your portfolio shows your vast experience and your ability to think better.
   
   Consumers of your value judge the quality of the content you share and your resourcefulness. No one cares what tags you carry when you have earned credibility. Your credibility is directly proportional to the resonance factor of your consumers.
3. Perceived credibility: When you are featured on Red Dot awards, Inc42, 99U, LinkedIn Top Voices, Amazon ranking or New York Times best seller list, you are perceived as a credible person. There is a high chance people will listen to what you have to say because you got featured.
4. Consistency Credibility: When you consistently share something of value and you do it everyday, people pay attention because someone is sharing content with intent.
   
   There is consistency, strive, betterment and they have ability to create something of value that resonates with the design world. You do not need to be popular but the sheer consistency brings in genuine followership. Your portfolio automatically become better because of your consistency and the problems you get to solve every single day.
5. Influencer Credibility: When you have a verified badge or a lakh followers in social media people pay attention to your profile because the world beleives in what you have to say. It is a combination of indirect and earned credibility in place.

One might not have all types of credibility. But everyone of us have a possibility to build some form of credibility over a period of time. The more credible you are, the better your career path is.

What kind(s) of credibility are you banking on?

🥂 to credibility!