What do Graphic Designers do?

A Graphic Designer would typically need to:

• Combine art and technology to communicate fresh ideas through visuals and website and printed page layout.
• Concentrate on a single client type or group.
• To decide the scope of a project, meet with clients, the art director, and the account manager.
• Develop design briefs that suit the client’s goal to advise clients on tactics for reaching a certain audience.
• Estimate the time required to complete a job and provide quotes for clients
• Use innovation to redefine a design brief with time and cost constraints
• Commission illustrators and photographers
• Work with text, images, and a range of media, including computer-aided design (CAD)
• Demonstrate illustrative skills with rough sketches while working on layouts ready for print
• Review designs for errors and proofread them to produce accurate and high-quality work
• Present finalized ideas and concepts to clients or account managers
• Keep up to date with emerging technology to remain competitive

Standard Work Environment

Although many Graphic Designers work solo, individuals that work for specialized Graphic Design firms work on projects alongside colleagues or clients. Graphic designers typically work in studios with access to drafting tables, computers, and the software needed to develop their designs.

It may be necessary to travel during the working day to meet with clients. Working away from home is unusual. Graphic designers have the freedom to dress casually at work. A dress code suited for the occasion would be beneficial.

Work Schedule

Schedules for graphic designers might vary depending on workload and deadlines. Those who work for themselves may need to change their work schedule to meet with clients in the evenings or on weekends. They may spend some of their time hunting for new projects or vying for contracts with other designers.

Working hours are normally 37 hours per week, with some flexibility in terms of start and end times. When deadlines approach, you’ll most likely have to put in extra hours, including working into the early hours.

Employers

The bulk of job openings are in advertising design agencies, such as identity and event branding or corporate communication. Registering with a specialized design recruitment agency may be advantageous.

Graphic Designers are generally employed by:

• Publishers
• Design Groups
• Magazines
• Multimedia Companies
• Local Government
• Computer Games Companies
• Educational Establishments
• Television
• The Packaging Industry

Unions / Professional Organizations

Joining a Graphic Design organization can provide you with a fresh avenue for networking in order to expand your client base, contact list, and list of possible collaborators. Membership in a design organization can also provide you with access to events, research opportunities, contests, and training to keep your skills up to date.

Workplace Challenges

• Oversaturation of the industry, crowdsourcing & outsourcing, in addition to freelancers on the rise
• Time management in sync with creativity, having a holistic perspective, being unique, multi-skilled, and staying hungry for other design disciplines
• Cultivating human experience and encouraging new talent to aspire to greatness
• Finding the Right Clients
• Maintaining personal interaction while sitting down and working at the computer for extended periods

Suggested Work Experience

Pre-entry internship or placement experience is advantageous, particularly if you have a reference who can suggest you and give evidence of your accomplishments. Internships allow prospective Graphic Designers to gain hands-on experience with the design process from concept to completion, in some cases while still enrolled in a design programme.

Some employment offers may be made based on the quality of portfolio work rather than academic qualifications. Most academic programmes allow students to create a professional portfolio of their designs. Having your portfolio evaluated while at university might be beneficial because it will allow you to speak confidently about your work during employment interviews.

The International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) has a student evaluation system. Participation in a live project and any experience that allows you to practice your presentation abilities provide the most valuable job experience.

Recommended Qualifications

Even while in school, those interested in Graphic Design should opt for basic art and design classes. For entry-level work, a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or a similar discipline is required. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline may pursue technical training in Graphic Design to meet the majority of hiring requirements.

Design, art history, and printing processes are taught in postsecondary institutions, universities, and independent institutes with visual art and design programmes. Writing, marketing, and business courses can help designers work effectively in project collaborations.

Before being enrolled in a formal degree programme, many bachelor’s degree programmes require students to finish a year of fundamental art and design courses. Some institutions request sketches and other demonstrations of applicants’ artistic ability.

Certifications, Licenses, and Registration

Graphic designers must stay up to date on new and updated computer graphics and design software, either on their own or through formal software training programmes. Certification programmes are typically offered by software product suppliers. Certification in Graphic Design software displays a desired level of proficiency and may provide a competitive advantage to a job seeker.

Projected Career Map

Promotion from Graphic Designer to management positions such as Studio Manager or Creative Director is available in large design partnerships. In general, career advancement is dependent on frequent job changes in order to broaden your experience and improve your portfolio. You will need to plan your career movements deliberately and examine the prospects for advancement within each post. It is critical to build a reputation, network, and make contacts.

Progression from junior Graphic Designer to senior Graphic Designer is achievable in two to three years, with the first few jobs serving as stepping stones. Graphic designers with experience may rise to Chief Designer, Art Director, and other management jobs.

If you have a solid reputation, you can become self-employed within five to ten years of your first work. Obtaining chartered status with the CSD might aid in job advancement by demonstrating that you are working at a specified professional level.

Some Graphic Designers may choose to specialize in immersive Graphic Design. They collaborate with architects, industrial designers, landscape architects, and interior designers to create interactive design environments such as museum exhibits, public art installations, and retail spaces. Others go on to become postsecondary educators, teaching at design schools, colleges, and universities.

Job Prospects

Graphic designers may face fierce competition for open employment, which attracts a large number of skilled individuals. Applicants that stay up with the latest design trends, technology, and approaches will have a greater chance.

Beneficial Professional Development

It is difficult to advance without formal training; the great majority of Graphic Designers have higher qualifications. Except for formal training in industry-specific software, most learning occurs on the job. As a Graphic Designer, you must be proficient in the use of software such as InDesign, QuarkXPress, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Dreamweaver.

Some firms will pay for training, and you will most likely learn new skills to fit the demands of a certain project. You will continue to study during your career as graphic technology evolves. Membership in professional organizations such as the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) and the Institute of Industrial Designers (ISTD) provides access to valuable resources, guidance, and training.

Conclusion

Graphic Designer believes they have reached perfection when there is nothing more to add, but nothing more to take away…and to that end, they strive for two things in design: simplicity and clarity.

Advice from the Wise

A piece of design can elicit three responses: yes, nay, and WOW! The goal should be WOW!