Graphic Designer Jobs - A Great Career
By David CJ Jones

Graphic designer jobs are done by artists who uses art and media to communicate messages for companies and other organizations. Graphic designers use print, the internet, other digital mediums, film and photographs to get their message across. They understand the subtle things in art that make a design project successful.

The typical functions of graphic designer jobs is developing logos, brochures, websites, business cards, magazine advertisements, newspaper advertisements and the general look and feel of an organizations overall design plan.

Graphic designers find out what their client or organization is trying to say and who their target audience is and they are able to effectively communicate that through graphic arts.

Graphic designer jobs require the designer to know how to discern a company's product or service and their target audience. This is why these jobs require a certain level of professionalism to be able to interact with clients.

In addition, graphic designers need to know how to ask the right questions to get a sense of what the company does and who their target audience is. Additionally, they will typically do their own research into the target audience, target market and the offerings of the company or organization they are doing design work for.

Graphic Design Jobs Require Both Sides of the Brain

Graphic design jobs require a high level of artistic and creative ability, that can go unsaid. However, what most people looking for graphic design jobs may overlook is the need for them to be professional businesspeople. Graphic design jobs are no longer being filled by just artists. Increasingly, designers also need to be experts in the field of advertising, marketing and communications.

In addition, they will also need to be able to communicate technical information in their work. Graphic designers don't just do art projects. They also have to create layouts for annual reports, financial reports, market reports, business development reports and the like. They need to know how to understand the data, tables and charts they are trying to graphically put on publications so they know how to effectively convert it into a graphic that communicates to people.

Often times, especially financial and other technical data needs to be simplified so that it shows up as a clear graphic. In order to get this accomplished, a graphic designer will need to know how to interact with technical personnel like the finance department or research and development department to convey the message effectively.

Graphic Design Software

Graphic designer jobs require the artist to know how to use the latest graphic design software packages out there. This would most likely include the Adobe suite of products like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Dreamweaver depending on what type of publication they are working on. Graphic designer jobs will often require technical expertise in at least one or more of these graphic design software packages. Classes and degree programs in graphic design of in the use of these graphic design software packages if often offered at local community colleges for a very low cost.

Graphic Design Jobs - Lay of the Land

Graphic design jobs can be found in a variety of different business environments. Some are employed in graphic design departments in large corporations. Some graphic designers work for print companies, publication companies or advertising agencies. Other graphic designers work for small to large design firms that outsource their design services to other companies and organizations.

About 25% of graphic designers are self-employed and have a home based business. Those who are employed very often do side freelance projects they get on their own. Graphic designers who are fully self-employed are business people who have to operate all parts of their business. They have to do their own sales and marketing, their own billing and collections and maintain client relationships. Self-employed graphic designer jobs can be more stressful because of the pressure to produce revenue for themselves and many tend to work longer hours than those who are employed by a larger design firm or by a company.

Those looking for graphic design jobs should have a portfolio of their work, either online or in print, to show when they are applying for these jobs. The application process for these jobs may even require you to audition by doing a small sample project. The great thing about those in graphic design jobs is that they can still do freelance design work on the side in their time off. Sometimes, design firms will require their graphic designers to process all their clients through the firm, but some do not.

Cross Over Careers

Some graphic designers cross over into doing marketing and advertising as a career managing a creative arts team or just get out of design all together. Some become rel=nofollow management consultants who specialize in design, marketing and advertising. If you're especially talented and have good interpersonal skills, they can even start their own consulting firm in design and marketing.

About the Author:

David is a Business Development Consultant who assists businesses craft marketing and sales strategies which include developing marketing materials, developing a sales model and recruiting and managing a sales force. David also helps people start home based businesses and those looking to work from home. He's been there, and he's there now himself. In addition to his consulting work, David also does contracting for various humanitarian organizations and has multiple streams of income from projects on the Internet.