Freelance Graphic Designer Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the freelance graphic designer job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you will be expected to meet to be hired for the freelance graphic designer role.

What Does a Freelance Graphic Designer Do?

The freelance graphic designer is responsible for the production and delivery of digital documents (e.g. posters, brochures, logos, symbols and banners) by creating graphics that support the business objective of an organization.

They present their own design ideas to their client and are able to submit the final product in high quality at a varying deadline.

The freelance graphic designer job description involves creating graphics using programs such as Adobe Creative Suite or Corel Draw or equivalent software for a wide variety of products that might include: magazines, brochures, flyers, advertisements, posters, badges, and banners for different types of businesses.

It also entails making designs, which may include logo design, book cover design, and on-line web content and promotion design.

Freelance graphic designers also create branding items, including promotions, logos, banners, and other marketing materials.

They design and execute projects for a wide range of clients, including: small businesses, organizations, and corporations like government agencies and businesses.

The freelance graphic designer role involves working with printers to ensure materials are printed at quality and produced on time, ensuring their work is a great product.

They are responsible for their work being original and not infringing on the copyrights of another.

Following instructions carefully and submitting drafts to their clients of each piece they create is a part of their tasks.

One of the important duties of the freelance graphic designer is making imaginative, creative, and unique designs in a variety of product types and languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

They provide high quality service to their clients with an eye towards innovative design to fully meet the needs of their clients in a timely manner.

Freelance graphic designers understand and communicate in a variety of industry formats and conventions, as well as industry jargon and terminology.

They are expected to have good presentation skills and ability to communicate effectively with their clients through a variety of media, such as word document, PowerPoint presentation, and email.

Additionally, freelance graphic designers may be in charge of assets that include corporate identity, such as formal logos, business cards, letterhead, trade show materials and various other marketing materials that a business need for success.

Freelance Graphic Designer Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The freelance graphic designer job description involves the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Create design concepts, including working with marketing and advertising staff to develop concepts
• Develop and produce finished art from rough sketches or design ideas by producing layout, illustrations, or other final elements
• Present work to clients for approval
• Prepare cost estimates
• Layout or paste up materials or copy for publication or production
• Operate or maintain equipment, such as typesetting machines, color scanners, and computers that are used in creating designs and layouts
• Design and execute special projects using techniques such as laser engraving and computer programming
• Consult with designers to simulate the appearance of advertisements and layouts
• Supervise and assign tasks to support staff
• Prepare marketing and promotional materials, such as product flyers and catalogs
• Create designs, layouts, or illustrations for use in advertisements or other media
• Work to improve existing techniques for creating graphic designs or layouts, such as new uses of type styles, graphics, color, and layout techniques
• Prepare proposals for advertising campaigns with breakdowns showing costs for various media and promotions
• Perform setup work to promote sales at trade shows by arranging displays and writing sales copy for brochures or catalogs
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Freelance Graphic Designer Job Description for Resume

If you are making a new resume or CV as someone who has worked before as a freelance graphic designer or are presently working in that role, you can make an effective Professional Experience section for the resume by applying the above freelance graphic designer job description sample.

You can express the duties and responsibilities you have done or are currently carrying out as a freelance graphic designer in the Professional Experience section of your resume by applying the ones contained in the above job description example.

This will show that you have been effective performing the job of a freelance graphic designer and can help boost your chances of being hired for the new job that you are applying for, especially if the new position requires someone with some freelance graphic designer work experience.

Freelance Graphic Designer Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

Here are major requirements that you may need to meet to be hired for the freelance graphic designer position:

• Graphic design skills are necessary, because they are required to make the designs
• A portfolio of work is needed to show potential clients that you have the experience and skills required for their needs; it also helps them understand why you want to work for them in particular, as well as how you will fulfill their needs (designs must be clear, down-to-earth, creative, and not too flashy)
• Good communication skills are necessary
• Creativity is a major requirement, because they will be working on new ideas, concepts, and layouts for clients
• Working with clients is also important to maintaining good communication, and to ensure quality work is done; because it may not be possible for the client to get involved in the creative process directly, their designer must be able to interpret their needs clearly and creatively in the design process
• Problem-solving skills are needed, to allow freelance graphic designers to brainstorm how best to present their ideas and designs to the client while considering cost, technical capabilities, production limitations (such as size), and preferred mediums of presentation or display (such as Internet)
• The ability to work independently is needed because freelance graphic designers work on their own; they cannot ask the client to help them out with everything, because it will delay the process or cause conflict
• Computer skills are required because most of the work of a freelance graphic designer requires knowing how to operate computers, whether it’s for design (such as vector/raster graphics editors), planning (such as spreadsheets or project management tools), or other purposes (such as Internet).

Freelance Graphic Designer Salary

The average compensation for a freelance graphic designer is $46,900 (comparably.com) and $41,750. (glassdoor.com).

According to colorlib.com, there are 507,690 graphic designers employed internationally, with 265,000 employed in the United States.

9 in 10 work as freelance. On average, 54% of graphic designers leave/change jobs in less than two years.

Frequently Asked Questions on Freelance Graphic Designer Job

Here are questions that are frequently asked relating to the freelance graphic designer job, and ideas you can use to be able to give good answers:

1. Can you show me examples of your previous work or portfolio?

Freelance graphic designers should work to build a huge portfolio, which they can present to prospective clients because they will always ask for it. You can direct prospective clients to your website or social media platform to view your portfolio to assess your skills.

2. What design software are you proficient in?

As a freelance graphic designer, you should be proficient in industry-standard design software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. These tools enable graphic designers to create professional and visually captivating designs efficiently.

3. How do you handle client feedback and revisions?

Freelance graphic designers should make client satisfaction their top priority. They should encourage open communication throughout the design process and gladly welcome feedback. They should use client feedback as valuable input to making necessary revisions and ensuring the final design aligns perfectly with their vision.

4. What is your design process, from concept to final delivery?

Your design process as a freelance graphic designer should start with a detailed discussion with the client to understand their objectives and preferences. After brainstorming and sketching concepts, you should move on to the digital creation phase. Upon completion, you should present the initial drafts for feedback, iterate as needed, and then deliver the final design files promptly.

5. How do you stay updated with the latest design trends and techniques?

As a graphic designer, it is important to commit to continuous learning and regularly engage in design workshops, attend industry conferences, and follow design blogs and publications. By staying updated with the latest trends and techniques, you will be able to make your designs remain fresh and relevant.

6. What types of design projects do you specialize in?

It is also important to specialize in an area of graphic designing, such as logo design, brand identity, web design, and marketing collateral. This will help you to build diverse skill set and expertise in the area, and you will be more effective in handling various design projects.

7. What is your usual turnaround time for projects?

Since turnaround time varies depending on the complexity and scope of the project, you should always strive to deliver high-quality work within agreed-upon timelines. You should provide a clear project timeline before starting any work.

8. How do you determine your pricing and payment terms?

You can base your pricing on the project’s scope, complexity, and estimated time required for completion. You can offer competitive rates and provide a detailed proposal outlining all costs and payment terms upfront.

9. How do you ensure that your designs align with my brand identity?

A freelance graphic designer should understand the client’s brand identity to be effective on their project. Before starting any design, you should invest time in comprehending your client’s brand values, target audience, and desired message. This ensures that your designs effectively represent the client’s brand and resonate with their customers.

10. Do you have a contract or agreement for your freelance work?

You should have a standard freelance contract that outlines the project scope, deliverables, timeline, payment terms, and intellectual property rights. This contract ensures transparency and protects the interests of both you and the client throughout the project.

Conclusion

This post is useful to individuals interested in the freelance graphic designer career. They will be able to learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities associated with the freelance graphic designer role.

It is also helpful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the freelance graphic designer position.