Graphic Designer Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

By | August 30, 2023
Graphic Designer job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Graphic Designers create visual concepts that capture their clients’ message to the public.

This post presents detailed information on the job description of a graphic designer, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they perform.

What Do Graphic Designers Do?

Graphic designers, who are also called graphic artists or communication designers are the creative minds that use hand-rendering or computer software to design or create visual concepts, to communicate an idea for specific commercial or promotional purposes.

The job description of graphic designers entails using various mediums to develop layout and production design for magazines, brochures, advertisements, and corporate reports.

Their designs are needed for a large number of products and services, such as books, websites, magazines, advertisements, posters, displays, product packaging, corporate communication, corporate identity, and much more.

Graphic designers play different roles in the organizations they work for, depending on the area they are specialized. For example, some are experts at photography while some are multimedia wiz.

Graphic Designer Job Description Sample/Example/Template

A graphic designer usually manages more than one design projects at a time and appropriating the relevant amount of time based on the value and urgency of the job.

A typical graphic designer does the duties, tasks, and responsibilities shown in the following job description sample:

  • Interact with clients to determine and analyze the scope of a project
  • Review final layouts to make needed suggestions for improvement
  • Recommend to clients strategies to reach a certain audience
  • Design graphics that identify a product or communicate an idea
  • Determine colors, images, text style, and shapes to create layout
  • Act as instructor to team of workers that arrange and prepare layout for printing
  • Create electronic version of designs using computer software
  • Study information and materials to plan concepts for design
  • Perform administrative duties, such as managing information and assigning tasks to subordinates
  • Prepare rough draft of material based on agreed brief of client or art director
  • Relate with external printers or contractors on a regular basis to ensure highest quality and deadline are met
  • Proofread designs for errors before final printing or publishing
  • Perform research for new software or design tools
  • Develop new business idea and contacts
  • Conduct research on competitors and market trends
  • Incorporate recommended changes by the clients into the final design
  • Create an interactive design
  • Work as part of a team with stylists, photographers, illustrators, copywriters, web developers, and other specialists
  • Commission other artists

Graphic Designer Job Description for Resume

For a successful job hunting for the post of graphic designer, you will need to have a good resume. To prepare the work experience section of the resume, the job description sample provided above can be used in completing it.

The job description highlights important functions of graphic designers, which when used in making the work experience part of the resume tells prospective employers you are capable of doing the job.

Important Skills and Qualities of Graphic Designers

Graphic designers generally need the following skills and qualities to succeed on the job:

  • Computer skills: Graphic designers make use of specialized graphic design software for design
  • Communication skills: He/she communicates information to supervisors, co-workers, subordinates, persons outside the organization in the course of doing their job. This information can be communicated in person, in writing, by e-mail or telephone call, which the designer must be able to effectively carry out
  • Information generation: The designer must have the skills to generate information from all relevant sources, such as clients, patients, and from other sources
  • Analytical skills: He/she must be able analyze how consumers will perceive the information being passed out, and be sure their client’s message is conveyed effectively
  • Creativity: Graphic artists must be able to develop unique ways to communicate ideas to consumers
  • Consultancy skills: He/she must be able to provide expert advice to others
  • Attentions to details: Graphic designers work with both text and graphics which must convey the same messages, therefore, they must be able to give attention to the minutest detail to get things right
  • Deadline oriented: Most assignments come with frequent deadline, therefore the ability to meet deadlines is needed to excel on the job
  • Flexibility and multitasking skills: Graphic designers must be able to work on more than one assignment at a time to be able to complete projects before their deadline is reached
  • Interpretation skills: The ability to interpret an idea into arts using hand-rendering or computer software is a great skill a graphic artist should have

Note: These skills can also be used in making graphic designer resume.

Sample of Job Titles for Graphic Designers

Graphic designers can specialize and work in various fields requiring designing skills. Here are the different job titles that represent areas of specialization for the occupation:

  • Art Director
  • Artist
  • Catalog Illustrator
  • Concept Artist
  • Design Director
  • Food Stylist
  • Graphic Producer
  • Graphic Art Designer
  • Forms Designer
  • Digital Artist
  • Desktop Publisher
  • Creative Manager or Director
  • Commercial Artist
  • Graphics Coordinator
  • Graphics Specialist
  • Interface Designer
  • Visual Designer
  • Photo Stylist
  • Multimedia Specialist or Artist
  • Layout Artist
  • Technical Writer

Popular Graphic Design Jobs

A study done by Rasmussen.edu shows the top 15 graphic design jobs usually requested by employers. 28,000 real graphic design jobs cutting across all industries and experience levels were studied and the result shows Photoshop to be the highest in demand by employers followed by website design.

See the list:

  • Photoshop was requested in 15,317 of the over 28,000 jobs studied.
  • Indesign—————————-8,854
  • Website design——————-5,708
  • Illustrator————————–5,008
  • Typesetting————————4,468
  • Concept development———-3,411
  • Dreamweaver———————3,378
  • Visual design———————-3,350
  • Java script————————-2,535
  • Packaging————————–2,430
  • Marketing Materials————2,015
  • Art Director———————–1,912
  • User Interface Design———-1,771
  • Print Production—————–1,647
  • Multimedia———————–1,633

Work Environment for Graphic Designers

Most graphic designers are self employed or are freelancers. Some work for specialized graphic design companies as part of a design team. Some designers also telecommute (work from home) for clients from around the world.

Most graphic designers are employed in industries such as publication houses, specialized design services, manufacturing, advertising, public relations and related services.

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Related: #2: Graphic Designer Job Description Example