Traits and Tasks You Need to Become a Successful Graphic Designer

Being a successful graphic designer has its ups and downs with the line of work being creative yet often stressful thanks to the high demand for the profession within the labor market. The reason graphic design has become so popular is that marketing, as well as brand imagery, is mostly done online.

Graphic design is everywhere, from big films to simple things such as websites. You can either work for a company or as a freelancer.

According to learn. g2. com, 90%

Graphic designers prefer working freelance. According to Colorlib, 35.5% of marketers use online tools and graphic makers to create visual content, while 17.8% will hire a freelance designer, and 28% hire an in-house designer.

If you’re based in the USA you can use a job searching platform such as Lensa to find your dream graphic designer job.

Getting better, sticking to the trends, and creating new trends are all part of being a successful graphic designer, which is why we will be covering the best traits and skills that recruiters are seeking for. 

Layered work 

By layered work, we mean multitasking adequately. It has been proven by psychologists that multitasking is a myth, but increasing your ability to take on a larger workload and still reach deadlines is a skill few possess. According to Asana, In short, multitasking is a myth—but most of us still end up multitasking at one point or another. In fact, our research shows that nearly three in four employees (72%) feel pressure to multitask during the day.

As a graphic designer be prepared to strike a balance between working on a dozen projects with about just as many different clients. The ability to stay functional, such as answering emails and proposals, sending invoices, and so on during your already laborious work days will be your biggest asset.

All this work leads to a deadline you need to maintain. If you feel you’re running out of time, it is a good idea to assess whether this workload is for you. You should be honest with your clients about deadlines and what they should expect and being self-aware of your struggles is a factor in that honesty. 

See also: 10 Fantastic Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Graphic Designer

Build your clientele

To build your clientele you must make various contacts including local businesses. Thanks to you simply starting, businesses will be more likely to hire you with lower rates, since larger design firms tend to ask for higher prices. It may seem counterproductive, but demonstrating how well you work is a priority when starting.

You should also work out a target clientele for yourself so you can be the best at what you do without disappointing any clients. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t innovate and leave your comfort zone for design, you are simply aware of your abilities.

See also: 5 Jobs You Can Get Into with a Graphic Design Major

Be direct 

By being direct, you are communicating what you do. Leaving a positive and professional impression means your customers will be more likely to return to you. If you explain your design process, giving clients insight into your work, it allows for the outcome to be exactly as they expect it to be, leaving the client satisfied.

By being clear and communicating with your client, as well as asking many questions to get a clear image, you will be avoiding any miscommunication which would cause discontent and damage your reputation. 

See also: Why Do Graphic Designers Opt for Mac Over PC?

Have good time management 

They say every job requires good time management and that reigns especially true with being a designer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the graphic design industry is highly competitive; so if you want to establish yourself as a go-to graphic designer that is dependable and efficient. According to Wave, Graphic designers need to consider how time management affects both them and their projects. In a recent survey of 500 business owners, 87 percent want the graphic design process to be more efficient in all areas.

You must stay aware of deadlines and maintain them precisely. If by some chance you miss a deadline for a client, the best thing you can do is be honest and step up on your fault in the matter. 

Being ahead of schedule is also something clients appreciate and will increase your reputation or that of the company you work for. 

Training in similar fields 

As a graphic designer, you work alongside many other professionals related to your field such as software developers, UI/UX designers, writers, and so on. It bodes well for your work if you take classes in these related fields to know your limitations and become a better collaborator with these professionals. 

This broadened knowledge also allows you to complete certain projects without any collaboration.

Learn to self criticize

By criticizing your previous work you can advance in your field and reflect upon what didn’t work, what is in style now, how to do certain styles better, and so on. This field is all about learning, so self-criticism plays into that aspect of improving your design skills.

See also: Best Tools for Graphic Design Students

Be assertive 

By being assertive we mean knowing when to say no. Sometimes certain projects are out of your reach or some clients just aren’t right for you. Naturally, being able to reject certain things is a luxury you achieve once you’re more popular and successful, but when building a reputation, knowing your limits is critical. 

See also: 2022 Best Graphic Design Programs and Colleges

Conclusion 

If you are an aspiring graphic designer and don’t carry these traits it doesn’t mean you can’t become successful or learn to adapt. Hopefully, these traits and tasks have given you an idea of what’s to come and are allowing you to prepare for your career better. 

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