Graphic Designers

Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Examples

Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.

Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $31K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $40K
Median Salary: $53K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $71K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $93K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.

Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.

Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.

Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.

Use computer software to generate new images.

Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.

Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.

Draw and print charts, graphs, illustrations, and other artwork, using computer.

Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.

Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.

Research new software or design concepts.

Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.

Study illustrations and photographs to plan presentation of materials, products, or services.

Prepare notes and instructions for workers who assemble and prepare final layouts for printing.

Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.

Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Computer aided design CAD software
Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
Customer relationship management CRM software
Oracle Eloqua
Data base user interface and query software
Structured query language SQL
Desktop publishing software
Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
Development environment software
Verilog
Document management software
Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
Electronic mail software
IBM Notes
Enterprise application integration software
Extensible markup language XML
Graphics or photo imaging software
Trimble SketchUp Pro
Internet browser software
Web browser software
Music or sound editing software
Avid Pro Tools
Object or component oriented development software
jQuery
Office suite software
Google Drive
Operating system software
Apple macOS
Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
Nuance OmniPage Professional
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software
Microsoft Project
Sales and marketing software
Google AdWords
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Video creation and editing software
YouTube
Web page creation and editing software
LinkedIn
Web platform development software
Drupal
Word processing software
Google Docs
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Computer laser printers
Office machines and their supplies and accessories
Photocopying equipment
Photographic or filming or video equipment
35 millimeter cameras
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Design
87%
Importance

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Communications and Media
86%
Importance

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

English Language
84%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Fine Arts
79%
Importance

Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Computers and Electronics
77%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Customer and Personal Service
73%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Sales and Marketing
67%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Clerical
59%
Importance

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Administration and Management
56%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Production and Processing
53%
Importance

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
73%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking
68%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Speaking
68%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension
65%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Learning
63%
Importance

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making
63%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Operations Analysis
63%
Importance

Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Social Perceptiveness
63%
Importance

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Time Management
63%
Importance

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Complex Problem Solving
60%
Importance

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Top 10 Abilities
Near Vision
80%
Importance

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Originality
80%
Importance

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Fluency of Ideas
78%
Importance

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Oral Comprehension
75%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
75%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension
75%
Importance

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression
70%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Visualization
68%
Importance

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Category Flexibility
65%
Importance

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Deductive Reasoning
65%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Top 10 Work Activities
Thinking Creatively
96%
Importance

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Getting Information
89%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Interacting With Computers
87%
Importance

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
87%
Importance

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
80%
Importance

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
80%
Importance

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
78%
Importance

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
78%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
73%
Importance

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Detailed Work Activities

Design layouts for print publications.

Confer with clients to determine needs.

Design layout of art or product exhibits, displays, or promotional materials.

Create computer-generated graphics or animation.

Review art or design materials.

Collaborate with others to develop or refine designs.

Maintain records, documents, or other files.

Draw detailed or technical illustrations.

Research new technologies.

Operate still or video cameras or related equipment.

Work Context
Electronic Mail

How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Spend Time Sitting

How much does this job require sitting?

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Time Pressure

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Education
Majors
Major
Computer Software and Media Applications
Visual and Performing Arts, General
Design and Applied Arts
Interests
Artistic
100%
Importance

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Enterprising
62%
Importance

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Realistic
62%
Importance

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Conventional
34%
Importance

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Social
29%
Importance

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Investigative
24%
Importance

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
97%
Importance

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Innovation
90%
Importance

Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Dependability
89%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Initiative
89%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Achievement/Effort
84%
Importance

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Adaptability/Flexibility
83%
Importance

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Cooperation
81%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Persistence
81%
Importance

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Integrity
80%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Independence
78%
Importance

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values
Achievement
81%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Recognition
67%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Working Conditions
65%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Relationships
58%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support
58%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.