Hiring a graphic designer isn’t easy especially if you are doing it for the first time. This industry comes with many traits and it is not the one to rely solely on the talent of the designer. There are many factors to be taken into account before making the final decision. Like we said it is hard for first-timers as questions such as is this worth the time and money, or will it be done properly, and give positive results for my business. This is what would cross the minds of all of us. It is above all else a business decision, and you need to know-how and will it benefit your firm. You shouldn’t feel bad for thinking about this.
The issue that also could arise is that you have a couple of applicants that all offer pretty much the same and you can’t make up your mind. The chances are all of them could produce similar results, but in the end, you want to hire the best candidate. But, it’s not easy to do that. What you need to select a candidate who eager to work with you, creative in his line of work, and with just enough commitment to the projects you have in mind. If they share your vision it is even better. Now, let’s see our top tips for finding the right graphic designer for your project.
Table of Contents
Check Out Their Past Work
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This is the first step. You can like the designer the person, but his work needs to speak for them more than anything else. Thanks to all things internet almost everyone these days has their work published online. Once you check their previous work online you can immediately tell if that’s what you like in terms of design, style, and ideas. If all of it matches yours you are on a great trajectory.
This field consists of creative people. They can’t succeed without this trait. This is why you can expect all sorts of results from your applicants. But, once you see their past work you’ll have an idea of what you might expect. This is why the best place to start your search for a perfect graphic designer is in their past. We’re not talking Tenet type of time-travel, but a peek at their previous work should do the trick.
Experience and Education
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Someone who can do the work can do the work regardless of education. But you want someone who is well educated in its line of work, but also with high does of experience. Design is a complicated matter. Most people call themselves designers with only superficial knowledge of Photoshop and InDesign. Those who studied it know better, and you want someone who didn’t skip steps in becoming a good designer. Serious agencies such as Angle2 only hire people with pedigree, and you probably should try to find what you’re looking for through people who are into this business seriously.
Those who have education, easily find work, and with years they tend to have plenty of experience. You should look for someone whose work testifies for him. You can be a designer for ten years but have only a dozen of projects. At the same time, others might only work for a few years with hundreds of projects. This is the experience we are talking about. Someone who participated in as many projects will know how to deal with expectations, pressure, deadlines, and everything else that comes with certain projects. You want people like that on your team.
Speak to Them Directly
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It all comes down to eye to eye conversation. Once you settle on a few candidates you need to sit with each of them and go through the project you have in mind, their ideas, previous work, and design process. This is not only vital for you, but it could also be for the designer in question. After a few meetings, you can set things straight and know what you expect from each other and from the project itself. Find a person that you can work with during the long hours when the project hits the dead end.
Furthermore, you should never look at designers as one-time associates. See them as permanent members of your team; as someone who you will in case of a need work again on many other projects. By knowing each other from the start you lay a great foundation for all other endeavors that could come in the future. Most people tend to talk to the designer via telephone or even by e-mails or text messages. This is considered a wrong approach on our behalf, and you should know that talking to someone in person in this type of situation is the best route to go.
Be Clear About Your Goals
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Whatever you do, and no matter how much you like the designer and his work, you should never forget about your goals This is why you’re starting it all. Talk to them about the goals you set, about the course you want for the project to take, and how would it look if the competition is ideal. There are many things to cover in this department such as what’s your brand about, the targeted audience, time-frame, and the appearance of the final product. There are many details you need to cover that could guarantee the completion of the project not only in time but according to your desires. There is something called high expectations, and you should set them as your target, and make the designer know it and help him to strive towards it the same way you will. You want to make everything you want to be done, transparent to the person you’re about to hire. If you do this they’ll be able to inform you about the price without having to second-guess it, about the length of their work, and of course about all other details that could come up. This is where your journey starts.
