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5 Types of Graphic Design Careers
5 Types of Graphic Design Careers
Graphic design is a field bursting with extremely diverse career possibilities. Technologies like the Internet, smart mobile phones and portable computing devices have created opportunities far beyond the traditional realm of print. Today's graphic design courses reflect this new world of visual communications. Talented graphic designers are now limited only by their imaginations.
But when you get past the seemingly endless list of possible job titles—layout artist, creative director, illustrator, production artist, art director, photo editor, brand identity specialist, etc.—there are essentially five broad categories of employment for graphic designers. If you choose to pursue a career in graphic design, you'll likely find yourself working in one or more of the following sectors:
1. Publishing and Entertainment
This is where you'll find most graphic design jobs. Projects and working conditions vary greatly depending on the employer. Designers that have print expertise, experience at creating graphics for the Web, and some skill at producing Flash animations are especially desired.
Publishing includes those companies that put out electronic and print magazines, newspapers, books, and business directories. Graphic design duties typically involve a lot of typesetting, layout work, photo manipulation and advertising creation.
In the entertainment sector, television and film companies employ graphic designers to produce on-screen graphics, including motion graphics for credit and title sequences. Designers are also often responsible for creating printed and Web-based promotional materials.
2. Advertising Agencies
If you want the chance to work with well-known brands, this is generally the sector to be in. Though they are often fun places to work, advertising agencies can also be very demanding due to the high expectations of clients.
Full-service firms provide their clients with complete brand strategy, design, production, and media buying services for every type of media, including print, online, television and radio. Graphic designers at such agencies often get to work on a wide variety of projects for many different clients. Jobs like these can be very fulfilling; however, the hours and pace of work often stray from the normal 9-to-5-weekday routine.
Smaller advertising agencies frequently specialize in just one or a few creative services such as brand development or online marketing. Some still offer full services, but they tend to keep a smaller client base. Regardless of size, being a graphic designer for an advertising agency usually provides the opportunity to do work that will be seen by many people.
3. Design Studios
These firms tend to specialize only in graphic design and visual brand strategies. They vary in size, but are usually small companies with fewer than 100 employees. For graphic designers that love creating logos, brochures and packaging, design studios generally provide such opportunities in abundance. They typically provide clients with creative solutions for both print and the Web. Working conditions differ substantially depending on the employer.
4. Corporate Marketing Departments
Many companies utilize their own in-house marketing communications department. Graphic designers at such companies typically aid in the production of items like brochures, promotional displays, corporate annual reports, catalogs, training materials and, sometimes, advertising campaigns. The upside to working for an in-house art department is that you only have one client, so you will have the opportunity to get to know them very well. But for designers that crave variety, this can also be the downside.
5. Self-Employment
With the freedom to select projects, gather your own clients and set your own schedule, it's easy to understand why so many graphic designers choose to take this route. But the freelance life is not for everyone. It can mean unsteady paychecks, longer work hours and design that may not always reach a very large audience. Self-employed designers also have the expense of keeping their computers and software packages up-to-date, networking to find new clients and handling business administration tasks. It's for these reasons that many graphic designers work for an employer full time—moonlighting as a freelancer when they want some extra variety—or combine their freelance work with a part-time job.
Get Moving
With a killer portfolio and the skills to back it up, you can establish a graphic design career that's perfect for you. Schools offering graphic design courses can be found in practically every major city. So tap your creativity and start designing the life you want!
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