You became a designer because you had a talent that you wanted to use. Maybe you love creating illustrations, helping corporations find their identity, or promoting worthy causes with print designs. What it boils down to is that designers are people who are passionate about creativity … and want to get paid for it.
But design isn’t always the easiest career in the world. It can become a maze of what-should-I-do’s and how-did-I-get-here’s. From landing your dream job to dealing with difficult clients, you’ll hit a few bumps along the way. Fortunately, you can prepare yourself. These infographics will teach you six hacks to navigating a successful graphic design career.
- When Should You Fire a Design Client?Even if a design project is going smoothly, your client may just throw a wrench into it. Late payments, foul language, time-consuming projects—they can all turn a good client into a total nightmare. Sometimes, the payoff is worth putting up with the bad behavior. But usually, it isn’t. Know when it’s time to send a bad client packing.
- 10 Commandments of Working For Free As a Graphic DesignerWorking for free can sound like a great idea, especially when you’re just starting out. But you may just become a human doormat if you’re not careful. You need to decide whether working for free will benefit you in the long run—or whether you should walk away.
- Graphic Design Interview TipsEventually, you’ll leave one design job to pursue a better opportunity. No matter your experience level, interviewing for that new job is a little scary. You might even forget how to answer basic questions like, “Can you tell me about yourself?” It’s important to prepare ahead of time so you can make a great first impression.
- How Does Your Font Taste?Once you land that perfect design job, you’ll have to step up your game. You can start by paying attention to details—like font psychology. Some designers think they can slap any font onto a design, so long as it looks good. But it’s not that simple. Fonts, just like colors and shapes, evoke a certain set of emotions in your audience. Your job is to choose a font that’s going to get the right response.
- Which Image Format Should I Use?Every professional knows that clear communication is key … but you probably didn’t realize that includes properly saving files. You’re not the only one who sees your files. Saving an image with the wrong extension can have disastrous results at the printer or make it impossible for a client to edit. Be sure to use the right image file type.
- How To Fire Your ClientsOnce you’ve decided to let a client go, you still need to maintain some professionalism. Firing is awkward enough when both parties are being civil—never mind if someone becomes hostile. Your client will probably be upset, so it’s your job to make sure the situation isn’t any worse than it has to be. Diffuse the tension by letting your client go the right way.
At least one of the infographics probably described something you’ve been through in the past or are currently experiencing. Bookmark the one that helped you most and refer back to it whenever you need guidance. Or, better yet, bookmark them all, so you’ll be prepared no matter what.