To be the best...

What are the top 3 traits or skills every graphics designer must have to excel?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to develop your graphics designer expertise?

You must be able to handle stress if you work for a company. You must know how to use the computer programs. You must be a good designer if you are looking for a designer job, you can't fake it.

Hi Richard,

I agree with your comments 100%.

I am a senior designer/art director who works in-house for fast-paced, dynamic high tech company where you definitely have to know the software as well as create clear and effective conceptual communication. In my 17+ years as a designer I have seen many people with no educational and street credentials call themselves a graphic designer... these are usually the same people who will work
on-spec for agencies, etc. and therefore devalue the flat fee/hourly structure of our industry.

Regards, Sal

Richard said: You must be able to handle stress if you work for a company. You must know how to use the computer programs. You must be a good designer if you are looking for a designer job, you can't fake it.

You can't be thin-skinned when it comes to criticism about your work. You may get clients who will come right out and say they don't like your design, or they'll be angry and think you're a bad designer, when the real problem is their difficulty in communicating to you what they want. Keep asking questions, and keep in mind that the goal is to understand what they envision and translate it into a great design. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort. Show your professionalism by not taking criticism personally, and you increase your chances of having the client return to you for more assignments and referrals.

Hi Blaine,

I agree with your comments regarding criticism. Designers must also acknowledge that some clients are unwilling to share ideas or communicate clearly regardless of your professionalism and that they should discretely resign their account. Aligning yourself with good clients who are open to collaboration and respectful of professional boundaries will yield the best results.

Regards, Sal

Be careful if you're working freeelance - you need to be selective about who you're working for. I've been ripped off by a couple of people I shouldn't have done work for in retrospect.

Unless you're in a big city market, you won't make much money as a staff person. Lots of people want these jobs and are willing to work for nothing to get expereince.

Cathy and Sal --

You're both absolutey right. I'm freelancing right now, and recently took on a client referred to me from a designer I knew and trusted pretty well. I should have been suspicious during our first meeting when I asked her about the deadlines for her projects, and she said she didn't have any -- that she would just call me whenever she needed something done. Another red flag was that her assistant told me, "Mary might not know how to tell you what she wants, but she knows what she likes when she sees it." (Uh-oh!)

This client refused to abide by a production schedule, and wanted to communicate only by telephone -- mainly because everything we agreed to in writing (by email) was changed or contradicted. Despite having followed her instructions, she was unhappy with my work and complained about having to give me specific instructions on the job, and having to sign off on proofs. I finally suggested to her that perhaps it would be better if she found another designer who suited her needs, since our work styles obviously didn't mesh. It killed me to give up the account, which was a lot of money -- but I could see it turning into a nightmare down the road, and possibly having to fight for payment (which I've also done before).

Sometimes you have to weigh the pros and cons of doing a job for a Client From Hell or passing on it and looking for something else.

R. Blaine

I recently moved to chattanooga from NH. I have been trying to locate jobs for graphic design in Hixson area. I am finding very few places. Any help anyone has would be great. I have done mostly production graphics for 17 years and would love to find something in my area.