When you need to improve your company’s visual image, it’s time to hire a graphic designer. Graphic designers use technological know-how and design strategies to create web pages, advertisements, social media posts, and a host of other content to support your brand. Armed with creativity, strategy, and flexibility, they can craft the perfect visual content to appeal to any audience.
Visual elements are a huge part of marketing and branding. Last year, HubSpot reported that 54% of consumers across four countries prefer to see videos over other content options. Users were 323% better at following instructions with text and images rather than just text. According to Psychology Today, the human brain can understand images since 80% of the sensory cortex processes visual stimuli rather than language.
That’s why hiring a graphic designer is so crucial. They transform abstract concepts into creations that inspire and educate your audience. Collaborating with multiple departments to produce high-caliber content in line with your company’s brand while meeting deadlines is all in a day’s work for a graphic designer.
Crafting a graphic designer job description doesn’t have to be intimidating. Use our tips and strategies to create content that entices the best graphic designers to apply.
Download and edit in Microsoft Word.
Edit in Google Docs (choose "File" and "Make a copy").
Download and edit in Microsoft Word.
Edit in Google Docs (choose "File" and "Make a copy").
Download and edit in Microsoft Word.
Edit in Google Docs (choose "File" and "Make a copy").
Job descriptions are the first contact a company has with their future employee, so they should be polished, professional, and personal. In reality, many job descriptions are painful and patronizing. They’re too long, too short, or too formal. Even worse, they’re generic. Here at BeamJobs, we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding job descriptions and want to help you create a job description that soars.
We first recommend including why you’re hiring. Has marketing been a little lackluster lately and in need of updating? Is the design team overloaded and needs someone to help design and print online material? By telling your readers what you need, they’ll know what to expect on the job.
Writing a stellar graphic design job description isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. TandemHR lists multiple benefits of a good job description, including protecting the company legally, helping you judge employee performance, and helping you find your ideal employee. Yellow adds that good job descriptions empower communication and clarify expectations. Your company’s reputation is at stake, so have a job description that showcases your good side.
Once you’ve listed the basics, go back and tailor the details. Just like applicants customize their graphic designer resumes, you should also make sure your job description personifies the qualities of a good graphic designer. This step may require some research to define the parameters of a graphic designer’s job. Keep adding until each section is complete, but resist the temptation to info-dump.
After writing, it’s time to revise. Eliminate anything irrelevant. Cut filler words unnecessary information, and spice up your word choice. If you have more than three sentences of story or background, it should be condensed. Graphic designers can make a story out of one sentence; so should you.
This is also the time to adjust formatting. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be pleasing to the eye. Graphic designers make pieces that attract attention while not detracting from the message—strive for that same goal.
Next, hand it off for peer review. Graphic designers receive constructive criticism constantly. If they’re willing to take criticism to make their work better, you should, too.
Now it’s time to check for consistency, conciseness, and tone. Your job description should be informative, easy to read, and professional, but it should also be fun. The next step is to proofread. With their keen eye for detail, graphic designers can quickly spot errors, so ensure yours is error-free.
Lastly, submit your job description to job boards, double-checking its appearance and formatting on each site. Then watch the applications pile in! We bet you'll have some great graphic designer cover letters that speak to you as a result.
To ensure you attract the best graphic designers, you need a job description that wows. Get ahead of the competition with a graphic design job description that’s fun, formal, and well-formatted.
Job details/Introduction/Summary: First impressions count, and so does the first paragraph of your job description. That means you shouldn’t start with the sentence “Creative graphic designer needed immediately” with no follow-up information on the company (We’ve seen this multiple times).
Instead, introduce your company by listing your name and what role the applicant will fulfill. Don’t fall into the trap of using fancy and vague jargon. Graphic designers need to know what your business provides to design for you accurately.
After introducing your company, switch the focus to what you expect from your new graphic designer. This includes how they’ll help your company. Keep it brief, and save deeper details for later.
What you’ll be doing/Roles/Responsibilities/Requirements: This is the cornerstone of your job description and likely the first thing applicants will read. Readers will scan this list and determine if they’re capable and willing to do what you ask. Thus, this section must be truthful, easy to read, and informative. Focus on essentials, and don’t include every task imaginable for the role. Use active verbs and concrete words to convey what the job will require.
Qualifications: Second only to requirements, this is the most important part of your job description. It should list the credentials you require for the job ahead, including technical ability and soft skills. That doesn’t mean you should list every skill you’d prefer applicants have - too many qualifications can scare applicants away. Only include what’s necessary, and remember that many skills can be taught on the job.
Benefits: Listing your salary and other benefits can feel taboo, but it’s an excellent way to entice applicants. This tells future employees that they’ll be compensated fairly and treated well. Be specific about what you offer - vague phrases like “great company culture” and “wellness program offerings” are useless without concrete details.
About the company: This section is typically read last, but it’s still important. This is where you’ll talk more in-depth about your business. You can cover a bit of your company’s history, goals, and vision. Still, everything you include needs to be tailored to your audience. Graphic designers communicate important messages with minimal text, so make that your goal.
Graphic designers may be artists, but that’s not their only skillset. They are excellent communicators and visionaries who produce quality designs for multiple projects with tight deadlines. The daily life of a graphic designer requires them to fill many roles, including but not limited to those below.
Communicator
Brand Advocate
Trend Researcher
Mediator/Negotiator
Project Manager
Expert Proofreader
Social Media Master