Exploring Career Options
Your Career in Graphic Design and Interactive Media
About This Job
Being a Graphic Designer is about mastering creative visual communication. By problem solving in response to their client’s needs, Graphic Designers create visuals to communicate information, ideas, concepts, and brand identities.
Being an astute observer is also useful in this field. The more the Designer knows about the world around them (including your client’s own business), the more the Designer can pinpoint a solution through their own graphics training and ability.
This can turn into anything from posters to billboards to packaging, logos and marketing materials, websites, and more.
By mastering the principles and elements of Design, Graphic Designers can communicate with their audience through skilled use of shapes, typography, form, colour, and line.
A Career in Graphic Design and Interactive Media
Key Duties
When a Junior Designer enters an agency, their job will encompass these key duties within a group structure that includes Senior Designers, an Art Director, and others:
- Understanding a project’s requirements and ideas
- Using graphic techniques to create drafts for the project at hand
- Producing logos, wordmarks, digital illustrations, and interfaces using applicable software
- Pitching creative concepts to a team in response to a client brief
- Collaborating with the team to launch projects once objectives have been determined
- Using feedback from other designers to improve their own designs
Critical Skills and Knowledge
Creative Expression & Technical Skills
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, After Effects, Adobe XD)
- Drawing ability and visual sense
- Logo creation
- Layout
- Storyboard creation
- Color sense
- Color theory
- Composition
- Illustration
- Photography
- Print knowledge/designing for print
- Marketing and branding
- HTML and CSS
- Social media
- Typography and type design
- Design principles
- Ideation
- UX/UI design
- Photo editing and manipulation
Management:
- Recruiting and Hiring
- Co-ordinating and Organizing
- Supervising
- Time management and organizational skills
Analysis:
- Planning
- Projecting Outcomes
- Analyzing Information
- Attention to detail
- Analytical thinking
Communication:
- Advising and Consulting
- Resilience
- Discretion in dealing with client information and industry secrets
Knowledge
Communications and Transportation
- Communications and Media
Engineering and Technology
- Computer and Information Systems
- Design
Social Sciences and Arts
- Fine and Applied Arts
Work Environment
Graphic Designers work in studios and offices, where they have access to equipment such as tables, computers, hardware (tablets, printers), and appropriate software licenses.
Many graphic design positions have been adapted to the trend of remote or hybrid work. Each employer/company has unique needs regarding their employee’s location. For example, an employee may be asked to work in the same time zone as the company if the work is 100% remote.
A Graphic Designer is usually required to have appropriate internet connection and hardware to work from their home location.
Professional Associations
After graduating from the TFS diploma program in Graphic Design and Interactive Media, it’s important to join a professional community to continue to gain support and guidance throughout your design career. If freelancing is something that a Graphic Designer pursues, belonging to a career organization will be of great benefit to help them navigate contracts, legalities, and other aspects of life as a Graphic Designer.
Professional Institutions for Graphic Designers include:
GDC – Graphic Designers of Canada
RGD – Registered Graphic Designers
Students may also join to access benefits, scholarships, and other resources relevant to their developing careers.
Did you know? The new job openings in Graphic Design and Interactive Media over the period of 2019-2028 are expected to total 21,500, while 23,600 new job seekers are expected to be available to fill them.
Source: Job Bank
Job Search Tips - Where to Focus Your Time
- Meet with a TFS Career Services Advisor
- Volunteer to gain experience and build your network by connecting with industry people
- Learn about industry contacts and topics via news and events, subscriptions,resources & professional development, and continuous learning
- Find a mentor, apply for a mentorship program through professional associations
- Join a professional association, start your local chapters and learn about membership benefits
- Join LinkedIn groups and search for group members
- Aspiring entrepreneurs can join a business networking group
- Search for industry events
Learn about essential skills for job seekers, Labour Market Information (LMI), employment trends, Canada job market analysis in creative fields,
and salary data
Build a strong resume:
- How to Write a Graphic Designer Resume (Tips and Example)
- Graphic Design Technology and the Skills for Success
- Creative Resume Examples That Will Help You Land Your Dream Job
- Watch this Webinar on How to Design a Creative Resume and Cover Letter
Create a LinkedIn profile:
Graphic Design and Interactive Media (and other) job portals:
The median wage for Graphic Designers in Canada is $27.47 per hour. Source: Job Bank