What career options do you have as a graphic designer?

As a graphic designer, you have more career options at your fingertips than any other field, find out if graphic design is right for you.

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Whether it be corporate branding, designing marketing collaterals, or creating a website, a graphic designer is needed for it all.

As per the Market Research Report for the Graphic Design sector of the US, the industry generated 15 billion USD in revenue in 2019. The revenue is further estimated to grow by 2.7 percent in the future.

According to a survey conducted by Finances Online, 80 percent of Small and Medium Businesses consider graphic designing to be integral for the success of their business. Why? This is because the right use of graphics and colors can boost brand awareness by 65 percent.

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This might explain why the sector has continued to remain popular and relevant over the years, hence making it a great career choice for those with creative souls.

Signs that you are meant to be a graphic designer

Not everyone is equipped to venture into different careers. Instead, people who genuinely follow their calling and passion are the ones who achieve success in their lives. If you are unsure about whether graphic designing is the right path for you, see if you relate to the following signs.

• You understand the significance of fonts

What might appear to a random onlooker as just another typeface on an ad might stop you in your tracks because of what you think is a poor font choice.

You understand the importance of finding the right font to complement the given design and brand message. If you find yourself cringing at the choice of font, you will be good at graphic design.

• You like flexibility

Did you know that freelance graphic designers make up 90 percent of the total sector in the US, as per the Market Research Report? Many work from home and make their own schedules and choose their own clients.

For those of you who don’t like the idea of having a regular office job will find a plethora of opportunities to work remotely in the graphic design field.

• You can spot the difference between variants of a color

Can you differentiate between maroon and marsala? Do you find yourself explaining the difference between rouge and flamingo and getting uncomfortable when someone calls both the colors as pink?

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There are a lot of variants within the general umbrella of colors in the world. And each variant reflects a different mood and personality when added into a design. Being able to spot the difference in color is a big part of graphic design.

• You are aware of the power of branding

Marketing and graphic design go hand-in-hand. One is incomplete without the other. You cannot create a powerful brand image without a logo. And you cannot create an effective web design unless you understand the brand.

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Graphic designers are generally aware of the power of branding. They understand the role of design in creating brand loyalty and recognition and can spot examples all around them.

For starters, did you know that the Coca-Cola logo is recognized by 90 percent of the global population? That’s the power of branding.

Career options as a graphic designer

Just like the colors of a spectrum has various variants, there is a multitude of career options under the umbrella of graphic designing.

Here are some career options you can explore.

• Multimedia Designer

This is one of the most common career paths that a graphic designer takes. A multimedia designer makes use of sound, art, and design to create animated images and videos for the brand.

Mostly, multimedia designers are involved in technical production, including designing of costumes, props, and sets. To excel in this career, you are required to have a sound imagination along with technical expertise.

• Flash Designer

A Flash Designer can be considered to be a niche within the multimedia designing field. Adobe Flash is an immensely popular tool that is used for creating animated and interactive websites. The tool itself is quite complicated to master.

Rather than assuming the broader role of a multimedia designer, you can become a Flash Designer by learning the software through training courses available on platforms like Coursera and Udemy.

• Web Designer

We live in an online world. Almost half of the global population, as per Statista, is present online. Having a website for your business is now a necessity rather than an afterthought. And it is equally important to have an aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound website.

As per research done by Articulate, 38 percent of site visitors abandon a website if they find it unattractive.

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Hence, there is a clear demand for web designers who help in creating graphics, layouts, and pages of a website. Here, you will be involved in deciding the navigation, structure, and content of the website. You will require knowledge of computer graphics, internet technology, and graphic design.

• Logo Designer

As mentioned above, logos are one of the most important aspects of branding. They help in creating associations with a brand and boosting awareness. A logo designer creates the perfect symbol for a business, given the creative brief.

There are various advertising and creative design agencies that are always on a lookout for logo designers. Here, apart from the know-how of graphic designing, you are required to be creative.

• Photoshop Artist

You will be surprised just how much time a graphic designer spends editing photos! Photo-editing is a skill required regardless of which niche you decide to gain expertise in.

However, there are also various photoshop artists who solely work on editing photos. This is because every brand requires product photography. And product photography requires color-correction and manipulation.

Again, there are various training courses and certifications available online which teach graphic designers about how to use Adobe Photoshop.

How to prepare for a career as a graphic designer?

Now that you know the different fields you can explore as a graphic designer and the signs that might show that this is the career path to you, the next step is learning how to enter the field. Here is how you can prepare yourself for a career in graphic design.

• Get formal education

The best way to kickstart a career in graphic design is to get a formal education in the field. Seek a bachelor’s in fields related to graphic designing, whether it be digital media or marketing. This will allow you to truly understand the expectations of the market.

You can choose to go to a traditional university or opt for an online university. While the former is the best form of education, for those of you who are already working or are looking for something flexible, an online bachelors is a good solution. This will increase accessibility, along with giving you a customized learning environment.

• Learn how different software work

Mostly, formal education doesn’t focus on the technicalities of the different graphic designing software out there. To make sure you are ready for corporate life, pursue online certifications or physical workshops to get the required training.

This will ensure that you have both the academic and technical expertise to excel in the field.

• Don’t wait, begin freelancing

Start honing your skills the moment you step out of college. Don’t wait to land the perfect job. Instead, pick up freelance projects.

This will help you in building your portfolio, network with potential clients as well as perfect your graphic designing skills.

Lastly, have a website and social media presence of your own to make sure you are accessible for the masses. You will be surprised how many people will find you through your accounts.

Ending Remarks

If you think graphic designing is the path for you, prepare yourself adequately through a mixture of formal education and online certifications. Choose your preferred niche and have fun!