Career Spotlight: Graphic Design

Imagine the career you’d like to have after you graduate college. Does it involve doing something new and creative nearly every day? Does it allow you to create things and exercise your artistic talent? Does it give you the chance to breathe new life into a message or idea?

If you answered yes to these questions, you may want to consider a career in graphic design.

Graphic designers are skilled in composing impactful designs that can be interpreted by a variety of people. These designers must be forward-thinking and aware of the needs and desires of their targeted audiences.

If a career in graphic design sounds interesting to you, here are a few essential things you need to know.

What is graphic design?

Graphic design involves communicating a message in a visual, creative and often artistic way.

Graphic designers may be tasked with creating signs, diagrams, logos, advertisements and other graphic forms to achieve the goals of an individual or a business.

In order to arrive at a satisfying end product, graphic designers use a variety of images, color and typographic elements. The infinite combinations of these elements lead to the unique and memorable designs that graphic designers strive to create every day.

What should I do to become a graphic designer?

Graphic designers often hold college degrees in graphic design or a related field. Graphic designers typically hold four-year degrees, but some hold two-year degrees. As with most professions, the more education you receive, the more job opportunities you will have.

In addition to a college degree, graphic designers often must have prior experience in order to get a job in the field.

How can you get graphic design experience before getting your first job? Securing an internship or two is the best way to get experience while still in school.

If your internship supervisor is impressed with you, you may even get a job offer once you graduate.

Where can I get a job with a degree in graphic design?

With graphic design experience and a college degree, you can find job opportunities with a variety of companies all over the world.

If you are interested in helping a company promote itself and enhance its image, you could seek out a position as a member of a marketing team. In this type of job, you would create logos, advertisements and other promotional graphics that leave an impact on the company’s targeted audience.

If you are more interested in the orientation of text, images and other elements on a page, a career as a magazine or newspaper layout designer could be the perfect fit for you. Newspaper and magazine publishers desire designers who can create new and fresh designs that appeal to their readerships.

There are many other career opportunities available to you as a graphic designer. You need only to discover your individual interests.

If you’re sure graphic design is the perfect fit for you, I wish you luck in your future career. For more career spotlights, check out my HonorSociety.org blog.