What graphic designers want

What graphic planers want What graphic konzepters wantPosted April 8, 2013, by Molly Wiltshire-Bridle Like any profession, the graphic design industry is fraught with stereotypes and misconceptions theyre all Wacom-wielding, bespectacled sketch artists, right? zugnglich designer marketplace, 99designs, begs to differ with their latest survey, aptly entitled How to woo a designer. In an effort to bridge the gap between clients needs and designers wants, nearly 2500 graphic designers were surveyed on everything from what makes them tick, to how they handle difficult clients. Fittingly, the results have been compiled into a nifty infographic, below. We also took some time out to have a chat with Jason Aiken, Community Director at 99designs. Responsible for managing close to 200,000 designers every day, he offers some handy insight into the dynamic realm of graphic design. Q Whats the current job climate for graphic design? A The demand for graphic designers is incredibly strong thro ughout all segments of the market. From the boardroom to the butcher shop, how we value design and understand its impact on our lives and our businesses continues to saturate society like never before. When you couple this with the surge of entrepreneurism and the growth and ever increasing sophistication of our online world, graphic designers have a lot of opportunities for the foreseeable future. Q What are some of the most commonly faced misconceptions about the graphic design community? A One of the most common misconceptions is that designers dont make good business people. Thankfully, great design-led businesses like Pinterest, tumblr, Fab and Square are rapidly making this mindset obsolete. Q Is there a trend towards freelancing, and if so, why do you think this is taking place? A I think everyone dreams about being their own boss and setting their own rules. Freelancing can offer a great deal of freedom and flexibility, but as they say freedom isnt free. Being a full-time f reelancer is hard work One of the biggest challenges is finding that next opportunity. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a stable of clients and a steady referral network. Thats why freelancers flock to sites like 99designs because there are so many opportunities within easy reach. Q How has the Internet revolutionised the graphic design industry? A One of the simplest ways is that the Internet has completely changed how designers can work and interact with clients and colleagues. There are designers in the community at 99designs who travel the world or spend their winters working on a beach in Thailand, all without skipping a beat it simply would not be possible without the Internet. Q What are some of the advantages of a marketplace scheme, like 99designs, for designers? A Designers love 99designs because its a great way to build client relationships, earn money, learn new skills and have fun. It doesnt matter if youre from Sydney or Serbia, or if you are a full-time fre elancer, a hobbyist or a student 99designs has a variety of different opportunities for those willing to take them. Designers realise the opportunity stretches far beyond the contest as between 30 to 40 per cent of contests lead to long-term relationships. Many full-time freelancers use 99designs help them even out the natural ebb and flow of their own client cycle, while students enjoy building their portfolios working on real projects with real clients, and hobbyists love keeping their part-time passions alive. All designers benefit from the learning opportunity of seeing how a dozen different designers approach the same design problem. Q And for businesses? A For businesses there really is no better way to find a designer than running a contest on 99designs. You learn so much more about a designers skill set and how you would actually work together than you possibly could by simply reviewing a portfolio of their work. Business owners love the process and being able to see dozens of different concepts from multiple perspectives rather than just a handful of concepts from a single designer. Q What advice would you offer to someone looking to break into graphic design? A The best advice is to dive in and get started. There are so many opportunities to learn online hours upon hours of tutorials, countless inspiration sites, and of course nothing beats the experience of cutting your teeth by working on real projects for real clients in communities like 99designs.Designing ResourcesAssistant fashion designer cover letterGraphic design graduate resumeCareer Insider StoriesTherese Moussa - The Grounds Head Stylist & Creative DeveloperKim Fletcher - MillinerElizabeth OConnor-Cowley - Director, eeni meeni miini mohInterested in becoming a?Web DesignerIT ManagerInterior DesignerJunior Graphic DesignerInterior DecoratorPopular Career Searchescostume design coursestextiles design courses distance educationresidential drafting courses onlinecertificate in elearning des ign and developmenthow to become a fashion designer in adelaideDesigning CoursesBachelor of DesignEnquire Online Enquire OnlineMixed Reality Design CourseEnquire Online Enquire OnlineUser Experience Design Accelerated Course (1 Week)Enquire Online Enquire OnlineUser Experience Design Transform Course (Full-Time)Enquire Online Enquire OnlineMolly Wiltshire-BridleRelated ArticlesBrowse moreCreative careersDesignDesigner careersIf you yearn for creative expression and know how to combine your creativity with precision and technical skill, then a career in design may be perfect for you.DesignDesigningDesign graduates need to impress in competitive industryDesign graduates take heed it takes more than great skills to get one of the top jobs in this competitive industry.DesignDesigningHow To Become A Graphic DesignerIf kerning is your calling and stop-motion gets you animated, it might just be time to consider a career in the multifaceted world of graphic design.