Job type

Graphic designer

£18k - £40k

Typical salary

37 – 40

Hours per week

Graphic designers create visual branding, adverts, brochures, magazines, website designs, product packaging and displays.

More info

  • Design graphics for all kinds of organisations
  • Highly creative work, but you'll also need to follow your client's instructions
  • Great opportunities to work for large and small agencies, or for yourself

As a graphic designer, you'll create images and digital illustrations for adverts, brochures, magazines, product packaging and displays.

DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES

  • Discuss the client's requirements and come up with creative ideas
  • Work out budgets and deadlines
  • Produce rough drafts and present your ideas
  • Prepare designs using specialist software
  • Make presentations to clients for feedback and approval
  • Produce a final layout
  • Explain requirements to photographers, printers, manufacturers or game developers
  • Keep up with design trends and developments in software tools

DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT

You could work in a creative studio, in an office or at a client's business.

You'll need

This role would be ideal for someone with the ability to use design software, budgeting and organisational skills, the ability to communicate ideas to colleagues and clients, knowledge of media production, communication and English language, and thinking and reasoning skills.

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in graphic design, art and design, or illustration.

You could take a college course such as Graphic Design or Art and Design, and use this to join a company as a design assistant.

You could get into this career through an advanced apprenticeship in design.

Graphic design work can be competitive, so having a portfolio to showcase your creative work would be beneficial.

CAREER PROSPECTS

You could become a senior designer, creative director or move into management. You could go freelance or start your own design agency.