Graphic design is an evolving industry with a highly specialized skill set required for entry and career progression. Creativity alone will not be enough to be competitive for today’s design jobs. The ability to be collaborative with a team that includes non-creative types can be crucial to job success.

Many designers love the craft of what they do but are less skilled in communicating with their clients in a business-like manner. Those designers who can offer expertise in concept, creation, strategy and effective business communications will be highly sought after.  Additionally, an understanding of HTML and CSS is increasingly essential as web and mobile design are where many job opportunities are found. A successful job candidate should be able to communicate a full range of creative prowess from print to pixel.

Sample Interview Questions for Graphic Designers

Talk about your experience producing high-quality visual designs, from concept to production.

Discuss what a user-centered design principle means to you.

Do you feel the work in your portfolio best represents your design ability and depth of thinking?

Why do you want to be an in-house designer?

Talk about a time when you had a creative conflict with a client. What happened?

Have you ever had to “fire” a client? Why?

What do you think are the warning signs of a potentially difficult client?

Talk about the interplay between designer control and user experience.

In what type of environment do you do your best work?

Discuss your experience with HTML and CSS.

How do you go about understanding your client’s business problems and identifying how to explore solutions through design?

How do you establish a more holistic perspective for clients to help them understand design strategy as it impacts their business?

If you are working on a big project for which multiple designers are developing separate creative solutions, how do you ensure that your work is selected by the creative director to be shown to the client?

How often do unfinished projects linger on your job list and clutter up the job board?

How often do you take on a project that involves learning a new program, language, or technology?

Discuss what this statement means to you, “Be led by relevance.”

What are the steps you take in putting together a project proposal?

Discuss your understanding of the importance of typography.

How do you handle conflict with a creative director?

What is the role of research in design solutions?