Job Profiles

Graphic Designer

Job Description, Salaries, Benefits and Useful Links

Graphic designers produce designs that get their clients' messages across with high visual impact. They work on a huge variety of products, including websites, packaging, books and magazines, corporate identity (to give organisations a visual 'brand'), advertising, exhibitions and displays, and computer games.

Most graphic design work is now done on computer using specialised industry-standard graphics and multimedia software packages. Graphic designers have to work closely with other colleagues involved in projects, such as copywriters, photographers and sales staff. They may also work directly with clients.

Graphic designers usually work 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Extra hours are common, especially to meet critical project deadlines. Part-time work may be possible. The work is usually done in an open-plan design studio. It involves sitting and working at a computer for long periods.

Salaries may range from around £11,000 to £65,000 a year.

A graphic designer must have:

· creative flair, originality and a strong visual sense

· strong computer skills

· confidence, to present and explain ideas to clients and colleagues

· an interest in graphics and typography.

There are nearly 40,000 businesses working in graphic design, ranging from major agencies to sole freelancers. The design sector is growing, but competition for vacancies can still be keen. Gaining early experience and building a portfolio of work is an advantage. Some graphic designers create websites to show off their work.

Most graphic designers have a degree or diploma. This may be in graphic design, illustration, fine art or a related subject. There may be opportunities for experienced designers to work abroad, eg in Europe and the USA.

What is the work like?

Graphic designers work to bring many kinds of communication alive. They produce designs that get their clients' messages across with high visual impact. The role demands a keen business sense as well as creative flair.

· websites

· packaging

· books and magazines

· corporate identity - to give organisations a visual 'brand'

· advertising

· exhibitions and displays

· computer games.

Tasks are likely to include:

· finding out about the project requirements (taking a 'brief')

· estimating the time the project will require, and providing a cost quotation

· coming up with design concepts that fit the client's needs

· presenting options for design treatments

· creating final designs, working to a deadline and budget

· amending designs according to the clients' final comments

· proofreading and preparing designs to be sent to print.

Apart from rough sketches, most graphic design work is now done on computer. Graphic designers use specialised industry-standard graphics or multimedia software packages.

Designers may use different media - eg photography and illustration - to get the results they want.

Graphic designers may deal directly with their clients. Those working in an agency may take briefs from an account manager who has responsibility for client contact.

Designers also have to work closely with other colleagues involved in projects, such as copywriters, photographers and sales staff. In order to win work, they may take part in formal presentations to 'pitch' their ideas to potential clients.

Salaries for junior designers may start at around £11,000 a year.

Hours and environment

Graphic designers usually work 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Extra hours are common, especially to meet critical project deadlines. Part-time work may be possible.

Many designers work on a freelance basis after gaining some years' experience.

The work is usually done in an open-plan design studio. It involves sitting and working at a computer for long periods. Self-employed designers may work from home or share studio space.

There may be some travel to meet clients.

Skills and personal qualities

A graphic designer must have:

· creative flair

· a strong visual sense

· originality

· strong computer skills

· confidence, to present and explain ideas to clients and colleagues

· the ability to grasp client needs and consider practical solutions

· the ability to pay attention to detail

· the ability to balance work on several projects at a time

· good teamworking skills

· flexibility

· an awareness of the competitive business environment in which they work

· a matter-of-fact approach when ideas or designs are rejected.

Interests

It is important to have an interest in:

· graphics and typography

· new developments in design software.

Getting in

Around 185,000 people work across the design sector as a whole. There are nearly 40,000 businesses working in graphic design, ranging from major agencies to sole freelancers.

There are two main types of employer.

· Agencies carry out graphic design work for a range of clients. They may specialise in advertising, corporate communications or general graphic design.

· Many large organisations have in-house design teams. These include publishers, banks, retailers, government departments, local authorities, universities and packaging companies.

Employers are based all over the UK. Almost half of design agencies are in London and the South East.

The design sector is growing. However, because there are many higher education courses in graphic design, competition for vacancies can still be keen. Gaining early experience and building a portfolio of work is an advantage. Some graphic designers create websites to show off their work.

Vacancies are advertised in trade press, such as Design Week, or national press, such as The Guardian (Mondays). Some graphic design vacancies are filled through specialist recruitment agencies.

Training

Employers generally expect new entrants to have learned the essential skills while completing their qualifications.

Employers may support further study, eg for a postgraduate degree or diploma. They may also provide in-house or external training in specific aspects of the job, such as presentation skills.

Graphic designers are expected to keep up to date with the latest trends in the industry. They may attend courses and demonstrations of new design software.

Getting on

Junior designers can progress to a senior position. With further experience they may take on team management responsibilities, eventually becoming studio manager or creative director in an agency.

Those working for smaller companies may find limited opportunities for advancement. Many designers change employers to progress their career.

Graphic designers can specialise in a particular field, such as packaging or magazine design. With further training, they may move on to related fields such as animation or television and video graphics.

There may be opportunities for experienced designers to work abroad, eg in Europe and the USA.

Further information

Chartered Society of Designers, 1 Cedar Court, Royal Oak Yard, Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3GA. 020 7357 8088. Website: www.csd.org.uk

Design Business Association, 35-39 Old Street, London EC1V 9HX. 020 7251 9229. Website: www.dba.org.uk

Design Council, 34 Bow Street, London WC2E 7DL. 020 7420 5200. Website:www.designcouncil.org.uk

Your Creative Future (a guide to working in the creative industries). Website:www.yourcreativefuture.org.uk

Magazines/journals

Blueprint

Campaign

Creative Review

Design Week

Eye

Grafik

Advertising Account Planner

Job Description, Salaries, Benefits and Useful Links

What is the work like?

Account planners set the communication strategy for advertising campaigns. They establish the goals and objectives, target audience, message and tone in which the campaign should be delivered.

Planners define how a particular strategy can help a client add value to their business, and inspire creative teams to create advertisements in order to achieve this. They use research, trends and data on markets, consumers and culture to help them to do this.

An account planner may be involved with a number of clients and/or brands at the same time. It is important to develop a good understanding and identify specific business needs for each one.

An account planner's duties may include:

· working with the client to establish their aims and objectives

· analysing existing data, market reports and trends

· developing, managing and analysing research projects

· working with colleagues to develop ideas for a campaign

· briefing the creative team, allowing them to create an effective and well-targeted proposition for the client

· presenting ideas and conclusions to the client

· organising and attending focus groups to do qualitative research

· monitoring the success of the campaign as it runs, suggesting changes and improvements where necessary

· analysing the results.

In some smaller agencies the role of account planner may be combined with the account executive or account management role.

Starting salaries may be around £18,000 to £22,000 a year.

Hours and environment

Account planners tend to work long, irregular hours, from Monday to Friday. Some agencies have flexible working hours on the understanding that staff will work late when deadlines demand it. It is possible for experienced account planners to work part time.

Most of an account planner's time is spent in their office, but they also travel to deliver presentations to clients. Some overnight stays away from home may be required.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.

· New account planners may earn between £18,000 and £22,000 a year.

· Experienced account planners may earn £30,000 to £50,000 a year.

· Senior positions may command salaries of £70,000 or more.

Skills and personal qualities

An account planner should:

· be creative and able to think around problems

· be a rigorous and logical thinker

· have strong presentation skills

· have good business skills

· have good written and spoken communication skills

· be able to work well as part of a team, with a range of people

· have a good memory for facts and figures

· have numerical ability

· have computer skills

· have stamina and drive

· be able to work to deadlines

· have a smart appearance and professional manner

· be persuasive and diplomatic

· be skilled at analysing and making use of research

· have good negotiating skills.

Interests

It is important to have an interest in:

· advertising as a business

· social and cultural trends and fashions.

Getting in

Most account planners work for creative agencies producing advertising, marketing and digital communication. There are just over 1,000 agencies in the UK. Freelance planners are becoming more common, although to be successful in this generally requires significant agency experience and an excellent reputation in the industry.

Most agencies employ fewer than 50 staff, while the larger advertising agencies employ around 80 per cent of the total workforce. The vast majority of these are in London. Other centres for advertising in the UK include Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester. Competition for entry to advertising is strong.

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) runs a scheme between June and September each year which allows students to post their CVs on the company's website. The IPA's graduate recruitment agency factfile lists member agencies with structured recruitment programmes, and is an excellent starting point for those wishing to make a speculative approach to agencies.

Training

New recruits often train by spending time shadowing experienced account planners, while larger agencies often have structured training programmes.

The Account Planning Group and the Market Research Society provide training for new and experienced account planners.

The Communications Advertising and Marketing Education (CAM) Foundation offers broad-based training that can be helpful for people in advertising, including account planners. Study can be full time, part time or by distance learning. It can lead to a Diploma in Marketing Communications.

Account planners are expected to keep their skills and knowledge current by staying up to date with industry trends and standards. Account planners who are employed by an agency belonging to the IPA may have access to their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.

Getting on

It may be possible to gain promotion to senior account planner. Some planners become agency directors. Movement between advertising agencies is common, and it may be necessary to change employer to gain promotion.

Experienced advertising staff may set up small agencies of their own or work on a freelance basis. There may be opportunities to work abroad with agencies that operate internationally.

Further information

The Account Planning Group (APG), 16 Creighton Avenue, London N10 1NU. 020 8444 3692. Website: www.apg.org.uk

Advertising Association, 7th Floor North, Artillery House, 11-19 Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RT. 020 7340 1100. Website: www.adassoc.org.uk

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Moor Hall, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 9QH. 01628 427500. Website: www.cim.co.uk

Communications Advertising and Marketing Education (CAM) Foundation, Moor Hall, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 9QH. 01628 427120. Website: www.camfoundation.com

Creative & Cultural Skills, 4th Floor, Lafone House, The Leathermarket, Weston Street, London SE1 3HN. 020 7015 1800. Website: www.ccskills.org.uk

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), 44 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QS. 020 7235 7020. Website: www.ipa.co.uk

The Market Research Society (MRS), 15 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0JR. 020 7490 4911. Website: www.mrs.org.uk

Magazines/journals

Admap
Campaign
Creative Review
The Drum
Marketing
Marketing Week
Media Week