When entering the design world, it may seem a little overwhelming as there are so many different career paths you can go down. On the one hand this is great because it gives you lots of options, but on the other it makes it difficult to know which route to go down.
We have summed up 9 design careers and outlined the average salary and typical duties and responsibilities involved. We hope you find this helpful!
Entry Level Graphic Designer
Average salary: 27-30k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Understanding project requirements and ideas.
- Using graphic techniques to create drafts.
- Producing logos, banners, and interfaces.
- Pitching creative concepts.
- Collaborating with the team to launch projects.
- Using feedback from other designers to improve.
- Knowledge of design techniques, such as prototyping.
Mid-weight Graphic Designer
Average salary: 35-45k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Knowledge of media production, communication techniques and methods.
- Create designs, concepts and layouts based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetical design concepts in accordance with AISJ standards and adopted branding.
- Mark up, paste and assemble final layouts for printing.
- Creation of presentation and mock-ups to present ideas/executions for approval.
- Prepare notes and illustrations for assembly and preparation of final layouts for printing.
- Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to the position.
- Adobe Creative Suite (In Design, Illustrator, Photoshop essential)
Senior Graphic Designer
Average salary: 40-50k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Designing graphic content, illustrations, and infographics.
- Managing graphic designs from conception to delivery.
- Reviewing junior designer drafts to ensure quality.
- Generating fresh concepts.
- Ensuring brand consistency throughout various marketing projects.
- Liaising between the marketing and design teams to ensure deadlines are met.
- Keeping up to date with industry developments.
Art Director
Average salary: 55k plus
Duties and responsibilities:
- Generate clear ideas and concepts in tandem with the copywriter.
- Produce sketches, storyboards, roughs to visualize ideas.
- Understand marketing initiatives, strategic positioning and target audience.
- Cooperate with the rest of the creative team across different types of media.
- Take work from concept to final execution within deadlines.
- Manage and delegate responsibilities to other designers and provide directions.
- Present completed ideas to clients/team members.
- Stay on top of all trends and maintain best practices.
Senior Art Director
Average salary: 60k plus
Duties and responsibilities:
- Manage and contribute to a variety of projects.
- Produce creative thought leadership in the creation of high-quality. broadcast and print, as well as experiential, environmental, and digital design.
- Develop, create and lunch brands.
- Evaluate marketing and campaign strategies.
- Work with Account Managers to ensure each project, in accordance with briefing, are clearly outlined and estimated.
- Review all art creation.
- Suggest the best practice to be adopted.
- Suggest and/or approve best quality job for delivery.
- Adhere to internal processes, budgets, and timelines for each project.
- Come up with creative thinking during brainstorming sessions, creative wall reviews, and project kick-off meetings.
- Guide, influence, and motivate others with thought-provoking ideas and recommendations.
- Crack new ideas for creative team management and processes.
- Assist in the supervision of the creative department to promote an inspiring atmosphere and desirable workflow to achieve the best work.
Head of Design/Creative Director
Average salary: 80-140k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Distil abstract business concepts and client needs into elegant creative solutions.
- Take responsibility for the creative vision and the standard of output across team members who work under them.
- Pitch ideas confidently and present the creative vision clearly to clients, as well as communicate in the same manner to members of the creative team.
- Have strong people management and leadership skills in order to hire, develop, and inspire the creative team.
- Ensure that all of the organizations or client’s creative output/visuals are consistent with the overall brand.
- Lead multiple projects from conception to completion in accordance with deadlines.
- Collaborate with other team members and stakeholders.
- Ask smart questions, take risks, and champion new ideas.
UX/UI Designer
Average salary: 30k – 70k (entry- senior level)
Duties and responsibilities:
- Creating user-centered designs by understanding business requirements, and user feedback.
- Creating user flows, wireframes, prototypes and mock-ups.
- Translating requirements into style guides, design systems, design patterns and attractive user interfaces.
- Designing UI elements such as input controls, navigational components and informational components.
- Creating original graphic designs (e.g. images, sketches and tables).
- Identifying and troubleshooting UX problems (e.g. responsiveness).
- Collaborating effectively with product, engineering, and management teams.
- Incorporating customer feedback, usage metrics, and usability findings into design in order to enhance user experience.
Product Designer
Average salary: 60-79k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Set design requirements based on information from internal teams and user research.
- Identify new product improvement opportunities.
- Analyse how a new product satisfies market needs and consumer preferences.
- Stay up to date on current industry trends and market conditions.
- Coordinate with other design team members to ensure consistent and accurate communication.
- Modify and revise existing designs to meet changing customer preferences.
- Work closely with product engineers to suggest improvements for products and processes.
- Present product design ideas to cross-functional teams and senior leadership.
Senior Product Designer
Average salary: 80-100k
Duties and responsibilities:
- Identify opportunities for new products.
- Analyse how a new product ties in with market needs and consumer preferences.
- Set design requirements based on briefs from internal teams and external partners.
- Research materials and techniques.
- Sketch drafts on paper or digitally (for example, using CAD).
- Use 3D modelling software to design products and components.
- Produce prototypes and test functionality.
- Improve the design of existing products.
- Gather feedback from product users.
Here at TalentHub, we have a dedicated Product and Design team. If you’d like to get in touch and have a chat about possible job opportunities, please get in touch here. We would love to help you secure your next exciting job in design!
Author:
Geri Pollock
Senior Recruitment Consultant
