With the economy run amuck, there’s a huge imbalance of job-seeking graphic designers to available graphic design jobs. Thus, hiring firms are in the incredibly challenging position of sifting through a plethora of prospective talent. Add to the fact that the San Francisco graphic design scene is bursting at the seams with a slew of graphic design firms, freelance graphic designers, and two top tier graphic design schools, California College of the Arts and the Academy of Art University, the challenge to choose the right candidate can be downright overwhelming for San Francisco businesses.
To help facilitate the screening process, here are 2 crucial must-have skills to look for when reviewing designers’ portfolios:
- TYPOGRAPHY
Typography (selecting typefaces and arranging them on the page) is the hardest skill for a graphic designer to master. It’s literally what separates the men from the boys (or the good designers from the so-so ones). Typography can make or break a design piece – it’s that crucial. But choose a candidate with a solid grasp of how to work and communicate with type, and your business will reap the rewards all the way down to the bottom line. - CONCEPTUAL SKILLS
There are three types of designers: (1) the ones that make things look pretty, but are not idea generators, (2) the ones that have great ideas but can’t execute, and (3) the ones that are equally adept at both aesthetics and conceptual thinking. Any candidate that has the ability to generate and execute solid, fresh, creative, relevant ideas will be invaluable to your company. Why? Because you’re getting more than just a designer, you’re getting visionary who can help take your business to the next level. And that’s priceless…or at the least, well-worth the designer’s fees.
(originally appeared in SF Examiner 3/19/09)