Graphic design as an industry can certainly seem a bit intimidating and confusing when hiring or contracting. There are many sub-sectors and niches that designers and studios can specialise in. Add the fact that the best candidate isn’t always simply the most skilled on paper (experience and creative problem solving being two additional key factors to consider). This can make finding the best possible candidate for any project a challenging task.

Overall it is not so difficult to find candidates who possess solid design skills, which is great. However focus on finding a designer who is easy to work with, listens to your needs and understands the brief. They should also show commitment to finding creative solutions with you and are hungry for your project’s success.

When a designer asks lots of questions regarding your project, it may seem like a lack of confidence, but it is actually a positive sign that they want to learn as much as possible from you about the project. A designer who does not ask questions will wrongfully assume they already know everything and should be avoided.

1. Set your goals and expectations before the search begins
All successful projects start with clearly defined goals and expectations. Sharing as much information to a designer as possible helps both parties understand what the goals and expected outcomes of the project are. Additional and helpful information to add in a creative brief can include detail about your company – what it does, its history, its future ambitions. The objectives of the project and the specific qualifications you are looking for to complete the project are also helpful.

Sharing deadlines and any potential obstacles upfront in an initial meeting will kickstart a discussion of commitment and availability to a project. It will also help both you and the designer understand the expected workload and planned delivery of work.

2. Know which graphic design skills your project needs
Though not completely necessary, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the design world and the spectrum of design. For example, logo design and videography are two very different skill sets but both fall within the category of ‘design’. Also understanding which types of skills may be required before you start searching for a designer. Will your campaign use stock images or will you need photographs to be taken specially for the project? Will there be a budget for either option? Does the project require creative illustrations or is it more of a publishing type project, such as printed material like a brochure, flyer or catalogue?

Asking yourself a few of these questions will help you better understand which skills your project requires and its scope. It also makes the search for the right graphic designer a bit easier.

3. Explain your brand and target audience clearly
You know exactly what your company does and who its audience is, but someone new to the business may not, so to maximise the relationship with a designer they will need to gain a clear understanding. What does your company do? What is your company’s unique selling proposition (USP)? How is your company working to achieve or deliver to its customers, clients or audience?

An effective graphic designer will need this valuable insight in order to create and design materials and assets that connect your brand with its audience. Before hiring a designer for any project, ensure they have a firm grasp and understanding of your brand and its audience.

4. Gain insight into how the candidate thinks
Another tactic for narrowing down graphic design candidates is to ask something unexpected during the interview process. For instance, you could ask candidates to critique a competitor’s design piece and explain what they would have done differently. The answer itself will provide insight on the candidate’s abilities, and the way they deliver the answer will help you better understand their creative process. The goal here is to see how well each applicant handles the unknown and thinks on the fly.

5. Don’t rely on portfolios alone
Though portfolios can be impressive (or not so much!), they can be deceptive if they do not show a designer’s strengths, skills, experience and thinking processes. Ask potential candidates about their work and projects they have included in their portfolio. Ask what kind of problems their designs creatively solved, and what inspired them to make the design decisions they did. This will provide valuable insight into how a designer approaches projects, how they work with their clients and what their creative process looks like.

6. Dip your toes by starting small
Hiring a graphic designer for any project is a huge commitment both financially and in terms of the work representing your company. A great way to begin a working relationship with any designer can be to start by hiring them for a relatively small project. This will allow you to make a better and more informed judgement to continue working with them or deciding not to.

This could be anything from designing a logo, creating a business card or updating existing assets or materials. This means you have an opportunity to dip your toes with the graphic designer before fully committing to them.

7. A video chat can go a long way
Communicating only via phone or email can make it challenging to get to know someone you may begin working with. If a face-to-face introduction can’t be organised then video calling apps such as Zoom, Teams, Skype or Google Hangouts make it easy to meet virtually. You will get a better sense of a candidate and understanding of who they are. Video calls are also an efficient way to meet regularly for updates or discussions related to a project.

8. Ask questions
It’s always a good idea to ask designers questions including what they will require from yourself or the company to achieve the best possible results. This may be physical items such as documentation and artwork, or digital assets such as logos or brand guidelines. They will also likely require a dedicated contact to liaise with for proofing concepts, discussing design choices and giving feedback. The more you can understand the designer’s process and needs upfront, the smoother and more efficient the project will be.

9. Look for relevant industry experience
It always helps if graphic design candidates have experience within your industry. It could be anything from retail or e-commerce through to HR or healthcare. Even if only as a consumer, relevant experience always helps. Possessing this knowledge can easily reduce the learning curve required when getting a new graphic designer up to speed on your business. It also ensures the designer will have a good understanding of your audience and how to connect with it.

10. Talk about the designer’s inspirations
Finally, be sure to take the time to understand what motivates each designer you interview. By getting an idea of the different brands, websites, books, and artists that they draw inspiration from, it will give you a much better sense of their style. This conversation may also help you discover additional ideas or unique design elements for your project.

The biggest thing to remember when hiring a graphic designer is that you’re looking for more than just a specific skill set. The designer’s overall creativity and work style are just as important as their skills, if not more so. These aren’t things you will find on a resume or CV and they can only be discovered through conversation. So the more hands-on you can be during the interview process, the better the final deliverable—and working relationship — is sure to be.