How to hire desktop publishers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections. • Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials. • Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software. • Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy. • Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns. • Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software. • Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations. • View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Associate's degree] • Strong critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of computers and electronics and communications and media • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $26.58 an hour ($55,290 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for desktop publishers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What desktop publishers do
- Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections.
- Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.
- Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software.
- Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy.
- Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns.
- Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software.
- Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations.
- View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for desktop publishers
- Typical education to start: Associate's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -14.5% over ten years, declining · about 300 openings a year (BLS)
Related hiring guides
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- Graphic Designers
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers
- Web and Digital Interface Designers
- Special Effects Artists and Animators
- Film and Video Editors
- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer
- Web Developers
- Editors
- Computer Occupations, All Other
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.