How to hire graphic designers
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 • Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design. • Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts. • Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type. • Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites. • Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor. • Prepare digital files for printing. • Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed. • Use computer software to generate new images. 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: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, speaking, active learning, critical thinking, writing and reading comprehension skills • Working knowledge of design, computers and electronics, fine arts 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 $30.27 an hour ($62,960 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for graphic designers
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 confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- 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?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- 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 graphic designers do
- Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
- Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
- Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
- Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
- Prepare digital files for printing.
- Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
- Use computer software to generate new images.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for graphic designers
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: -1.7% over ten years, little or no change · about 16,000 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay graphic designers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $87,920 |
| Rhode Island | $78,220 |
| New York | $77,340 |
| Massachusetts | $76,710 |
| California | $75,130 |
| Arkansas | $46,220 |
| Mississippi | $45,640 |
| West Virginia | $40,350 |
See graphic designers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Art Directors
- Craft Artists
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
- Special Effects Artists and Animators
- Artists and Related Workers, All Other
- Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Fashion Designers
- Floral Designers
- Interior Designers
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
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.